TUAPEKA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2850, 28 October 1908, Page 34

TUAPEKA.

Dx Chappie addressed an audience of

over 100 people at Matakanui on Monday, lfith inst., and was greeted enthusiastically by a large number of old friends t.nd schoolmates. He spoke on local matters of interest to the district, such as the cutting up of the runs, with due regard to the 'smallness of and consistent with a good living under fair management. He pointed out past mistakes in subdivision in area, frontages, water 6upply, and proportion of level to hilly land. He advocated the planting of the huge area of tailings with early-maturity forest trees, and expressed the opinion that Haivea Flat should bo brought more into touch with Dunedin by a Thomson Gorge road. He explained the Land Settlement Finance Bill, and said that if returned to Parliament he would endeavour to amend the measure in the direction of permitting an irrigation association to be formed* on similar lines, with a State advance for! the purpose,' on the approval of an irrigation engineer. Be eaid that the Keystone drill. which would be sent to the vicinitvN of Xaseby, should not be allowed to leave ; the district till the deep leads and artesian I areas were thoroughly tested. A vote of i thanks a»d confidence was carried, i On Monday, 19th inst., Mr J. A. Macpherson addressed a large and enthusiastic | meeting of the electors of Lauder in the I Lauder Railway Hotel. At the close of the i address Mr G. M'Cluskey' proposed a vote ; of thanks for the able addiess, and also I a vote of confidence in Mr Maepherson. I This was carried unanimously. Oh ' Monday, 19th inst., at Poolburn.. Mr Maepherson addressed a large number of eleotora, by whom he was received with the utmost enthusiasm. At the conclusion of his address the following motion ■ >p as carried with acclamation: — "That Mr Maophereon be accorded c hearty vote of thanks for the address, and that the meeting pass a vote of confidence in him as the most fit and proper person to represent th« electorate in Parliament." On Wednesday, 21st mat, at Omaka«, Mr Macphe-rson addressed a large number of enthusiastic electors. *As he rose to epeak !ho was greeted with lou-d and hearfcy appjause. and during the addxees ho had no difficulty in retaining the feeling of the "meeting, which showed ite appreciation of him by the hearty response given to the vote of thanks and .confidence proposed by Mrs O'Brien and seconded by Mrs Drake. At Matakanui on Wednesday night Mr Maepherson addressed a very full house. The candidate received a most attentive hearing, and hearty applause greeted many of his remarks. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried by a large majority. Mr Robert Scott, the Opposition candidate, addressed a well-attended meeting of electors" at Green Valley on Monday evening. He received a very appreciative hearing, and was accorded a hearty vote of thanks on the motion of Mr Matthew Lee, seconded by Mr Rollins. Mr Scott i addressed a large meeting of electors at Macrae's on Tuesday evening. Mr George Donaldson was in the chair. The candid ate was frequently, applauded on his general criticism of the Government, particularly on the land question, his ,strong .advocacy of the freehold tenure meeting with much approval. In reply io a question as to whether, if returned to Parliament, he would, support a movement for a railway to Macraes, Mr Scott replied that if it could be shown that such a step could be justified by trade returns he would certainly do what lie could- to promote the scheme. A vote of thanks" was carried unanimously. At Moonlight on Wednesday night a large number of farmers and others assembled to hear Mr Scot*. Mr -Scott's remarks met with the same marked approval as had been the case in the other farming centres traversed. A vote of 'thanks moved by Mr Andrew Harvey and seconded by Mr Thomas Peddie was carried without dissent. Dr Chappie addressed a large meeting at Cambrians Wednesday night. He dealt, among other subjects, with the Land Settlement Finance Bill, and claimed that if this had been passed email men would have been able to secure the freehold without compulsion on the freeholder.- The [ candidate promised that, if elected, he would endeavour to get provision for an irigation . association incorporated in the bill, > under which any numfoei- of l*txvclKolcLer*3 or lea--selaol<l-es.*s could combine to formulate a schenfe for the irrigation of their holdings and then submit it to the irrigation engineer, and if -he approved the fcheme, then the Government would find tho money at a low rate of interest and rate the land for the purpose. The candidate/ spoke for an hour and three-quarters, and a vote of thanks was carried with much heartiness, the chairman (Mr M'Guckin) suggesting that confi-d-pnee be left to the ballot box. After Mt Macpherson's meeting at Naseby, on Friday night, a strong commirtee was .formed to further his candidature for the Tuapeka scat. Mr Maepherson w woll pleased with the 6upport he is receiving throughout the district. In the southern portion of the Tuapeka electorate, where he ia well and favourably known, Mr Robert Scott continues to hold encouraging and enthusiastic meetings. Kokonga iurncd out in force on Thursday evening, and gave Mr Scott a splendid reception. In reply to questions, Mr Scott eaid that a man's right of citizenship should be sufficient remuneration for compulsory military training. He also stated that he was not in favour of a State Bank, as he could 6ee no reason why the State should enter into competition with the other banks. Mr H. Williamson occupied the chair, and a vote of thanks, moved by Mr R. Dickison, was carried with applause. Mr R. Scott addressed a fpw electors of Upper Taieri on Saturday evening, and. as usual in the country districts, received a unanimous assurance of support. The questions, which ware answered satisfactorily, related to no-license, irrigation for Manio■foto, and the taxing of bachelor's, of which there seems to b& an undue- proportion in the Upper Taieri district. A vote of thanks, propc&ad by Mr W. Mathiio=on, seconded by Mr Arthur Blakely, was carried unanimously. The previous evening Mr Scott addressed about 50 electors in the Patearoa Public- Hall. The address, which was on similar lines to those alncady delivered, was apparently much appreciated, as wa6 indicated by frequent rounds of applause. A vote of thanks, proposed by Mr Crerar, and seconded by Mr P. M'Afcamaney, was carried with enthusiasm. Mr Macoherson met the electors of Ranfurly in Mrs Harris's dining rooms on Saturday evonine:. about 70 persons being present. Mr Maepherson had a very attentive and appreciative hearing. One individual, who was intoxicated with «n-

thusiasm for the Opposition candidate, and other things, kept up- a good-natured running fire of interruption, -which afforded the audience some quiet amusement. A vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Macpherson was carried on the voices. Dr Chappie addressed a meeting of between 20 and 30 electors at Wedderburn on Saturday afternoon, and then proceeded to Grimmepburn, where an audience of over 120 m-e* him. at 8 o'clock. He spoke till nearly 10 o'clock on matters of local interest, such as experimental farming, irrigation, experimental boring, and the various methods of watar supply, and ohowed a very eomjiehensive knowledge of local requirements and conditions. He gave his views fully on land settlement and subdivision, and advocated an elective Upper House, medical inspection of schools, and other important reforms. After several replies to questions, Law moved and Mr Scott seconded a vote of thanks, both remarking that " thanks only " was Gimmerburn^s rule with all candidates. This was carried with great heartiness. DR CHAPPLE'S ADDRESSES. Dr Chappie reached a high plane in N his address to a large and attentive meeting at St. Bathans on Thursday night. An intimate local knowledge of an electorate's needs, hrf said, was essential in a representative, but the Democracy at the present nme required men of sound political principle and fired by an enthusiasm for our country's highest good. False prophets of ■ Liberalism had arisen, and men were driven hither and thither by ev-ery xriitd'-o{ political doctrine. -The scientist discovered « law in Nature and worked to it; the poKtical economist should seek * principle in the world's political unfolding and be loyal to it through eyH^and through good report. Mazzini haa said that true democracy was the progress of all "through all under the leadership of the wisest and flto& best. But too many politicians h*d their ears <to the ground, from whence only they drew^their inspiration. The murmuringa of discontent in the ranks of labour and farming and mining- were a hopeful sign ; but they were not to be hushed by State doles and quack remedies, but by a wholesome and progressive policy under the banner of an enlightened Liberal'sm. To right old wrongs without creating* new ones, to smooth the path of human progress without enervating those who tread it, to lift the fallen and to aid the weak, to hold aloft the torch of right and reason and justice fol the guidance and inspiration of mankind ; this was the function of a true Democracy. A fetish like Socialism would wreck the world's efficiency by redistributing its discontent, and the last state of a people under its blighting influence would be worse than the first. He looked forward hope fully and with confidenea to the" political unfolding of our noble country. In reference to the subdivision of runs for clcsei settlement, he laid it down as a principk that the maximum number of families shoild be settled consistent with their prospect of making a good living, and thai old settlers and the landless should havf some preference given them. He touched on irrigation, mining development, the work of last session, and menj importa-nt political issues in an interesting and instrctive way. Frequent applause greeted the speaker throughout the address, and at its dose a motion of thanks was proposed by Mr W. Milk and seconded by Mr W. Bollard, the chair/man, at the doctor's request, asking thai confidence be reserved. till all the candidates had spoken. An amendment, thanking Mi Mac'pherson for what he had got for the district, was moved by Mt Nicholson, and greeted with derision; but on the candidate stating that the mover was at liberty to move anything that hie good taste suggested, the chairman (Dr Bagley) put the amendment, but no one held up a hand, and the motion was carried with prolonged applause. The sehoolhouse at Hill's Creek was comfortably filkd to meet Dr Chappie at I p.m. on Friday. The Chairman (Mr R. Johnston) spoke eulogisticaUy of the candidate's work in Parliament, umd said he had read in Hansard every spsco'.i he had made. He said that no doubt a sentimental attachment to his old home kept Dr Chappie in their- midst, as he v 'could more easily have won another -seat. The candidate dealt ■witli a. yreat vacioty o-f impo-riant suH>i-eet3, which was greatly appieciatcd, and a hdarty voto of thanks was accorded him. Dr Chappie held a crowded meeting in the Public Hall, Rough Ridge, on Friday night, a number having eomo 10 miles to bo present. The candidate dealt exhauntively with irrigation, and drew from hi* wide travel to explain modern systems and their results. H-e explained and strongly :idvocatcd the medical inspection of schools, in-d gav-e numei-ous instances of the seriousness of school ailments when undetected in their initial stages. Many subjects of local in<l national importance were dealt with in i bright and interesting manner in a speech that wa.s freely punctuated with applause md lasting over an hour and a-half. Mr Sicholson, the chairman, in a few remarks commending the speaker, spoke of a long acquaintance with his father, who had lived and died in the district, and who had worked for tho good of Central Otago and its people. After several questions were put and answered, a vote of thanks and confidence was declared carried by tho chairman.