THE GENERAL ELECTION

Otago Witness, Issue 3006, 25 October 1911, Page 31

THE GENERAL ELECTION

THE PARNELL SEAT

MR MASSEY NOT STANDING

CFbom Oub Own Cobiiespondent.) AUCKLAND, October 16,

The Leader of the Opposition will not contest the Parnell seat against Sir John Findlay at the forthcoming general elections. This decision was definitely arrived a* this afternoon by Mr Massey, as the result of the urgent solicitations of his Franklin constituents not to desert them. Al' chance, therefore, of the greatest .political fight in the hitsory of New Zealand politics waged in Parnell is at an end. The - position now is that Mr E. G B. Moss will continue to fly the Opposition banner, unless his health compels him to relinquish the task, in which case a candidate still to be chosen will step into the breach.

OTAGO CENTRAL. (Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) ALEXANDRA SOUTH, October 16.

Mr W. D. Mason, Liberal arid Ministerial candidate for Otago Central, delivered a political address at Alexandra on Saturday right, and, despite the adverse weather conditions, there was a large attendance, including a sprinkling of ladies. Although a stranger here, Mr Mason received a good hearing, being frequently applauded. He showed he possessed a firm grasp of all the political questions, and his practical address won for him many admirers. He was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, preferring to leave the expression of confidence to the ballot box.

HAMILTON, October, 16

Mr Basil Hewitt, chairman of the Raglan County Council from 1899 to 1910, lias announced his candidature for the Raglan electorate as an Independent Liberal. ROTORUA, October 16. Mr Cecil Clinkard, farmer, Mamaku, has decided to contest the Tauranga seat in the Liberal and no-license interests.

THE REFORM PARTY AND LABOUR. CFbom Oitb Own Cobbespondent.) WELLINGTON, October 17. It has been practically settled that in the oases of second ballots in some constituencies the Opposition and the Labourites will agree to a measure of reciprocity. Thus if a Labour and a Government candidate are left in the contest at the second ballot the Opposition would vote for the Labour man. and vice versa.

THE WAIMARINO SEAT. WELLINGTON, October 20. Mr Joseph Ivess announces that he will be a candidate for the Waimarino seat at the general "election. v

PROBABILITIES MEASURED. (Fbom Oub Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, October 22

A keen studenifc of politics, whose opinion is entitled to. a great deal of respecf, lias been making a detailed calculation of the probabilities of the general election. He considers that 29 .seats are safe for the Opposition, and an Independent candidate for another constituency has pledged himself to vote against the Government on a noconfidence motion. In 27 electorates the return of the Government candidate is practically certain, and in the other 19 Europeon electorates it-he chances, according to the same authority, are practically even. PALMERSTON N., October 18. The election campaign was opened here to-night, when Mr Wm. Thompson, the Independent Opposition candidate, addressed the electors. He claimed that the old story of party was done with, but said there were many kinds of .Liberals, adding that if Mx Seddon could spend one day in New Zealand he would, spend it denouncing what his successor had done. He attacked the magistracy, claiming that it was dependent on the will of the Government. He denounced the de-

fence scheme as conscription, and said that before very long it would be costing the "country a million. He claimed that while we were building forts, we' had not a gan in the country that would fire three or four miles. He opposed prohibition, -but said the time was coming when they would drive the tied house and brewers' monopoly out of the country, and bring in a Fair Rent Bill to apply to hotels. On the education question he advocated full tuition —primary, secondary, and university. At the conclusion he was accorded a vote of thanks. WESTPORT, October 18. Mr John Dowgray, Labour candidate for Buller, has retired from the contest owing to his duties on the Mines Commission taking up hie time for the next six weeks.

INVERCARGILL, October 18.

James King, an Opposition candidate for Wallace, opened the campaign last night, and declared himself in favour of an elective Upper House and elective land boards. He supported the bare majority and State control of the liq'uor trade. He declared thaf the totalisator was no worse than the average church bazaar, and advocated the freehold. A vote of thanks was passed. FEILDING, October 22.

At a banquet at Kimboltoji, Mr F. F. Hockley, retiring cliairman of the Kiwitea County Council, received a presentation from the councillors. Mr Hockley retires to contest the Waimarino electorate in the Opposition interest.

Mr W. D. Mason met the electors of the Button district in the sohoolhouse on the 13th. Despite the bad weather prevailing there was a large attendance, and a number of ladies were present. The speaker was accorded a very attentive hearing and given a. hearty vote of thanks. Asked his views on compulsory military training, the speaker said he had benefited by military training in his youth, and he believed in it, but that he objected to the unnecessarily offensive methods employed in the enrolment of our youth. He objected to partiality beinjr fthown in the appointment of officers, and i>elieved that these positions should be open to all classes, and preference given to New Zealandere rather than imported men. He *»ould favour free school books, and absolutely free and full education for every child, and if that involved the use of the

free school book for homo reading- he sup ported the proposal.

Mr George Livingstone asks us (the Oamaru Mail says) to contradict the statemerit that he has declared his candidature for Clutha. Ho admits .that he was approached with the object of securing his services for that electorate, but he did. not care to go so far afield in search of parliamentary honours. While in Dunedin Last week he Was again approached by an influential! deputation and asked whether he would consent to submit himself to the poll if a numerously-signed petition requested him to do so. Orn that occasion, he preferred riot to give an answer out of lhand, but promised to keep the matter steadily in view."' The Waimate Advertiser says: —" Mr A. R. Barclay, ex-M.P. for Dunedin North, is in Waimate with his brother, Dr Barclay, and proposes to remain there for a week longer. Dr Barclay thinks that by that time Mr Barclay will be fit to contest the Dunedin North election." The Timaru Press Association agent sends the following items concerning election matters in South Canterbury: —Mr J. T. M. Hayhurst and Mr R. Guthrie wiU not stand for Tomuka. Mr W. S. Mas!in, formerly member, will stand for Ashburton. Mr G. W. Armitage, a candidate for Temuka, is giving addresses up country, and Mr W. Jeffries is also busy.

About 50 electors attended at the Wingatui Tea Rooms in response to Mr J. T. Johnson's invitation. Mr Crawford was voted to the chair. The candidate expressed his appreciation of the courtesy that had placed ithe splendid building at has disposal, and the officials who had arranged the room for 'his riieeting had placed him under an obligation for their thoroughness. The various questions of the day were dealt with at length, and after a lengthy cress-questioning Messrs Ruthyen and MXean.supported a motion conveying a vote of thanks, and the usual complimentary vote to the chair closed the proceedings. The rough weather did not deter the electors of Chalmers from turning out in force at Kuri Bush and Brighton to meet Mr J. T. Johnson. At the former place Mr M'Cuddin presided, and Messrs A. Dickson and S. Lacey carried the customary votes to the candidate. Mr Millar presided at Brighton, and on Mr Fisher's motion a vote of thanks was carried by acclamation. Votes of thanks to the chair terminated proceedings in each ease. Mr E. P. Lee, the Opposition candidate for the Oamaru electorate, addressed, a large meeting of electors in the Seacliff Schoolhouse on was very well received. At the conclusion of his address a large number of questions were answered to the satisfaction of the .meeting, and a vote of thanks and confidence was carried with acclamation.

The following conundrum was propounded by a questioner to Mr M'Kinlay, the Liberal candidate for Bruce, the other night. "You have said," he put it something like this to the candidate, " that in 1890 our debt was £32 per head, interest charge £1 12s per capita, and that in 1910, after borrowing 42 millions more, it is only not £35 per head. How much more do we require to borrow before we have no debt at all?"

Mr W. D. Mason, Ministerial candidate fox Central Otago, addressed meetings during last week at Bald Hill Flat, Ettrick, Miller's Flat, Roxburgh, and Coal Creek. The school was well-filled at Bald Hill Flat by a very appreciative audience. 'At EfArick and Miller's Flat the attendance was small owing to the violence of the wind and to heavy ram; but at Roxburgh, where the Mayor (Dr Gilrnour) took the chair, th© attendance was good, and the audience very patient and appreciative, and at Coal Creek on the following e-sening the speaker received a good hearing from the electors assembled, who filled the local schoolroom. Hearty votes of thanks were accorded at all the meetings. At Roxburgh Mr Mason was questioned regarding the rival railway routes to Roxburgh, and in reply stated that lie knew nothing of either route, but that he considered the line in lxand should be finished to the Beaumont without delay, whilst a oom<mission of experts should be appointed to decide once and for all which route for the railway to Roxburgh would be most serviceable to the interests of the district as a whole, and tiie least costly and most opportune for all purposes. He considered the railway should be used as a means of facilitating settlement and developing and encouraging production and not as a profit-making machine. Mr Mason's answer' evoked marked applause from the audience. Mr T. Fleming authorises the Southland Times to announce that ho will not be a candidate at the forthcoming elections. Very strong pressuro was brought to bear on him, and he gave the matter his most serious consideration, but he decided to decline nomination for both health and business reasons.

At Ohakune on the 20th Mr Jennings, the member for Taumarunui, was presented with an illuminated address from his constituents from parts of the electorate now included in other electorates. The member's services were highly eulogused. Mars Jennings was presented with a silver tea service. The gathering was representative of the whole district.