WHAT CANDIDATES SAY.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XV, Issue 4089, 15 November 1911, Page 6

WHAT CANDIDATES SAY.

MR FIELD AT OTAKI. Electric Telegraph—Press Association. Levin, Last Night. Mr Field, the sitting member for Otaki, addressed the electors in Levin last night. He deplored the tendency to allege political corruption, and contended that all the charges against the Government had failed. He went back to show that allegations of this nature had been made over a long period of years and always disproved. The first instance was that in which John Ballance was accused of having peddled inferior watches at big prices amongst the soldiers in the Maori war. That was clearly disproved, but there followed a long list of charges against other members of the Government and private members. He quoted the Bun Tuck charges amongst others. Once the libels went so far that a notorious sheet was broadcasted containing libels not only on but even on their wives. All these had failed, and the latest had been so ineffective that to-day the Government and its party still stood firm and untouched. He said that if returned to Parliament he wanted an absolutely free hand, but as long as the Government extended and developed its policy, he would faithfully support the Government. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried. An amendment of thanks only was thrown out. A STATE BANK. Dunedin, Last Night. Mr Johnson, a candidate for Taieri, addressing a meeting at Mosgiel, favoured increasing the graduated land tax, as the time had arrived when large blocks must be cut up. If the State could not buy out the shareholders in the Bank of New Zealand a State bank should be established. AN INDEPENDENT LIBERAL. Blenheim, Last Night. Mr Duncan, member for Wairau, addressed a large meeting last night and was awarded a vote of thanks and confidence. He declared himself still a Liberal independent, agreeing with the Government in some things, but opposing it in regard to extravagant administration and closer land settlement and other matters. HON\ T. MACKENZIE’S FIGHT. News from Taranaki is to the effect that the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie will require to work very hard to win the Egmont seat. The Taranaki Herald, an ably managed and edited journal, which has great influence in the district, and which formerly supported the Liberals, has now gone against the Government, so that Mr Dive's chances have improved. A recent writer in the Herald says that ‘"to read in some of the Government papers about Hon. T. Mackenzie one would think that the whole dairy industry would collapse if the constituency were to stick to its present representative. The Government and its supporters want to claim too much. Our farmers established and maintained the dairy industry long before Mr Mackenzie was ever thought of. The industry owes its success chiefly to co-operation and the refrigerator, and notwithstanding all the assistance and supervision given by the Government, prices are ruled by supply and demand.” A PUZZLER. The following puzzler, as literally written, was amongst the questions asked of Mr G. Hunter at Dannevirke: —Mr Hunter: Should you be returned to Parliament, Would you bring pressur to bear Minister of railwav-:, To place a side convenanee to relive Those* Mothers while carrying Tho-es infant babey in there Amies’ long Journeys’ in the railway Cars, Knowing railway department as’ made Every Convenary for Gentlemen to have smoking department separate from other Community, which coast tin- Government some Thousand pounds for the express purpose, What good for the Gander, Good foi tin (loose to relive her young Gosseling from her wing. While traveling long Journeys during hot season ol the vear. This was the answer: ‘‘l think this question should not havt been submitted to me. It shoulc have been submitted to a committef of ladies. As 1 am neither a goosi nor a gamh r I do not feel competenl to answer the question.” WHO WILL KEEL IT? Speaking at a meeting of his sup porters at Mata lira Mr G. J. Ander son, M.P., Stated that the legisla tion being passed at present—am more particularly the financial legilation- would press more severely m the young people of the Dominie who had to carry on the affairs of th country, and lie thought that tie* should take more interest in politic as they eventually would have to pa the piper.

ROUND THE ELECTORATES. NOTES FROM ALL QUARTERS.

MR VEITCH’S CANDIDATURE

The Post understands that Mr Veitch, an engine-driver, and president of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, has resigned from the service and will contest the Wanganui seat at the general elections. ON TIME. The right to use the principal building in a town on the evening prior to a. general election is generally considered by candidates for political honours to be an advantage worth striving for; and the gentlemen who are acting as secretaries for Mr Sykes and Mr Herbert respectively we re especially alert in this respect. Mr Sykes’s representative “speculated,” and, feeling that the election would take place on December 6th, booked the Master ton Hall for December sth. On the morning that a Press Association message to the morning papers announced the election for December 7th, Mr Herbert’s secretary w r as up very early, and saw the paper almost as soon as it was published. Consequently, he was sitting on Mr Hathaway’s doorstep when that gentleman came to business at 9 a.m., and he booked the Hall for December 6th. Now, Mr Sykes is aranging for a big open-air meeting on the same date, and no doubt Mr Hogg will similarly woo the interested electors.

The Opposition candidate for Wa ipawa (Mr G. Hunter) declared at Dannevirke that public money should he expended in proportion to the wants and requirements of the districts, irrespective of the politics of the representatives. It had been said that one member of Parliament when he wanted anything for his constituents planted himself at the door of the Minister for Public Works and waited till he got what he wanted. With this sort of thing he was not in agreement, and, he added, “If I go as your representative to Parliament, 1 am not going to spend my time on the Ministerial doormat, but will ask for your just requirements in the House, and if they are not granted I will make it as uncomfortable as possible for the Minister who refuses.” (Continued applause). Mr Hunter contended that a politician should make his requests in open Parliament and not be afraid to make his voice heard.