POLITICAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 48, 11 October 1911, Page 5

POLITICAL.

MR McJLUGGACr. IN STRATFORD

Mr. Joseph McCluggagc, Liberal candidate for the Stratford seat, delivered his first address in Stratford at the Town Hall last night. There was a splendid attendance of tho public, in all parts of tiie house. Mr. McCluggage was well received, and was frequently applauded. The speech was largely on the lines of his opening address at Whangomomona early in August, which was fully reported at the time.

Tne Mayor (Mr. J. Masters) presided. In introducing the candidate, [he said it was hardly necessary to initroduce him, because he was so well i known to tho electors. In fact, ho was one of the oldest residents in tho district, and he believed the audience would agree with him when he said that Mr. McCluggagc had taken tiie liveliest interest in the district since ho had been in it. (Applause.) It could hardly be denied, also, that Mr. McCluggage had a. certain amount of grit, as evidenced by his settling in the backblncks. First of all, lie had gone to Strathmore, and when Strathmore became too comfortable lie moved out to Whangamomona, Ho had done a great deal of pioneering, hut had alsways given a proportion of his time to the public work of the district. (Applause.)- The possession of brains conkl not be denied Mr. McCluggage—a man who could go to a mud-hole like Whangammona and build up a line business could not be quite destitute of brains. (Applause.) In bis opinion there was nobody who knew so well as Mr. McCluggage the needs of tho settlers in the electorate. Introductory.

Mr. McGluggagc, who was greeted witn applause on rising, stated that ho was a Liberal, and gave ins reasons for being one. He also dealt with his connection with public affairs since ho came into the district, stating that lie would always be found on the side which advocated a progressive reading policy. Land tenure, ho said, was nothing comparatively to good access, which enabled farmers to get their produce to and from their markets and to the seaboard. Tht district had been very well treated by. the Government, and he contrasted the condition of the East Road country now and twenty years ago, when two or three men hold the whole of the country between Toko and the WhaugAmomona Saddle. Land Tenure. Mr. McClnggage went extensively into the question of land tenures on lines already reported, dealing especially with the assertion of tiie Opposition that Grown tenants were denied the opportunity of acquriing the freehold. Ho also spoke of the various leasehold tenures, and explained the working of the Land for Settlements Act, the Land Settlement Finance Act, and other measures of the Government calculated to increase settlement on the land. Native Land.

The speaker also went fully into the question of what the Government had done in the direction of opening up native lands. He dealt especially with a map of the North Island published by one of the Conservative newspapers, and entitled “A Blot on New Zealand.” This map was studded 1 with black dots, cadi dot being supposed to represent unused native land. Without hesitation, ho said the map was incorrect and misleading. Of tiie areas marked black, some were now being surveyed and opened for settlement, a. great'.many represent waste and inaccessible land and moun-tain-tops, and number have been settled for ""years by Europeans. It was quite easy to take an illustration of the Conservative Party’s dishonest and corrupt practices in this connection from their own province. On the map the native lands on the coast around the Mountain were shown in black as being unused, but, as everybody knew, those lands had been settled for years by Europeans, and were returning them as much per acre as any other land of similar class. What could the electors think of a party which, standing convicted of such dishonest and transparent misrepresentation, sought to discredit the Government’s native land settlement policy in every direction. Co-operative Works.

Mr. McCluggage said ho favoured the present co-operative system of carrying out public works, though lit thought the co-operative labourers w'erc entitled to more pay. He contrasted the present system with the old contract system. Twenty years ago he had been working on the Otago Central railway. The contractor, or a relative, kept the general store in connection with the railway works, and if a man did not got his goods from that store ho was sure of getting “the sack.” If a man lit his pipe between 8 and 12 or 1 and 5 it also meant instant dismissal. In fact, men had to work like horses for six to seven shillings a day. If that system were compared with the present system one could only come to the conclusion that the present system was the best. Workers’ Wages Act. The workers had been protected by the Government by the Workers’ Wages Act, under which workmen could ho sure of getting their wages in full, as the wages were made the first charge on the contract money, and the principals were made responsible for thirty days after the completion of the contract. This was vastly different to the conditions hhtaining previously, where a man could take a contract, put on a hundred wages men, work two months, draw 75 per cent, of the value of work done, and then “do the Pacific slope,” letting the storekeepers and wages men whistle for their money. Ho had been treated in that fashion in Blenheim, and so knew all about it. Help for Factory Girls. The position of girls working in factories had also been greatly improved by the Government’s Factories’ Act. Previous to the passing of the Act girls were employed without wages for from six to twelve months on probation, with a promise that at the end of the probationary period they would receive half a crown a week, with a further rise of a similar amount at the end of six months. But what happened ? When they asked for their first increase of half a crown they generally got dismissed, and another hatch of girls was engaged at nothing par week. And so it went merrily on under the good old Conservative Party’s reign. Since the passing of the Act no hoy nr girl was allowed to work in a factory under the minimum wage, a half holiday was given and work was done under proper sanitary conditions. Opunako Railway. They all know there was to ho n railway from Opunako to some point on the main lino. It was in the host interests of the district that the. line should junction at Stratford. H that wore done a great deal ol trade would come to Stratford, which would hc-

como an important railway centre, and would lie the stop-over place for trains going north, south., cast and west. This railway must come, and would como sooner than most people thought, for the local bodies could not go on piling special rate on special rate, in order to re-metal their roads every six, or eight years, which was tho life of metal in Taranaki. They must have connection with tho main line to save the wear on the roads, and if a branch railway would not pay they should have a motor service run in connection with tho railway. King Country Trad?.

Taranaki business men had made a mistake in losing the mail connection from Stratford to Tatu, in the King Country. They should make every endeavour to got a mail service from Stratford to Organic, and telephone communication tnrough the Tangarakau Gorge. If /this were done it would assist to develop trade and commerce immensely. Nearly the whole of the King Country on the .Main Trunk line was in the Taranaki province, and the trade would naturdly como towards Stratford when the Tngaruo lino was finished, and tho harbour improvements at New Plynouth had been completed. Mineral IVsulfh. I Taranaki was indeed favoured by fortune as regards minerals. The nil industry was an accomplished fact, md the ironsand industry would ho so in a very short time; and he was pleased to note that Sir Joseph Ward md stated in his Budget speech that T private enterprise did not take up the latter, tho State would do so. A syndicate had made a deposit of G2OOO to the Harbour Board, and had guaranteed to have iron works established by March next, and if tl ey ‘ailed to do so tho State should step n and commence operations. Tho largest coalfield in tho Dominion was it their backs, just beyond Whanga•noaiona. When the railway reached ‘ho field, coal could lie put on the trucks at six shillings a ton, and •ould be delivered round the district it not more than fifteen shillings a ton, the, pipco being even less to butter and cheese factories. ThiV'cboap Fuel would mean a groat indirect savng to farmers and would bo a boon to householders. The State should develop tho field or allow private enterprise to do so. A large freezing works was bound to be erected somevhero in central Taranaki. No doubt 't would be a co-operative factory, md the cheap fuel would represent a 'argo indirect saving to farmers.

Tho Harbour. Taranaki people had also a large ■sset in the Now Plymouth harbour. \t present there, was a depth of 83 ’eet, and when the wharf was lengthened and widened and the channel ■learod out to sea, which would bo •omplcted in the near future, Homo steamers would come to the ’port winging in merchandise and taking i way produce. This would moan jounds and pounds in the pockets of 'armors and consumers. The harbour would have a very far-reaching effect m Taranaki’s prosperity, ’as lie was >ure the whole country from Wanganui in the south to K au 'h' a ' n the inrth, from Ongarue and Tanmarumii in the east, and all round Mount Eg.iiont in the ivest, would do all their 'rnporfing and exporting through the Port of New Plymouth. With the development of trade it would be necessary to improve the harbour, but he felt sure that this could bo done, and dl interest charges bo paid out of the increased revenue, so that the ooopla of the district would never be called on to pay a rate for harbour .vorks. Taxation. Mr. McClnggage quoted a largo number of figures to disprove the Opposition contention that taxation had been increased, and to prove that what had really happened was that the taxation had been transferred worn the shoulders of the workers to lie shoulders of those better able to >ear it. The Dominion Debt. The candidate dealt at length with he Dominion debt, showing that of ho £42,217,772 borrowed during the wenty years £33,274,247 was reproluctive and interest bearing, the >alance being spent on public works —bridges and road-making, etc. Ho pointed out that the present Govornrtont is only paying £3 14s Gd per -entum for its loans, as against £1 'Os 3d being, paid by the Conservative Party when it went out of power in 1891. * Education. He believed in our present system M education, but thought that country school-teachers were very much mderpaid for the amount of responsibility they had. He thought that the female teachers should receive the ’.amo salaries as male teachers, especially when they do the same amount >f work. The Liquor Question. As to the much-debated liquor question, be favoured a bare majority on the Dominion vote, such being : n conformity with Democratic prinnples. Civil Servants. Ho was not in favour cf Civil Servants handing over the control of their work to an irresponsible Civil Service Board, and be warned the public servants of the Dominion to be careful what they did with Mr. Massey and’ his Board. Otherwise they might find out when, it was too late that they had been disfranchised. Forests Department.

Tift would suggest the creation of a Department of Forestry to enconrigo and control the growth of our now forests, and to replace the ones that arc fast disappearing. '1 he time ,vas in sight when the country would ho tirnherless. As every tree planted increased the Dominion’s wealth hy from sixpence to a shilling a year, it could he seen how important it was to carry out afforestation. Electoral Matters.

“I don’t think,” said Mr. McClugrage, “that wo can improve upon the present system of nominating Legislative Councillors for a term of seven years. But if there was to ho a change, I would support an elective Fppor House. I think that our electoral system could easily no improved upon, and 1 would support proportional voting. That is the fairest way to gat representation for the minority, although the second ballot is a big improvement upon the old system. Still, under the present system, a hig minority is practically disfranchised. Under the proportional system all sides would he represented.

State Dark Wanted.

Regarding hanking, the speaker said : “1 think that it is a great pity that the (Jovernment did not keep the controlling interest in the Bank of New Zealand when it camo to the Bank’s rescue hy guaranteeing the £2,000.000 fifteen years ago, and I still think that the Bank should ho a State Bank. As it is, tiio Bank has done very little good for the fanners. They make all their advances on demand, and when tightness of money comes, they make matters worse hy calling up their overdrafts, and many

a fanner has had to sacrifice his stock, and 111 many cases also lus land, to pay off the bank’s overdraft. 1 would urge the Government legislating to compel the banks to lend money on fixed mortgage, otherwise I should support the establishment of a State Bank to do this.” He instanced the recent quarrel between France and Germany over Morocco. 11 war had followed' be said, the money market in London would have tightened and tho stringency would have reacted on New Zealand, and probably many farmers would have been ruined through, the banks calling in, their advances.

CcDnird industries.

“I would support any measure designed to assist tho manufacture ol articles in the Dominion, to keep tho

money amongst our ratepayers,'' said Mr, lUcCluggago. “The Government Mould establish one ammunition factory,' and if war broke out they would know exactly what ammunition they .could depend upon. .In my opinion, war is bound to come sooner or later, as the population of Eastern countries :s growing so rapidly. They must expand somewhere, and the Pacific is their natural outlet.” Inircigraticn. Ho would urge the Government to bring out a limited number of British immigrants every year, and he thought that people in the country, and who have relatives at Home wishing to come out, should bo allowed to nominate thorn hero and bring them out free of cost. Humanitarian Legislation. Mr. McCluggago eulogised the work of the present Administration in the direction of humanitarian legislation, and,quoted the large number .of Acts they had passed for the wolf ire of the people. ' TlWPresent Government. A o Ho asked his hearers to. caro.fidly. weigh the claims of the present Government and those of the Apposition. Ho thought the personnel of tpo picsont Ministry could not bo improved, each Minister having special qualifications for his portfolio. Ailß2cd Corruption. Regarding the Opposition cry of con option, Mr. McCluggago said: — Now, ladies, and gentlemen, you all know that the Conservative Party has been telling yon for years that theGovernment is corrupt. They insinuate all sorts of vague charges of bribery and corruption against the Government. Last year they made definite charges against the Administration, and said mat if they got i n enquiry they would electrify the country." Well, the Government granted them the enquiry asked for, and i aide that enquiry as wide as' the petes. They had the free use of all State documents and files, both confidential and otherwise, at their absolute disposal, and also poker to subpo ma any member of the Ministry or Parliament before the enquiry, and examine teem on oath and cross question them us much as they liked. They i-mld have all the heads of tho different Government Departments, or any Civil Servant in New Zealand, or oP-.i.y- person who would do their feaffso any good. After having a most’Exhaustive enquiry, which cost the taxpayers thousands and thousands of pounds, directly and indirectly, they had to admit that the Administration was clean and their charges boiled down were only a' fevV trivial matters brought against two ex-members of Parliament. The only thing they had to, condemn against sitting members was’[the action of a Maori who was not oven a Government supporter, but air .Jgdependar.t, Oppositionist, and his answer to the charge was a reasonable one, from a Maori’s point of view,, . Tho Mapyi members could not understand Mr. Massey’s supporters giving him a cash presentation of over AMOCO, and naturally thought that it was given to Mr. Massey by the landed aristocracy of this Dominion to get him to use his influence to prevent the Government from taking their large estates for cutting Ain for close settlement. They naturally thought that if Mr. Henaro Kaihau was wrong in taking money from his supporters to present petitions, etc., Mr. Massey was equally wrong for taking a very much larger sum from his supporters for political services. The opinion of two of New Zealand’s best* democrats _ and' keenest and uncompromising political critics may lie interesting reading in connection with the charges of corruption and Tam many ism. The late Mr. T. E. Taylor, member for Christchurch North", said “The present administration was the cleanest that ever sat on the Treasury Benches in New Zealand,” and his word will 1)3 taken in this Dominion by everyone, in preference to that of the gentleman who originated these vile, unsupported charges of Tarnmanyism. Again, wo have tho testimony of the Rev. L. M. Isitt, MAP. for Christchurch, who stated in the House the other night that , after listening to these innuendoes of tho Opposition, that ho wished to tell the country that tho Government was ■ a clean Government, and that there was no corruption, no bribery, no maladministration, and no political graft. These opinions of men like these fearless, independent members of the House, loaders in political speech and thought, will weigh, I venture to think, far more with the people of out Dominion than the foolish empty vapourings of tlio originator of those famous, or infamous, charges. . ~•• The Opposition arc going round the country, not giving the people politics, Init imputing all sorts cf impure motives to the Government and its supporters. I am of opinion that whore you get a body of men, it docs not matter whether it is in a County Council, Road Board, School Committee, or the House of Representatives, that cannot soc any good whatever in their opponents, it shows that they have got very narrow minds and are altogether deficient in generous impulses. and, therefore., are noc capable of looking after the destinies of tins enlightened and democratic couuti.v. Opposition Policy.

The Conservatives will tell you that it' tiiey are returned to power they will not repeal any of the beneficial enactments passed by the present Government. But, taking their pasthistory into consideration, where ‘tuey have condemned in the strongest terms, and opposed by all the means in their power, the useful measures passed during the last twenty years, they would, for a certainty, it returned,’kill them in their administration. When we have a party m power, which, it must he admitted, has done so much good work for the Dominion, it would he the sheerest lolly to replace them with a party which is nonprogressive, and has no sympathy ioi the poonle of the country as a whole. Prosperity. Everybody knew how prosperous the country was, and he desired to point out ‘that there was a similar wave of prosperity all over the Emnhv, and that (perhaps as a coincidence). Liberal Governments _ had been in power in all parts ol the Empire for the past lew years. “A Debt-Ridden Country.” “The Opposition tdls you.” said

Mr. McCluggage, “that the country is debt-ridden and over-taxed, and that capital is leaving the Dominion wholesale. The answer to that is that both tho hanks and the large mercantile firms have increased their staffs’ salaries and bonuses this year. The Loan and Mercantile Co., which had to re-construct or close down under tho old Conservative Party, has flourished under tho Liberal Government, and only tin’s year they increased the salaries of all of their staff and carried forward a .very large amount to the reserve fund. The hanks have all paid their staffs large bonuses, including tho Bank of New Zealand, which was practically bankrupt in the days of the old Conservative Party. This bank is to-day, thanks to tho Liberal Government’s

action in assisting it through its troubles which were brought on by its Opposition friends, an illustration of the prosperity of the Dominion brought about by the sound business policy of tho Liberal Government.”

Personalities. Two or three persons had much to say about bis connection with gold mining. He was not going into the private business \of the Dominion Gold mining Company, but said the gentlemen associated with him on the directorate and opposed to him in politics were men of integrity. These gentlemen would bear him out that be bad not parted with any of - his interests, that ho had advanced more money than all the rest put together,

and stood to lose more than anyone else. The directors were good men and broadminded. If any of them said he had done anything dishonourable lie would at once retire from the contest. (Applause.) This should bo sufficient answer to the miserable attempts to injure him personally. Some people .wore telling new-comers to the district that ho was detested where ho had lived, inferring that lie had d'pic something dishonourable. (A voice: Never, Joe.) During the ten years he had been at Whangamomona and Pobokura be had received valuable addresses and inscribed plate, wbiqh in bis opinion showed that his neighbours regarded him as a man of honour. He did not think Mr Hinc or his committee knew anything about these miserable pinpricks.

Conclusion. In conclusion, Mr McCluggage said: “Yon will pardon mo for saying that, dining the seventeen years that 1 have boon in this province, I have never knowingly done any person a dishonourable action. I may have differed from some of yon ,but I have always gone on the lines that if .1 couldn’t do a man a good turn I wouldn’t do him a had one, hut would leave him severely alone, and I intend to light this election so that whether 1 win or lose .no person shall say that I have treated my opponent or Ids friends in a contemptible manner. lam a New Zealander, and if returned I will at all times do my very best for our Dominion as a whole, while not forgetting Taranaki.” Questions. Questions being asked for, Mr John Smith asked if Mr McCluggage knew that when Mr A. W. Hogg loft the Cabinet lie declared that the Government had no land policy. Mr McCluggage said lie was not responsible for the views of Mr Hogg, but he had devoted a big section of his speech to proving the existence of a vigorous land policy, and lie could not ho blamed if the questioner had not understood him. Veto ef Thanks. Mr. N. J. King said lie felt sure that everybody present that evening, no matter what their political must bo agreed that Mr 'McCluggage" had delivered a very lucid and busi-ness-like address. Ho did not pose as an orator, but the manner in which tie had dealt with matters showed that lie had an excellent grasp of general politics, and that if elected he would prove a decidedly energetic member. He moved:—“That this meeting passes a hearty vote of thanks to Mr McCluggage for his address, expresses confidence in him as a fit and proper person to represent the constituency in Parliament, and expresses renewed 'confidence in the present Administration.” Mr Henry Wilson seconded the motion, which was carried by acclamation. r 1

A vote of thanks to the chairman closed meeting.