GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 81, 17 November 1911, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTIONS.

THE NAIMER SKAT. (Per Press Association.) Napier, November IG. Air. Crowley, Reform Candida - , o Im Ni.p’cr, bas retired from the contest in favour of Sir. 11. Hill, the Labour t aadidate. THK TJMARU SKAT Timaru, November 1G Mr Crripie, Ivl.P.p ‘lns i G n"'ii meueed Ids election campaign yet. All the other candidates for '1 imam and Temuka seats are busy. MR. MILLAR AND THIS RAILWAY MEN. Palmerston North, Nov. 10. Regarding a statement contained in the Press Association’s.'report of Mr. .1. A. Millar’s Dunedin sot*'eh that the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants at Palmerston North passed a resolution condemning him up lull and down dale, and subsequently rescinded it, the representatives of the A.S.R.S. hero desire to point out that there must be misapprehension on the part of the Minister. Their resolution did not mention the 'Minister of Railways at all, but protested against the promise of a nine shillings minimum wage made in the Budget not bieng given effect to. They did not rescind this resolution as stated in Dunedin.

MR MINE’S CAMPAIGN. A Tututawa correspondent writes: —Mr .1. 13. Mine, M.P., addressed a meeting of electors in the Tntiltawa Hail on Monday afternoon. Mr J. Simpson took the chair. Although having the Douglas sale to contend 'with, a surprising number were present, the large number of ladies present speaking well for the franchise given them, and goes to - show the keen interest they manifest in exercising the privilege they have obtain-, od through having the right to voice their sentiments in the welfare of the Dominion. Mr Mine spoke for about an hour and a-half, giving one ol the most interesting political addresses ever hoard in the Tututawa Hall, enlightening a number present on the working of the legislation of the country. Mr Hinc is to he complimented on the stand ho has taken in the contest,: putting up a fair fight, which must have been very noticeable, to those who are not supporters of the Reform Party, he never once haying mentioned his opponent’s ha hie' during Ids address. A very hearty vote of thanks to Mr, Mine for his able address and renewed confidence in him as our member was passed. Mr Hino courteously thanked those present 1 for their good wishes, and looked forward to their confidence being shown in the ballot-box. A vote of thanks- to the chairman terminated the meeting.

NOTES rBY THE 'WAY. * ‘ ’ i So fax* us the Stratford electorate is concerned the political battle was never carried on with less heat, fric- .> tion or personal T'6fodenci> than in the I present campaign. If only the very r;ihid supporters of-erfch candidate will keep a • bridle .on 1 their -tongttcse the bitterness which was <■ unnecessarily , aroused at lust election wlloiipto asr: pear in the present contest. ■ • Sir Joseph Ward has arranged to visit Taumanmui next Tuesday, and on the following day he will open the Ongarue bridge at 10.30 a.m., and in the afternoon ho turns the lirst sod of the Stratford-Main Trunk line at To Koura. - SirlJosenli Ward will give a political address in the evening, and a public reception is also being arranged. Mr Massey will give a political address at Taumanmui on Thursday of next week. The “News” Stratford correspondent puts the political situation thusly: Both -sides l seem- confident -of victory. 1 met a strong Oppositionist this morning, and did looked at My Hina’s chances through the rosiest of spectacles. “But,” T ventured to intrude, “the other side seems quite confident, tool” JThcy haven’t got as biga chance as J. have,” ho taid,-!“aud; 1 ain’t a competitor, See!’’ and hej snapped his fingers in m.V fane; and laughed. By-and-hy ...a well-known, Liberal inveigled me into a discussion) on the political situation. Ho was; gleeful as a boy in mischief. The seat; was a “moral” for, “Joe.” So I; thought I’d find out .what he thought of the other fellows’ prophecy.,: , Said 1, “But a Hine man told mo just now that your side had no chance at all. They say the seat’s as good as won again for the Opposition.” “They may; think it is,” said lie, with a line) scorn in his voice, “hut you listen to me. I reckon I know something about it, and they don’t know what they are talking about. Won? Bah!” Now, which of the two is right? “There is an Opposition candidate standing in Wellington who is a poli-' tica! joke, yet that candidate will get the full strength of the Opposition vote.” Mr Reardon, whpn dealing with the dislike of the Opposition Tarty, and, in fact, all the other parties, for the Labour Party. “Wo want a change!” This, said Or. Newman, at his mooting at North KiUiirnio, was the cry which was, heard throughout -the country. He reminded his audience that at the last election the •Opposition had an accession of strength of ten members, and it was not a wild stretch of imagination to Hope that this time the party would grow to forty. If it did that it would mean a change of Government. Such a change could not ho other than in the interests of the public good. “1 recognise the handicap 1 labour under in not being a resident,” ladmittcd Sir John Findlay at St. David’s Hall, .Auckland. “If an election is to he decided upon the fact of a man having been horn in a particular street of a particular neighbourhood, thou there is no question that I cannot claim your suffrages, hut if, as 1 contend may lie fairly advanced, the test of fitness is to he based on personal qualifications and on the question of a political policy, then 1 can claim your attention to my arguments for seeking to represent you iu Parliament, and if 1 have the honour of representing you, 1 look forward to being more than your representative, to lie your neighbour also,” said Sir John.

“1 want to make it clear that I do not accuse the Arbitration Court of being unfair,” said Mr Fisher at Wellington, “but 1 do not think that a Judge ought to be at the head of tiie Arbitration Court. (Applause.) Because you want to have a man at the bead of that Court who realises, from his own personal experience, what it means to the workers—these comparatively small increases that are being asked for.” He did not think a Judge, with his large salary and large pension at the end of bis term, could fairly realise the workers’ position. In his opinion the Arbitration Court ought to be presided over by a man whose judgment was more guided by eommmisonso than legal practice.

Mr T. H. Davey, Government candidate for Christchurch Fast, in his lirst address on Monday night, made a plain statement concerning a muchdiscussed incident which took place last year. A man bad come to him one Sunday morning and stated that he had been arrested for drunkenness

_aud wished to prevent Ins name hoin<r called in Court. “I pointed out,” tend Mr Davey, “that his name would not he published and that he had better stand the brunt of it, but he begged me on 'behalf of his wile and family to do some tiling for him. So 1 took him to the police inspector, and asked if it would he possible to refrain from calling the man's name in Court. He saill it could he done, and I left. Now, ladies and gentlemen, ■it is-seldom that one has to regret a kindly act, and 1 do not regret now itho spirit that prompted that act, but I do regret that in acceding to the request of a man in trouble 1 unconsciously injured another man. 1 bitterly regret it, but i do not propose to make a miserable appeal to you or ask bygones to be bygones. All I ask is that „vrhcu' on 7th December, wh.cn you place mo in the scale, you will try to imagine the motives that prompted my action. If you can find any thing impg e or sordid, your duty is obvious. /It I have forfeited your confidence, I must, submit to the inevitable, although I may some day regain your respect and esteem.” (Applause.)