GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 83, 21 November 1911, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTIONS.

MR MINE AT DOUGLAS. A correspondent writes:— Mr J. B. Tlinc, the Opposition candidate for the Stratford electorate, held a meeting at Douglas on Saturday, JSst inst. There was a good attendance, about seventy persons being present. Mr E. J. Graham was elected to tiie chair. The member was well received, and throughout the address there wore Irequent hurst ol applause. Mr ITino spoke of taxation and expenditure, and the unfairness ol not allowing private members io introduce Bills re money and land. Sir Joseph Ward had stated that the civil service was over-run, yet just before last election, most of tne civil servants had received a rise in wages, tnoii shortly afterwards over a tnousand were put oil, and no work provided for tnern. This did not compare well with the retrenchment scheme of the late Sir Harry Atkinson, who had started to save expense by cutting down bis own honorarium. Tne way in which Bills were rushed through at the end of each session was next dealt with, and Mr Hine pointed out that as the Ministers would have seven months oetween the next e!i etior. and the opening of Parliament, there should be plenty of time to get all Bills in order. He favoured the employees of the railway being under the supervision of a non-poiitical board. One great advantage of such a measure would bo the removal of a lot of power to purchase votes. All money borrowed belonged to the people of New Zealand. The waste of time and money on railway works lack of up-to-date appliances was a heavy loss. 'Tne proposed State Bank Note issue now oroight forwaid by Sir Joseph Ward had been brought lor-.va-u . oine tin: back by Hon Mr Hogg. Other subjects dealt with were: The Moknu land water power, loans'and interest, and the question of prohibition, the candidate expressing himself in favour of the bare majority lor noth local and Dominion option. In reply to questions the candidate stated that he favoured compulsory military training. Mr Arthur Needham proposed and Mr E. Sole seconded a vote of thanks and confidence in the candidate, which, upon being put to the meeting, was carried unanimously.

MR. HINE AT TARIKI. Mr. J. B. Hino addressed an enthusiastic meeting at Tariki last night, the weather being somewhat against a large attendance, though between sixty and seventy electors were present. Mr. Knowles occupied tlie chair and in opening said there was no need to introduce Mr. Hine, wiio was an old friend. Mr. Hine, who was well received, said lie did not come before them as a stranger, but to ask their renewed confidence. Air. Hine then dealt with current questions on lines similar to those adopted by him at other meetings, and referred to the

much-discussed dairy regulations, which lie asserted were very real and not bogus. The Seeds Sale Control Bill now in circulation, ho thought they were justified in criticising. They all knew how necessary it was to have clean seed, but Mr. T. Mackenzie’s Bill actually legalised a percentage of noxious weeds in so-called “clean” seed. Dealing with the native lands and the limitation of area, Mr. Hine strongly deprecated the over-riding of the limitation of area by the Ministry by order of- the Governor-in-Oouncil, as evidenced in the disposal of the Mokau land. It was the permanent settler who eventually had to pay the piper in such transactions. The Government’s land policy was one of trimming all the time, and it would do almost anything to hold on to the reins of office. Mr. Hine detailed the Reform Party’s programme, portions of which, he said, had been annexed by the Government at once. The Reform Party claimed to be able to reduce taxation, and could do it. With regard to native lands, they did not want to rob the Maoris of anything, but if the natives could not look after their own lands they, should be looked after for them. In concluding his address the candidate thanked tiie meeting for its attention, and said he had no doubt about the result of the election, (Applause.) In reply to questions, Mr. Hine said he supposed tiie request for a goodsshod for Tariki was still being “considered.” He had not heard of any individual electorate being singled out for special assistance being granted to settlers to purchase stock. Ho thought the questioner who said a Minister had stated the railways were only paying three-quarters per cent, was in error—it was probably three and three-quarters per cent. Tug Hine charges had cost the country £549: ho had it in the official records. r i he sum of £ISOO had been voted to make it look as black as possible, but £IOOO had gone back to the Exchequer. In reply to a question as to whether he held with a man being granted voting power after only residing three months in an electorate, Mr. Hine said he did not quarrel with that: the permanent settlers and farmers had the balance of voting power in their hands if they only stood together. At this stage Air. Hine said he desired to digress for a few moments to refer to a matter he had overlooked when speaking. It was with reference to a report which purported to lie an account of his meeting at AVhangamomona, and which had appeared in the New Plymouth, morning paper. It was from a correspondent, but it was an altogether villainous statement, and quite untrue in parts. In the first place he had had no difficulty in obtaining a chairman, and the amendment which this correspondent alleged had been carried had been put to the meeting and lost by 39 votes to 30, several of those present refraining from voting at all. He had never stated, as alleged, that lie favoured the introduction of modern machinery so that the amount of labour to lie employed would lie reduced, and nothing was further from his mind. Everyone knew that modern machinery would, in all probability, better the position of labour and increase wages. The trouble was, under existing’ conditions, they wore not getting value for their money. He was not against co-operative labour, and did not believe in the big contractor doing the work. This correspondent bad so distorted Ids words as to lead penole to suppose that modern machmerv would lessen flic demand for labour. While he did not blame the editor of the newspaper for what the correspondent had stated, he thought it was at least his duty to ascertain that correspondents’ reports came from reliable sources. After the candidate had answered further questions, Air. Stevenson, who said that the farmers were not satislied with the present Government, and that Air. Hine, during his three years in Parliament had done all that a member could for his constituency and for the; country, moved that the meeting accord Air. Hine a hearty vote of thanks and confidence, and expresses itself that, in its opinion, the time lias arrived for a change in the administration. Air. S. Chapman seconded, and the

motion "’as carried unanimously, cheers being given for Mr. Mine. The usual compliment to the chairman terminated proceedings.

NOTES BY THE WAY. Mr. Joseph McCluggage speaks at the Kahouri Bridge Hall to-night. Mr. J. B. Hi no speaks at Midhirst to-night. The Hon. Thos. Mackenzie speaks at Oamii to-night. ’’Until next Juno the Government has nothing to do but attend to .Departmental' business. . . Cabinet should be compelled by law to bring down Bills in tbe first four weeks of the session, or not at all.”——Mr. Hine, at Tariki. “Surely I am not to be blamed for what occurred under the regime of the old Conservative Party! I have only been three years in Parliament, and when Mr. Soddon took office 1 had only just got my vote,” said Mr. Hine at Tariki last night. Mr. Massey says: “If the cost of living increased much longer as it was doing at present, then Us per day wages was little enough for a man ta receive in order to enable him and his wife to live decently and bring up a family.” A correspondent writing in the Dunedin “Star,” over the signature “An Old Millar Supporter,” expresses the opinion that nineteen-twentieths of the workers in Dunedin West are in sympathy with Mr. Bedford. ' “Would you accept the High Commissionership if it wore offered youf” was a question put to the Hon. Geo. Fowlds at Mount Eden last night. The ex-Minister replied: “J am not out for tiie position. I have been practically divorced from my wife and family lor the past live years while a Minister of the Crown, and as Mrs. Fowlds would not leave Auckland, oven if I had the offer, I’m not a candidate for the High Commissioner-ship.” Further asked would he accept another portfolio in the Ward Administration, Mr. Fowlds gave flic laconic reply, “That depends upon circumstances.”

DUNEDIN WEST SEAT. (Per Press Association.) Dunedin, November 20. Mr J. W. Munro, Socialist candidate for Dunedin West, addressed a meeting- in the Garrison Hall to-night. The attendance was large, and the candidate received a good hearing. A motion was carried expressing thanks and pledging the meeting to endeavour to return the candidate at the head of the poll. FURTHER. CHANCE FOR LAGGARD ENROLLERS.

Wellington, November 20. Contrary to expectations the writs for the general election were not issued to-day, but they will probably go out to-morrow, in which case the enrolments and the issue of absent voters ’permits will cease at 6 p.m. The electoral officials express the opinion that rolls have been thoroughly revised and completed. The automatic purging by process of electors applying for enrolment in different elecoral districts has been very considerable tins year. It is always on an extensive scale, the number of names struck off the main roll in the year prior to the 1908 election owing to removals or by transfers totalling 60,876. In the 1908 general election 537,003 electors were entitled to vote. Last year this total decreased by over 82,000, but enrolments have been steadily going on. The grand total is expected to reach a figure considerably in excess of that of three years ago.