GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 85, 23 November 1911, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTIONS.

TK KOI’KA -STKATKOKI) HAILWAV. MUST SOI) TI’RXKI). (Per Press Association.) Taumarumii, .\» vein bar 22. Sir Joseph Ward and party arrived last nignt ny the express, ime I'rinie Minister opened Die i nudge across il.e Ongaruo itiver in the morning, Lady Ward cutting Lae I'ibbon. In me afternoon the J'rime Minister journeyed to a point two miles south of '1 e Koara, where he turned the lirst sod of the Te Koura-Stratford railway. There was a large garnering of the settlers. Jle received a splendid reception.

'1 my evening lie addressed a largely attended public meeting and received an enthusiastic reception. He replied ia fclie Opposition's criticism regarding the imeadnongnt gift, and also dealt witn Lno present expend! tnre lor defence purposes. Ho said that for a small expenditure of ,i;2o0,000 wo were getting the protection of me British .Navy, whereas Australia was spending eignt millions for only a Jocal navy. He also toucliod upon the question of military training. There was a country (China) v. ittT a population of -IUU or d(JO millions whoso shadow to-day was over the whole of Australia and .New Zealand. Australia was only ten days’ and .New Zealand only fourteen class’ steam from China, if these Asiatic hordes came into Now Zealand the community would he debauched In their intermarriage with me daughters of the people of New Zealand. A voice: .No !

Conti lining, Sir Joseph Ward said ;t had happened everywhere that they had gone, and this was a thing they should guard against. (Applause.) The expenditure on defence was well spent in guarding our shores from such a calamity. Workers, apart from this question, would ho seriously affected, as the invasion of Asiatic labour would he a death-blow to unionism and all its honelits. He also referred to criticism regarding the public debt, and the alleged increase of taxation. He said that the Government, especially during his term of office, had enormously reduced taxation in several directions.

On resuming his scat the Premier was greeted with laud and continued cheers. A hearty vote of thanks to Sir Joseph, coupled with a vote of continued confidence in the Government, was carried unanimously, amid applause and cheers. After the meeting Sir Joseph Ward was entertained at a banquet. He left hy the express later for Pukekonc and Waiuku. .MR, MASSEY AT PALMERSTON. Palmerston, November 122. .Mr. Massey addressed a very large meeting at the Opera House this evening, hundreds being turned away. He was received with cheers, and spoke for over two hours, covering similar ground to that traversed in former speeches. A number of questions were subsequently answered, the meeting closing just prior to eleven o’clock. In reply to a question as to why lie had united till after Mr. T. E. 'Taylor was dead to clear him of aspersions lie had cast upon him, Mr. Massey said Mr. Taylor was dead, and he would say nothing but good of the dead. He denounced Hie asker of the question as a “cur,” and said lie had shaken hands with Mr, Taylor at Christchurch and they had said that they could settle their differences in five minutes’ talk. .He denounced the correspondent who asked this question in that day’s “Manawatn Daily r l hues,” and said that ho was making a collection of ; such things all over the Dominion to hand to his solicitors, as there was such a thing as criminal libel. At the close of the meeting a vote of thanks and trust that Mr. Massey should secure a substantial majority to enable him to take up the government, was carried, an amendment of thanks only ’ being cried down. Ti IE PIIEM I KITS EX GAG ID lEN TS. Rotorua, November 22. The Premier is to deliver a political address here* on Friday evening, jnd will speak at T© ,>\roha on Saturday. THE WAKATIPU SEAT. Dunedin, November 22. Mr. Stevens has retired from the Wa-katipu contest, leaving a straightout contest between Mr. Eraser (Opposition) and Mr. Koine (Ministerialist). SIR JOHN FINDLAY’S SEAT. TROUBLE AT A MEETING, Auckland, November 2<‘s. At a meeting addressed hy Sir John Findlay at the Parnell Hall last night, Mr. R. Hill, solicitor, met a motion of thanks and confidence hy moving a vote of thanks. Mr. Hill, in reply to a question, admitted that he was not an electin’ of Parnell. Sir John Findlay said he would not object to such an amendment being moved hy an elector. Mr. Hill, persisting. Sir John said: “If you persist 1 shall deem it my duty to speak to you in a way yon won’t like.” “And I shall deem it my duty to speak of you in a way you won’t like,” retorted Mr. Hill, excitedly. Sir John beckoned to a constable, who escorted Mr. Mill outside the hall, the latter going quietly. While there was a considerable demonstration, the motion of thanks and confidence wa.s then carried.

NOMINATION’S. Unworn, November 2.‘!. Mr. («. V. Pearce (the retiring member), Opposition, and Mr. P. O'Don, Covernnient. hnvo been nominated lor l!i<‘ I’atca. seat. MR. McCUCCACE AT DOUGLAS. A correspondent writes;-—As evidence (.!' the Iceen interest being taken in t his election, t lie Douglas Hall was well hik'd last evening, in spite of the frightful weather. .Many ladies were among the audience to hear Mr. McCluggage deliver an address in sunport of his candidature. Mr. 'tide was voted to t lie chair. In the course of an interesting speech, Mr. Met'luggage made special rofero-nee to the t2dn,()o() expenditure, yearly. for four years, on hack hi neks roads, and stated that il was the fault of the local bodies that most of this money was not spent. He stated timi it was, a well-known fact: that the Stratford County, the Whangamemona Comity, the Ohura County,

and the Clifton Comity, would not lika the grants offered to them Ity tiic (iovormiu’ii! unless the Covolnnu'iit gave them d per cant, extra for adminisl rat ion costs, which was, the 'toads Department explained, contrary to the law. The fault, therefore, that this money was not spent, lias witli the local bodies, not the Government. At the conclusion of his address, the candidate was asked several questions which he answered satisfactorily.

A very hearty vote of thanks to him for hi; address was then passed, and confidence in him as a fit and proper rson to represent this community in I’arlianient. An amendment was moved hy Mr. Needham that a voto of, thanks only he accorded to Mr. Met luggage, and no confidence in the present (Government. On the amendment being put to the audience, it was lost, only three voting for it. The resolution was then earned with applause. A vote to the chair terminated the meeting.

XOTFS HY THIS WAY. “There is no change in the situation so far ns Otago and Southland is concerned” (writes the Dunedin correspondent of the “Manawatu Times”), “except that, the Ministerial position in Southland appears to have been consolidated since Sir Joseph Ward’s visit. In Wakatipn Mr Horn’s residential and official association with file district is helping him immensely, and he will put up a great fight against Mr W. Fraser.” The Westland campaign, where Mr T. Seddon is again opposed hy Mr H. L. Michel, is still as lively as over. A correspondent writes in the Dunedin “Times”: “The energy of ■ andidates in wooing the electors is only surpassed by the bitterness imparted into .the conflict by their supporters. Wagering is going on in an unprecedented manner, whilst in scores of cases failure to convince by talk or ‘money up’ has been followed by ‘ scrap.’ Everywhere the inflamed state of public opinion is apparent. One who has just been through the electorate says: ‘God help Westland. Hie breaking-point has already been reached. What will happen by polling day?”