GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 89, 28 November 1911, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTIONS.

PREMIER’S NORTHERN TOUR

(Per Press Association.) Auckland, November 27

News was received to-day concerning the Prime Minister’s recent tour, and states that Sir Joseph Ward was well received by the settlers at Matamata on Saturday morning. He addressed a very large meeting near tne railway station, and delivered a speech on the lines of his previous addresses. A vote of thanks and confidence in t!ie Government was adopted unanimously ’amidst great cheering. At Morrinsvillo, lie addressed 200, and the meeting heartily adopted a motion of thanks and confidence. Sir Joseph Ward spoke at Te Aroha on Saturday evening, and the audience was enthusiastic, a vote of thanks and confidence being carried. MR MASSEY AT WAIUKU. Waiuku, November 27. Mr Massey continued his campaign for the Granklin seat to-day. lie received a vote of thanks and confidence at two smaller meetings which he addressed in the morning and afternoon.' This evening be delivered a vigorous speech at Waiuku, the hall being packed. Over four hundred persons were present, and many others were unable to enter the building. The Leader of the Opposition received prolonged cheering. Dealing with the subject of the proposed coalition, Mr Massey said the intention underlying the negotiation was that the two great political parties in the country, should he brought together through their representatives in Parliament. There was an organised movement to effect this reSult, and lie was asked to accept a seat.in the Government and to persuade another member,of the Opposition to accompany him. He had written proof of his

Statements, and in tiiis connection challenged the Premier to ask the Minister of Agriculture what part the latter took in the matter, and to repeat the opinions expressed by him with regard to the proposed coalition. The Puulic Debt Extinction Act, of which Sir Joseph Ward was .so proud, actually provided for collaring the sinking funds of the Loans to Local Bodies and the Native -War loan, amounting to nearly a million. 1 Mr Massey gave an unqualified denial to Sir Joseph Ward’s statement that the Opposition had done its best to strangle the Advances to Settlers, Department. Liberal applause followed the conclusion of the speech. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried by vigorous acclamation, followed by repeated cheering. Apparently, says the “Wairarapa Age , there is little chance of Mr Hogg touring the electorate, and electors will bo compelled to judge him on the speech he delivered at Masterton.

lii reply to questions at Waitaliuna (reports the “Tuapeka Times”) Mr James Allen said that he had changed liis mind in regard to the abolition of the totalizator, and would therefore not vote f'Or its abolition. . “We had no chance to vote upon it,” said Mr Fisher, referring to the Dreadnought offer. Mr McLaren, at St. Mark’s schoolroom : “I tried to got porno member in the. House to act as teller with me to divide the House or the question, but none of them were game.” .MR. I!INF’S CAMPAIGN. A correspondent writes: “At Purangi on Monday afternoon Mr J. B. lii no addressed about forty persons, Mr Barnett in the chair. Mr Hine dealt with the political questions of the day from a Reform Party standpoint and at the close of his address received a hearty vote of thanks and confidence, the meeting also passing a vote of no confidence in the Ward Administration. Mr Hine returned to Stratford to ho present at the laying of the foundation stone of the Stratford District High School by Sir Joseph Ward. He then proceeded to Ma-tau where he addressed another meeting of over sixty electors. The meeting was an enthusiastic one, and here also a vote of thanks and confidence and a similar vote of no-confidence as was carried at Purangi was carried on a show of hands, four voting against it.” Mr Hine speaks at Rowan at 7 o’clock and Mahoe at 8.30 to-night. NOTES BY THE WAY. Mr Joseph McOlnggage, the Liberal candidate, will address a _ meeting in the Public Hall, Tariki, this evening. A Toko correspondent who supplied the report of Mr Hine’s meeting also wrote:—“Mr Hine gave the Government credit for certain good work and cited two or three measures which they had brought in and which he had been able to support. On the other hand, what he considered their short-comings ho criticised forcibly and fearlessly. He dealt with the land questions and gave a history of the Mokau land transaction, his keen criticism of which and the clear way in which he showed the whole workings of tho deal, eliciting the disapproval of the majority of those present and made the few supporters of the Liberal Party extremely uneasy. After sundry interjections, one of them, as a last forlorn hope, ejaculated: What, about the title? The introduction of this rather delicate word provoked something like consternation in the ranks of tire faithful few and mirth amongst the great majority, especially when the candidate was understood to say, “The titles wore quite safe and held by men in high positions.” Various other matters wore touched upon, tbo Hon. T. Mackenzie's Pure Meeds Bill, with its fairy-like possibilities. being followed with great intcrcsei;. The election promise of three years ago to spend a million pounds cm back' block roads in four years, Mr Hire said bad been fulfilled only in one particular, and that was the million had been borrowed.- Tbo comparison table, drawn up by Mir Joseph W:i'’d, showing how much more of the millions borrowed by bis Party since 1891. was interest-bearing than the monies borrowed bv nrovions Governments, was ablv dealt with, and its

speciousness exposed. This table, Mr liine .said, was obviously prepared for the purpose of casting a stigma upon past Administrations. Tins statement drew an excited remark from a prominent Liberal to tlie effect emit the Government had never said so.”