GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 97, 7 December 1911, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTIONS.

ALLEGE]) DELAY OF MAILS. (.Per Press Association.) Invercargill, December G. Regarding uie aueged holding up of mans uy urn Rosiui Department in uie north, uie Premier saj>s the statement puolished by the Opposition papers, ••that an extraordinary order uy uie Government has just Keen revealed winch illustrates the extreme lengths to which the Ministry has deemed tp go in anxiety to stem the tide of reiorm feeling,'' is absolutely untrue.

“The Government,” lie says, “has given no order of any sort in connection with the holding up of mails in any part of the Dominion. On reading tne statement this morning, 1 telegraphed to the head of the Postal Department, and asked him what it meant. He replied that one of the Opposition papers had posted some newspapers containing a mock ballot paper, which was illegal, too late for delivery in the country before Monday. the Solicitor-General, prior to last election, advised it was illegal to deliver anything in the shape of mock ballot papers during three days before the elections. The head of the Department advises that he consulted with the Crown, law officers again in connection with the present matter, and had been advised that the Department has acted properly, an|l that where mock ballot papers are posted prior to the elections within a prohibited time, they are neither returned to senders or delivered the day after the elections. So that the statement that the Government interefered in any way is absolutely untrue. I heard nothing of it till I saw it published this morning. The Postal Department has treated everybody alike and no distinction has ev‘er been made. Needless to say, had any action on the part of the Government been necessary in the present case, it was certain the question would have been referred to me as Postmaster-General for decision, whereas the first 1 knew about the matter was when I saw it published this morning.’

THE PREMIER AND THE PRESS. Invercargill, December G. The Premier attempted to keep his appointment to address the electors of Stewart Island to-night, but the tng had to put back as, had she continued, she might not have been able to return from the island.

Sir Joseph addressed the inmates of the charitable institutions at Lome Farm this afternoon, and had a big meeting at Kennington to-night. He was accorded a good hearing and cheers. The speech was mostly on familiar lines, contrasting the Reform Party assertions that messages from Wellington published by certain papers this morning in regard to holding up the mails. Sir Joseph Ward characterised this as a deliberate and infamous lie, and the work of one man, who wasn’t acting in the interests cf his journal or of the people. In answer to a question, Sir Joseph said he was going to have an enquiry made concerning the expenditure of all public money spent in the electorate, and if the money was spent improperly it would havo to be refunded. A vote of thanks and confidence, cheers, and the singing sof “He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” and the presentation of two bouquets ended the meeting. , ;

AUCKLAND MEETINGS' ■■■■■'“ Auckland, December 6. Many political meetings were held in Auckland to-night, and great enthusiasm was displayed by the supporters of both parties. At all the meetings of the-Reform Party’s candidates prolonged cheers were given for Mr. Massey, and at Devonport the-.candidate was carried shoulder high. Mr. Massey himself was at Manurewa. Sir John Findlay addressed a crowded meeting at Newmarket. The meeting was favourable and enthusiastic,, although there were frequent interruptions from hostile but small sections of the audience.. . THE VARIOUS CENTRES. Masterton, December 7. There is ideal weather and considerable excitement is being shown in connection with the political and licensing issues. An exceptionally heavy poll is expected. Wanganui, December 7. The weather is fine and heavy polling is anticipated. The licensing poll is overshadowing the political battle. Groat interest is being taken in the question. The general opinion is that the result will be very close.

MR J. McCLTJGGAGE AT THE TOWN HALL. Despite the boisterous weather a full liouse greeted Mr J. McCluggago at the Town Hall last night, when he gave his final word to the electors of Stratford. The Mayor, Mr J. Masters, presided. If anything there were more present than at the previous meeting, and there was no doubting that the great majority of the audience were in sympathy with the speaker. Mr McCluggage spoke for some two hours in reply to statements made by his opponent, and other members of the Opposition, and also on general politics. At times there were interruptions but none were louder than the loose sheets of iron on the building, which kept up a continuous and discordant protest at anything in the nature of politics. It was undoubtedly a good meeting, and Air McCluggage scored a decided success. Questions were not so numerous as at the previous address, and Mr McCluggage had no difficulty in' satisfying his interrogators. At the conclusion, Mr Nat King proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Mr McCluggage, and expressed confidence in him as a fitting person to represent them in Parliament. A hostile motion, thanking Mr. McCluggage for his address and expressing all the confidence in Mr* Hine, met with no seconder and was therefore not put to the meeting. Mr George Smart seconded the motion, which was carried amid cheers. After the usual vote of thanks to the chair, a few of the more enthusiastic concluded the meeting to the strains of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”

THE POLLING RETURNS. On account of the space being limited and also to prevent crowding, to the point of collapse, on the balcony of the County Hotel, from which the polling returns will he shown this evening, hv the “Stratford Evening Post.” by kind permission of Mr. IV. P. Kirkwood, it has been found necessary from previous experience to strictly limit the number of people admitted on the balcony. To this end a small number of invitations by ticket only have been issued. ROUND THE BOOTHS. (By F.M.R) 'lc is indeed fortunate that there

arc two polling booths in Stratford, else this Heading might have read “Hound the Booth,” and such a course could only have suggested that the booth was a refreshment one, and that it had been given liberal patronage. Of course, it is a stock heading, but elections are so rare that it has not suffered much by repetition. Still, one might have called it “Peeps at the Polling Places,” but then alliteration is so common now. At all events, it had better stand, and if you dislike it—well the Editor is always pleased to receive correspondence, and under your customary nom do plume of “Anxious Parent,” or is it “Constant Subscriber,” you may voice your objections to the extent of half a column or so. No, there is no charge made for that class of matter now.

But I have got off the subject, talking about headings. Perhaps I had better say in the first place that I walked round. Other ptcple wore going in motor cars, but when I have had a ride in a motor, and the novelty has worn off. Besides I wouldn’t do like Mr , who was the laudest applauder at last night’s meeting, and then went round to-the poll in a motor flying red and black colours. That’s spoiling the Egyptians with a vengeance. What’s that you said? Nobody offered me a ride. Well, perhaps you’re right. At this stage I’d better tell you that I’m going on like this, because, when 1 got time to walk to the Town Hall and to the Court House, there wer«» rot many people there, and incidents were few. To return to the Egyptians for a moment, it was like making bricks without straw. But I trust you will keep that as confidential. Still, I was sitting in the tent outside the Court House when a man came in and asked if his name was on the “Electric Roll,” but I wasn’t going to tell you that because you’d be thinking I made it up myself to supply the shortage of “copy.” I waited quite a long time at the Town Hall so as to be able to tell you a little story about the old man who walked for miles to record his vote, but found on enquiry at the tables that his name had been struck off the rolls. You can see what’s wanted. A pathetic romance of the Rip Van Winkle type. He had been so long away from his native' town that the citizens' had thought him dead, and his name, accordingly, had been erased from the voting list. I even enquired anxiously from the men who were giving voters their number if anyone iiad found his name inadvertently struck off the rolls. Do you remember that heading “The Muddle of the Rolls?” Well, since I couldn’t oven get an instance of the disappointed elector, let alone of a Rip Van Winkle, it looks as if Stratford people had enough political enthusiasm to make sure that their names were on the roll, and that the Deputy-Regis-trar of Electors was the right man in the right place, and that the electoral census had not been such a failure as some had made it out to be.

It. was a great pity that one couldn’t * have gone round to the fifty and one booths in the Stratford electorate—to the Public Works cement shed at Skinner Road, to the Carpenter . Shop, Whangamomona Tunnel, to the wharo in Wingrove Road, at Pukengahu, and all the rest. But. come to think of it, I’ve already filled up the space that the kind editor has allotted to me.

Although I’m not a political candidate, perhaps I may be allowed to give a ~final word to the electors. It is this: “Because you have picked , a double in to-day’s election, don’t think you can do the same at the Stratford Racing Club’s Summer meeting.” • ' .