THE ELECTIONS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 208, 7 October 1914, Page 8

THE ELECTIONS.

RICCARTON SEAT. MR B. BTJNN A CANDIDATE. A meeting of the Riccarton Reform League was held at Fendalton last evening, Mr J. J. Dougall presiding. Mr J. H. Brett was elected secretary. The chairman said Mr B. Bunn was in attendance, and would be pleased to address the meeting. . Mr Bunn said he wished to deny a rumour that had been circulated that he was a German. If he looked like a German, he said, he owed an apology to the British race. He denied that he had at any time associated himself with the Social-Democratic Party, with whom he said he differed as widely as possible. Dealing with the policy of the present Administration, Mr Bunn said that since Mr Allen had. assumed office he had had a very hard row to hoe. Mr Allen needed the help and sympathy of the people to tide over the presenfrerisis. It behoved everybody to practise economy. The country was not in as good a financial position as it might be. A great deal larger margin of exports over imports in trade was required than at present existed. The balance of exports over imports should be at least three millions. The exports should be put on a more satisfactory basis. He deplored the great increase that had taken place of recent years in the amount spent on motor cars. The amount spent in this direction —on pleasure—was greater than that spent on hardware. The Customs tariff, he said, did not bear so heavily on the working man as on the other classes. The cry of the working man about the burden of taxation was not borne out by the facts. The wealthy man paid the larger part of taxation. The Reform Party had shown a democratic spirit in pushing land settlement. During their term of office they had subdivided for settlement almost two million acres. The Government had placed close on 2000 people on the land during the last two and a-quarter years. Their record was very satisfactory, and compared very favourably with former Administrations. He favoured the graduated land tax up to a certain point. The tax had been effective in bursting up large estates. The v Government was in office in the interests of all the people. • As a result of the appointment of the Civil Service Board the Set vice was run a great deal more economically than in the past. The Government had made very few mistakes, but he thought they had made a mistake in regard to Royd Garlick. The Minister of Education, he thought, had made a mistake in not advertising the position, ft had given the Liberal Party a handle with. which to .work, and they were making capital out of it. It was but a small mistake compared with what the Liberal Party had made during their 20 years of office, i Referring to the Bible-in-State-Schools j question, .he, said if returned he would favour a*refe#endum. In regard to the liquor question, he supported the 55 per cent;, which, he maintained, was fair and equitable. On the motion of Mr Dougall, it was decided that Mr Bunn be supported as the Reform candidate for Riccarton. Arrangements were made for setting up committees in various parts b£ the district. x CHRISTCHURCH SOUTH. At a meeting of the' Labour forces' held last evening in the Methodist Schoolroom, Selwyn Street, Sydenham, it was unanimously decided to select Mr G. R. Whiting to contest the Christchurch South seat at the coming election, in the Labour; ; interests. It was also decided to convene a meeting of friends and supporters for Monday next, at the Methodist Schoolroom, Brougham Street, Sydenham, and at the schoolroom, Barrington Street, Spreydon, on Thursday, October 15, for the purpose of forming committees to work the electorate.

A very large, influential, and sentative deputation waited upon Mr Whiting at his residence and presented him with a requisition signed by over 1400 odd electors of Christchurch South asking him to ; stand as a candidate for the election. In presenting the requisition the deputation asked Mr Whiting to give his answer that evening, as the time was getting short," and they desired to know if possible at once, so that they could go on with the committee work. The deputation also promised to do all in its power to secure Mr Whiting's return. Mr Whiting, in reply, thanked the deputation, especially the ladies, who had come along' to present him with a requisition signed by such a large number of electors. He was agreeably surprised at such a large number of electors signing the requisition, which must have meant a good deal of work on the part" of the men and women present. For that reason, .aud the fact that the time was short, he would consent forthwith to contest the seat. In doing, so he was pleased tp know that the large deputation was i willing to form themselves into a com-1 mittee to secure his return. AVON. *'On Monday evening a meeting of friends and supporters of Mr H. D. Acland, the Eeform candidate for Avon, was held in the Phillipstown Schoolroom, Mr J. K. Brunt presiding over a good attendance., Mr Acland gave an address, and was frequently applauded. Mr D. iones also addressed the meeting. It was decided that those present should form themselves into a committee to secure Mr Acland's return. The district" was divided up, and arrangements made for working each end. Mr D. G. Sullivan, the Social-Demo-crat nominee for Avon, addressed a; meeting of supporters in the Richmond School last evening. Those present formed themselves into a committee to work for Mr Sullivan's return. MR BUNN. Mr Bertram Bunn, who is standing in the Reform interest for Riccarton electorate, is making his first essay into the political field. He is a young man, born at Oxford 30 years ago, a son of Mr Alfred Bunn, who was long connected with the sawmilling industry at Oxford, and is well known to all the farmers of that district, and his interest in politics commenced in the years before he attained his majority. Mr Bunn has been a farmer for the past ten years in Otagb and South Canterbury. About twelve months ago he sold out his farming interests, and went into the grain and produce business, so that he is still connected with the land. During the years in which he was actively engaged as a farmer he was an active member of the branches of the Farmers' Union of the districts in which he was working.

THE LABOUR FACTIONS.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN GROUP& Press Association. WELLINGTON, October 6. Efforts are being made to arrange a working partnership between the SocialDemocrats and the United Labour Party for the general election and for the allocation of war taxation. A conference began yesterday, and the delegates of both parties will confer again to-mor-row. One Labour representative has given an opinion that the two groups will reach an agreement as to running a single candidate in each district where Labour is believed to have a possibility of success, and to stand out of the ground where a Liberal candidate's prospects are palpably superior to Labour's. It is also anticipated that the two parties will agree on a basis of taxation designed to put war taxation mainly on the land, in order to guard as much as possible against the transfer of the load to the workers. The Labour leaders may endeavour to get the tax put on produce for export.