THE EVE OF BATTLE.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12401, 17 November 1908, Page 2

THE EVE OF BATTLE.

FINAL SPEECHES OF THS CAN WBATES. . afll AT~THE THEATRE, fin^ r H^: r y Atmore addressed his fiflal meeting of the campaign, at the Iheatre Royal last nighty Tlie building was crowded:. to It's utmost 3H lty> M ? WiUiam Lock preSk^SSfto^he^ straightforwarfnes! ' M ® If turned Wk Atmore, who was received mmm support lnmself and unless he had a vote m the electorate a Minister ™ T n ° more , "Sht to interfere in that the Sultan of Tu"of Du hl ?eahng wit K the expenditure ot public monpys,. Mr Atmore said J™,™ a Sugg fstion that the member for Motueka would be raised to Ministerial rank. He thoS it was very- probable thai; lie wS 1% O an a d >. ;8 ; |ure N.el s 6n would lUC^gdjzis, (Applause.) I n C on- . eluding his address Mr AWe "c .view ed+the results of his oSSdidL ; ture at previous elections. H & beWnof fiff thG r^™ that he was not fit for a local body was beinsr replaced by the idea that he neoded a larger_ arena in .which to work for their -interests. The great increase m h,s vote at the last election had greatly encouraged him. ' He was now^efore them for the third-time £J# he had reason for tfe ing that he would jg et an absolutely clear majon^, obviating a useless second ballot. (Applause.) ft had been said that he would not P9» .heavily m the Sounds, but an ex-Minister of the Crown who cam e th r°\g h ,*e Sounds tlie other dav said he should_poll five to one there.' (Applause.) His latest meetings had been most enthusiastic everywhere He _was satisfied that the ' result would be an eye opener fc*- those who had been contending that he had no chance owing to; his defeat in local politics. The matter was for the people to impartially review, and decide if the time had not come for a change. ' No one could impute motives of avarice -to him. It was an honest desire to serve them that urged him on. During the campaign he had not shirked questions and if they did not know his opinions it •vas nothis fault. Ho believed with ~-sir Robert Stout that the time had come for, ?young men to enter politics. In-; his words, the country had need of her young men. (Applause.) He promised that if returned ho would bring the fearlessness ho had shown in local politics" to bear on the larger problems of the Dominion. He believed that a member's duties did ' : ;not . end with attondance during session. Every part of the constituency shpuld be visited once a year. (Applause.) Mr Atmore resumed his seat amid prolonged applause. \ :' '■ In answer to a question Mr Atmore said h 9 was not in favour of any alteration in the Licensing Act, to reinsert clause 9 (no license, no liquor). ' Mr Joseph Taylor, asked if MtAtmore would be iD favour of irtroducing a system of technical education for miners. Mr Atraore said there wat» already a School cf Mices st Westport. The machinory was already in existence, and only numbers of pupils were needed to establish a scbool.aDy where. " •-"■'. : " In reply to a further question by Mr Taylor, Mr Atmore said he was not in favour of annual Parliaments instead of triennial Parliaments. ' , Mr Taylor asked jf Mr Atmore would favour an elective , Upper House. Mr Atmore said be had comedo the view that the Legislative Councilsbould be elective. : \ .•'.,., A questioner asked if Mr Atmore. would be in favour of bringing tbe British Medical Association under the scope of the Arbitration Act. : ' Air Atmcre said medical fees were serious for people of slender means, but the Government had established hospitals wnere such people could receive attention from skilled practitioners. Doctors d ida great dfal of work for nothing, and it was their custom to make those people who could afford to do. so pay, wbile those who could not were lee off. No Government interferonceoould bring the charges so low as those of hospitals, nothing in many cases, ard he would not favour interference with the 'British Medical" Association. In repy to another quesion Mr Atmore said he would be in favour of prohibiting the -further landing of Chinese in New Zealand. A vote of than ks and confidence, proposed by Mr A. R. Dyson, seconded by Mr \V. S. Hampson, and: supported by' Mir George Stewart, was put and declared carried unanimously, with the singing of "For He's a Jolly Good bellow." On tbe motion of Mr Atmore, a

hearty vote of tbanks was accorded j to !>jr Lccli, for presiding, aud tiis \ mjaSi.ig diipics'd,. nftar giviog "j uaarcy caQdrd i'o. 1 t'jo cauaiduCi:. j