POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 159, 11 December 1914, Page 6

POLITICAL.

•A LIBEL ACTION. By Telegraph—Per Press Association, Napier, Yesterday. . Mr J. V. Brown, Liberal candidate for tli« Napier seat, lias issued a writ against the Hawke's Bay Herald, claiming 1:2000 damages for alleged libel contained in a letter published. TARANAKI CANDIDATES. '

SUCCESSFUL AND OTHERWISE. MR. H. J. 11. OKEY, M.P. Henry James Hobbs Okey was born at Frankley road in the year 1857, and is the second son of the lat Edward Okcy. He was brought up to fanning, and later acquired a farm of about 2000 acres on the Frankley road. He acted as chairman of the Taranaki County Council for years, and from 18S5 till the date of its absorption by the Taranaki County, was also chairman of the Frankley road Board. He was one of the originators of the Moturoa Freezing Works, and held office as a director of the first company. Mr Okey has been a member of the Licensing Committee —the chosen of both parties—for several years. Re unsuccessfully contested the Taranaki seat in 1002 and 1905 as an Independent Liberal, but carried the colors of the Conservative party to -victory in the bye-election caused by the. the late Mr E. M. Smith. He had represented Taranaki for the , past eight years.

STRATFORD'S MEMBER. Mr J. B. Hine was born at Culm bridge, Devonshire, in 1808. He came to New Zealand wi.ii his parents when ten years of age. His parents settled at Tikorangi. He entered public life as a member of the Stratford County Council, and was the first chairman of the Stratford Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. He was captain of the Stratford Mounted Rifles. Mr, Hine stood for the House first in 1905, and was flrat elected in, 1908. He has lived at Toko, six miles from Stratford, for a mumber of years.

MR C. K. WILSON. Mr C. K. Wilson is an Australian by birth, arriving in New Zealand when seventeen years of age, without money or prospects, ho turned to hand to anysort of country work. Later he acquired an interest in land at Levin, and remained in that district till 1009 —over twenty years. For a good part of that time he was sasociation with the firm of Abraham and Williams, and remained manager and auctioneer for the West Coast, and also took ail active part in the formation of the Farmers' Union. He was district representative at the first Dominion conference of the latter. Standing for Taumarunui seat in 1011, he secured an unexpected victory—the surprise of the campaign—over Mr W. T. Jennings, the Liberal member, who had represented the district for several years.

MR. W. T.. JENNINGS. Mr. W. T. Jenningi is a New Zealander, having been born in Auckland in 1854. Educated at St. Paul's and St. Peter's schools, Auckland, he then became apprenticed to the newspaper business, with his uncle, then proprietor of the New Zealander. Later he was to be found managing the Dunedin Age. He was an enthusiastic volunteer for a number of years, and, as showing that his military ardor is not yet dead, lie recently offered his services to tli" Government in the present crU:.;. ITe attained the position of lieutenant in the Hobson Rifles, and was for many years hon. lieutenant in the Auckland Engineer Corps. As a rifle shot he took part in three New New Zealand championship meetings. Mr. Jennings lias filled the position of president' of the Hibernian Society and Grand District President of the Druid Order, and liasHilways taken a live interest in the worlf of friendly societies. In 1002 he resigned his seat in the Legislative Council and was returned to the House of Representatives for Egmonfc. He was again returned for the altered district of Taumarunui in 1005 and 1008, and, by his untiring advocacy of better treatment for the pioneer settlers lie earned the soubriquet of "roads and bridges Jennings." In 1911, be was defeated at the polls.

EGMONT'S MEMBER. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson was born under the shadow of Mt. Egmont near New Plymouth in 18SS, and although lie has travelled extensively and has a wide knowledge of the world, his closest interests have always been in Taranaki. He comes of a good yeoman stock, his grandparents being amongst the very first of the hardy settlers to settle in New Plymouth in the year 1841. in 1884, Mr. Wilkinson left New Plymouth for Elthain, which was then a mere hole in the bush, and from that date to this, he has been closely associated with the commercial and general development of the town, his business being one of the most successful and unique of its kind in New Zealand, it being asserted that there is no business of the same kind out of the four cities, which can compare with it in scope and size. A profit-sharing scheme with the staff"was instituted home time ago in connection therewith and is proving a success. Mr. Wilkinson visited Germany as well as other countries in 1!)02 and was then convinced of the necessity of compulsory military training for New Zealand and was one of the few political candidates to advocate the introduction of the scheme in the election of 1008. In this election, he was defeated after a splendid fight in which he made hosts of friends and laid the foundation for future political success. In 1912, on the retirement of the Hon. T. Mackenzie to take the position of High Commissioner, Mr. Wilkinson was induced to again contest the Kgmont seat, and although in Canada at the time he at once returned and after a sharp, short fight, he scored a handsome victory in the Reform interests. It has teen admitted by friend and foe that he lias proved a ca)mliltj and _ al>l<! representative. His work in Parliament is noted for his advocacy of the commencement of the El-tham-Opunake Hallway, which work has been commenced and Will lie of great benefit to that part of 'l'llrimilki. He was also prominent in conneetktfi with the settlement of th« West Coast Set a proiiiiiifint member of a select committee set tip to investigate the conditions of the shipping trade in reference to the exportation of fanners' produce during the present. Crisis. The incorporation as a plank in the Reform Party's platfprm of the setting up a Board of

very materially assisted the Board, in co-operation with others, by inducing the Government to refund the sum of £11,7000 from the land fund, which amount the Government were deducting from the Board's endowment revenue. This claim, had it not been settled in favor of the Board, would have ner'•iously embarrassed its finances and made the question of a rate loom up. Although a keen and successful business man, Mr. Wilkinson does, not consider money-making the sole aim in life, and one finds his best efforts are always in the public interests. He is never idle, finds gardening a foil to his greater energies, and always has given his services freely to the public in various capacities from the humble school com-mittee-man to the highest office the electors can offes on any man—that of their representative in Parliament.

MR. D. L. A. ASTBURY. Mr D. L. A. Astbury is a native of Sydney, New South Wales, having been born there in ISGS, The son of an army schoolmaster, he was educated by his father until his death in Edinburgh in 1870. With his mother, brothers, and sisters, he came to New Zealand in 1870, and spent a short time in the New Zealand State schools. It was in 1889 that Mr Astbury came to Taranaki, and •since then he lias been t hard-working farmer, and a most useful member of the community. An omnivorous reader, and a clear thinker, Br Astbury soon became known throughout the province as a public speaker and debater, possessing and excellent style and considerable force of utterance. For eighteen years he held the position of chairman of the Mahoe school committee, and for twelve years he representd the ratepayers on the Stratford County Council, a position which he resigned when he moved to his present home near Eltham. Mr Astbury lias formerly contested a Parliamentary election, but unsueeess- | fully.

MR W. MORRISON. Mr W. Morrison, the new member for Paten, is a*New Zealander bred and born. He was born in 1809 in the Wanganui district, and he received his education at the Maxwelltown Public School. All his lift: he lias spent on the land as. a progressive and small farmer, and lie sought part of recreation by taking a prominent interest in military mattrs. In the days of the volunteers, there were few more popular officers than Captatin William Morrison, commanding the Alexandra Mounted Rifles for several years. He has over twentythree years eilieient service to his credit, and is now captain on the reserve of officers. Nine or ten years ago, Mr Morrison entered local politics, being elected to the Waitotara County Council. He has held his seat continually since then, and was re-elected quite recently for a further term of three years. His usefulness as a county councillor led to his 'election during the present year to the Wanganui Harbor Board. He was made a Justice of the Peace in 1902. Mr Morrison may fairly claim to have a knowledge of the aims and aspirations of the people of his constituency, in which ho lias resided for 41 years.

MR. 1), ,1. tWOHKS, Mr Daniel j. Hunghes, for Taranaki, is a young New Zealander. lie was born in 180!) in Patea, and whilst still a baby in arms was taken to Patea on account of the Maori trouble. In 1880 he moved with his parents to Manaia, and there finished his schooling. While still a youth of eighteen years, he took up a bush section, on lease with the right of purchase, felled the bush, and for some time afterwards was to be found contracting, bushfelling, and etc., helping to lay the foundations of Taranaki's agricultural prosperity. It was at this time that the name of Dan Hughes beban to be known wherever amateur wrestling and boxing were "discussed," and he gained and held an honored place in the Taranaki representative and New Zealand football teams. He also captained senior and junior district cricket teams, and he met a kindred spirit now Mrs Hughes, the daughter of one of the best-known cricketing and bowling families in the South Jsland, and it is littl wonder that his sons are promising athletes. Mr Hughes' first entry into semi-public life caino with his election to the directorate of the Kaponga Dairy Factory Co., and since then he has sat for two terms as director of the Kaupokonui Dairy Factory. For three years past he has been a member Of the Waimate West County Council, and he has occupied several other positions: Trustee of the .Toll Park at Okaiawa, school committeeman; Liberal League chairman at Manaia; and so on. As Government nominee on the New Plymouth Harbor Board for four years, and so some years past elective member representing the Waimate ward, Mr Hughes has had to fight briskly, for the post of New Plymouth against vSouth Taranaki's vested interests, and the fighting has ofttiines been bitter. He is an ardent believer in the future of the port as a deep sea harbor. Mr Hughes had always evinced a keen interest in sports and athletics, and has been a regular contributor of articles to, the newspapers on Maori land tnure "and farming.