TARANAKI ELECTION

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13798, 2 November 1908, Page 4

TARANAKI ELECTION

MR. OKEY AT KOR I'M. (From Oui O\\ n Cm respondent.) Mr Okoy ackht^sed ;i mcII attended meeting at Korito (Upper Kent School) on Wednesday. October 28. Mr C. Warren nas lotod to the chair. Before giving his address Mi Okey was accorded a hearty vole of thanks for the prompt nay in winch lie had forwarded a copy of the Dairy Regulations so as to give tho i armors of this district an opportunity to protest against some of tho pernicious clauses before they were passed into law. Mr Okey addressed the audience for nearly two hours. During that time lie dealt in a very able and lucid manner with questions affecting farmers, including the tactics adopted by members of the House in opposing measures they were not in lavour of. He also urged upon ratepayers the importance of voting for tho new harbour loan. In conclusion Mr Okey was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his very able address and continued confidence in him as our representative. MR. MALOXE AT OMATA. Mr Malone had a splendid meeting at Omata on Wednesday night last. Mr Matsen was voted to the chair. Mr Malone's speech was well received by a most friendly audience. In answer to questions. Mr Malone could not say why defence volunteering was not more 'popular: it was not the fault of the Government but of the people, who always lacked enthusiasm and military spirit in peace time. He thought that if ladies took a more friendly interest in national defence the movement would become popular and succeed. As to the alleged stuffing of the public service with Catholics, ho said the matter had been systematically gone into and it was found that, although in tho lowest paid branches of the service tho Catholics had approximately their proportionate representation in employment, one in seven, they had nothing like it in the middle and higher-paid branches. He challenged anyone to disprove his statement and would to back his challenge deposit any desired sum of money for forfeit to the New Plymouth Hospital. Business and religion would not mix, and bigotry should be out of date. A vote of thanks on the motion of Mr Lister seconded by Mr Honey field was carried by acclamation, also one to the chairman. MR. MALONE AT MOTUROA. Mr. Malone last week held two meetings at Moturoa, one on Thursday night at the Mission Hall and the other on the wharf on Friday at midday. His speech on each occasion was well received. At the hall a vote of thanks was carried unanimously, an amendment to add "and confidence" being at Mr Malone's request withdrawn. He said that ho- believed that he could have had carried at every meeting a rote of "coufidence, 1 ' but he thought thai "thanks" with unanimity at the meetings would lead to "confidence" At the ballot. At the wharf on the motion of Mr J. Smith, a vote of thanks was carried with three hearty cheers. THE FARMERS' CANDIDATE. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. „ At the meeting of the Taranaki Farmers' Union executive at Hawera on Thursday replies to a series of questions submitted to* candidates contest-. ,ing the. Taranaki electorate were dealt* with. The following were the answers to the several questions submitted to the. candidates : — Will you, if returned, support, irrespective of party, the foUowingi platform : — (1) To give all Crown tenants a statutory right to acquire the freehold of their land at any time after the conditions as to residence and improvements have been complied with, at a value to Be comp^utoa a& tuarially, so that any rebate or rent which has been paid less than the 5 per cent, paid by the O.R.P. tenant shall be capitalised and added to the original value of the land. Mr Malono: Yes. Mr Okey: Yes. (2) 'That in respect of all Crown lands opened for settlement under the provisions of the Land Acts, the successful applicant shall have the' option of any of the tenures provided therein. Both Mr Malone and Mr Okey replied in the affirmative. (3) That taxation, through the Customs .shall be raised for the purpose or revenue only.. Mr Malone: Yes. Mr Okey: Yes. (4) That only ratepayers shall be empowered to vote^on local government matters in \ counties, road boards, and rural districts, and the present franchise maintained. Messrs .Malono and Okey : Yes. (5) To resist and vote against any further attempt to nationalise the means of production, distribution, and exchange. Mr Malone : Impossible to answer this by simple yes or no. Question too wide. Extension and construction of new railways would com© within this question. I am not a land nationaliser or a Socialist or a Communist. Mr Okey : Yes. (6) Will you Vote for the repeal of the present or any compulsory Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act? Mr Malone : Question too wide. The present Act undoubtedly requires amendment to obviate the class of trouble lately so rife. You had better put your question again when the ( amending Bill now before Parliament is passed. The underlying principle of this Act is sound. If by "any compulsory clause" you mean a future Act, I cannot form any opinion of it until it exists or I know what its provisions are. Mr Okey : Do not consider compulsory arbitration workable; favour giving present Act a trial. (7) Will you vote againts a Referendum Bill? Mr Malone: Sorry, but do not understand the question. A Referendum Bill on what? Mr Okey: Yes. (8) Will you vote for a discontinuance of co-operative works? Mr Malone : Question again too wide. Co-operative work is better than no work. Some co-operativo work might be better than ordinary contract and! % r ice versa. Mr Okey : Am not in favour of cooperative works ; favour small contracts. REPLIES DISCUSSED. The executive then discussed the answers of these two candidates to the various questions.

Mr Malonc'h replies were first deVit " 'ilr Lambie thought replies to qm-o-lion -3 were not satistactory. Mr Allhusen said that 7 and & «hh most distinctly evaded. c ».„,.„ The Chairman said the questions weie not as «ood as they might be. 1 Hey were hard to answer conscientious^. To test the meeting he moved that tlm answers be considered satisfactory. Mr Lambie thought they were unsatisfactory. Mr Davidson seconded the resolution. , , „ The motion v, as withdrawn and another substituted (Allhusen — Stevenson) that the answeres are satisfactory on tirst lour questions and unsatisfactory on the remainder.- — Carried. Mr Okey's replies were all considered satisfactory. — Abridged from Hawera Star. TO-NIGHT'S MEETINGS. Mr Okey at the Theatre Royal. Mr Beliringer at Bell Block. Mr Malono at Upper Mangorei.