Taranaki Herald. (DAILY EVENING.) TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1911. THE REFORM CANDIDATE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143646, 14 November 1911, Page 2

Taranaki Herald. (DAILY EVENING.) TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1911. THE REFORM CANDIDATE.

A few days ago we remarked upon fhe seeming lack of interest on the part of the local public in the approaching Parliamentary elections. Mr. Okey, the Reform candidate, had, however, no reason to complain on Monday night either of indifference on the part of the electors generally, or of want of enthusiasm on the part of his active supporters. The Theatre Eoyal was filled in every part with an audience which was in evident sympathy with the candidate, who received a very attentive hearing. His address was well reasoned, admirable in tone, and free from personalities or carping criticisms. Nevertheless it was a fighting speech, and he sometimes hit hard, usually getting his blows effectually home. In giving an account of his stewardship while holding the position of member for the district he was able to point to numerous instances in which he has done good service, sometimes against considerable opposition. Prominent among the measures he successfully piloted through the House was the New Plymouth Harbour Empowering Act, one of the most valuable local measures ever passed. We need not go hack to the times when the New Plymouth harbour’s existence was more than once at stake on the floor of the House in 1878 and in 1881, or to the time when a Loan Bill was talked out in 18SG, to ascertain how difficult it is to get Parliament to pass legislation in favour of harbour board borrowing, and Mr. Okey is entitled to very great credit for the tact and energy he displayed in this particular matter of such vital importance to the electorate. If ho had no other actual legislative achievement to his credit that alone should earn him hearty support. Passing on to the platform of the Reform Party, to which he subscribes, he dealt at considerable length with the land question, contrasting the weak, shifty policy of the Governmeirt with that advocated by the Opposition. He showed how Government had been compelled by its own party to drop measures it had brought forward, providing that all land selectors should have the option of securing the free-

hold, and how hopeless it was to expect freehold legislation to pass without the assistance of the Opposition Party, which the Government would not accept. He commented upon the breakdown of the land purchase scheme, and quoted instances of the failure of the Government to acquire estates offered, preferring to allow individuals to acquire them and make large profits on cutting them up for small settlement. While expressing warm approval of the idea of helping settlers to make a living on the land they have taken up, Mr. Okey was very emphatic in his protest against the cruel neglect of the Government for many years to give back blocks settlers access to their holdings—the first essential of successful settlement. He exposed the hollowness of the Government’s professions of sympathy with the workers by showing how the workmen’s homes scheme is being carried' out here. Men have paid their deposits and sent in their applications for homes, hut the Government allows month after month to pass without'taking steps to put the scheme in force. On the question of borrowing Mr. Okey disproved the statement so frequently made that the Opposition talks non-borrow-ing and votes for loans. He held that borrowing must continue for the purpose of opening up the country, hut complained that money is wasted owing to the way work is carried out, and declared that such works as the Hutt-Wellington railway duplication and other similar undertakings would not have been permitted if their cost had been known beforehand. Speaking of the defence scheme he voiced what we believe is the view very generally held, that New Zealand wants no gold lace and pipeclay system of militarism, and that if that kind of thing is forced upon the people the whole scheme will break down. On the licensing question Mr. Okey feaves no doubt as to the stand he takes. He is well known to be a strong temperance advocate, but he believes that no-license carried by a bare majority vote would have no stability or permanence. Therefore he insists upon a substantial preponderance of public opinion in favour of the reform before it is put in force, and places this at 55 per cent, instead of 60 per cent, as at present. He very rightly condemned the Military Pensions Act as a measure for which the veterans could not thank the Prime Minister, since it gives them nothing except freedom from the condition of an old age pension that the recipient must keep sober. Several important matters like tbe Mokau land transaction and tbe West Coast leases were left to be dealt with at a subsequent meeting. He referred at gome length to several matters of local importance, urging further harbour improvements, the completion of the Stratford-Main Trunk railway, the putting in hand of the Opunake line, and the opening up of the back blocks by means of roads. The petroleum industry also came in for considerable attention, and he was able to point to good work he had done in Parliament in this connection. Altogether his address was an excellent one, and the reception accorded his views was such as to lead to the opinion that he will receive much stronger support in town than at the last two polls. He answered the numerous questions put to him straightfortv ardly and without fencing.