THE OPPOSITION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13731, 22 October 1908, Page 6

THE OPPOSITION.

4 SIR JEFFRIES AT TEMITKA

Mr W. J- J*ffri«, the Opposition cand&tte for Cknudine, open*! b» campaign iitb* Temuka UtiU Shed Lwt night, wbra the lnd|*iienej- of tfc wfcther, he was net' hy a large audience ald'gftca a ™ry cordial reception. He •poke- Vigorously and -well for the space of two hpor% hj» remarks being frttqfientrj punctuated with applause. 31 r A. Frew introdnced Mr. Jeffries as a candidatft and cittzen of Temuka, and Ikuked for him an impartial hearing. Mr Jtffries began by atating tbu. at th* declaration of the poll oo the 6th of IK--eenber, 1905, be had said that thr e ye-jit> would eoon pa&» away, and with y»uth ou hw««cte, be would again tieek elccti.-o. pro VaaedT b» candidal are wsa aceeptjble to Qt» party. Faithful to hfc pron>t.e, he wis ibew thai night more coovinc- d than hrtb>Tt& that the cause he aspired to chantf!aikr' had loM none of it* merit in tlw intenraL Though defeated at the last e&ctinn. friend and foe would admit that W face- of heavy adds his failure- was no* one to be- achamed of. may ngbt for life and death. And a man may fight in vain; But he is known a& a man all over the world * x Who i& game to fight again." -" That (hortry was the position. He war. gtme. and while he sought the greaiewt jphlicity on all matters ' he- would deal with, he wished only for a fair tiel.l and da- favour.

to outline his platform, lb--cAndklate said that under the Klevtora! Art. 1905. it was provided that periodical leadjwtmenU of the dietrictn shall take pjace- on the completion of the taking of tile- census. In forming new district.*, dne Cfimideratioa wa* to be given to the ptNMint electoral district, to community of fnfereat, facilities of enremnnkation. and topographical features. The present Getaldme electorate afforded an iUoctration of tae'groAs and ridiculous manner in which thy Catnmt*xioh ignored its plain duty. What community of interest exists beHreen Peel Forest and the Hook? It wx. indeed difficult to ee*. A more glaring ca«* w.«s that of Oeraldine and Aahburton. two distrkte separated by a natural water r<nme (the Rangitala}, and thrown together at the fcweet wish of the Commisattta, Snch power invested in hau!ri of • any botly of men appeared to br directly oppose*l to the democratic ruU of the people. Farther, it had the pou.r rh alter the licensing districts and direct. tittr license- or no license should prevail, irWspective- of the wish of the electors, "that was a defect in the law that, if re tlkrned. he would" endeavour in have amended. While* admitting that there wen defects and anomalies in our pre.* nt of reprMentation. he profited against the undemocratic action of the novernment in placing on the statute U«.k a Bill whieh would debar minoritie-c t>. representatioo. On a tdum pretence that it wa* an. effort to improve the existing taw of representation, the fiovcrnm-nt btnoght in its " Secowl Rmmmageii" Hill, ,deeignatett »o by the- Pre** of the cfttony. on account of the fact that it was introduced on the linen similar to l.i<r prevaiting in Cermany. The original ob jeet of the Rill wan to make it certain that no member of Parliament would be elected by a minority of his constitu- urs. Theoretically speaking, the second ballot was an improvement on the existing law. which permitted of Parliament being com pesrd of candidate who were tint returned by a majority of tlh- elcctois. but it. was doubtful whether the change would he an improvement., for the reason that most of the- member* of Parliament atrrady a majority of the \toter*. Tlhtheoretical gain would simply mean con fusion, trouble, expense, and defeat to tlr*Ut of the people. It appeared that the aim the Government kid in vi-w uas tu crush the aspiratioe* of labour at the ap proaching election, and this jirufetei.m of reform on their part must be regard-. 1 with grave doubt. The attitude of thPremier oo this matter was worthy of note, and <*pecially his attempt to ...at; th* Press of the colony. Thanks to thnited efforts of tff- PresK, however, tlie 'lOVemnvnt vk fonv.l to "go under" in regard to the gag tbo»« of rlx- Hill. Mr JtOtir* outlined other objection* to tl»HUI. s|se.-ially emphasising the '•t.-an 'lalons" cost of a second ballot. A general •totion n« tIV colony approximately £50.000, or an average of £6OO per .-J.-." tofate. Therefore if thirty elect..rates hod a fcrcond ballot, it meant an a.I dkioOJkt et.t.t of £IB.OOO. To t.uch a ttai;. had our boasted ljt»ral>«Di cone ! If r-turned, he woatd adv. Male the repeal ..I thk and would support in iiptace a »>*tem ri jraportional r-pr»%.ni . tioo. whereby ev.-ry pluxv of p<>l>tical l.fe would be- reprsnenteed in Parlianienr. At the la*t gsneral ele.(i.in 391.189 valid vote* were caot. Of the*.- 220.1% »..„ ca.lt for Government candidate*. l?il. l"e» for OppMiiion candidate*, jnd M.f&l f..r Indep-cdents. If tbe H.m* c were ..., u *t/tuted urxier th-- pr..r-.rri..ii.l repr-. I.i . tion ayrtem. i: would U mol- up ... T.i lowa:—4'.* tioverunient candidate-. '.>,', lip poaitioo. and 11 Independent . jn.1,.i..t.Ke contended that thr* syt-m ii.n. !«•';. r than the present one. Referring to the date „f tt,- ,-i„ t,..,,. \| r J«ffrie» coofeodeil tha' 11*— obir. t ..i :h. Governaient in hurrying on the r|... t,,,,, was to atirte public expr»»*. ; <iii ..( <.pmi..i. by new canduiatto seeking *?" ti..n. i!agiving aa advantage, fi pn-sen: nienitrf-i*. who were largely eupportT* of tie- pre.i,; C-verttnf^t. Juroisg to the political cutiuok ti.e

candidate said that public opinion was Steadily turning ag»in»t. the fco-cailed Uheraf adniintotratioii. It had lost ground seriously during the labt jsr.-sion of Parliament, and forfeited the confidence of thousand* of electors in the Dominion through its tpinekfe.* artitmie on labom problems- of the day. It«i inability t.. maintain the .Arbitration Act. and thus hold together the interest.* of employer ami ' employee bad I»«r»-ii it* Waterloo. It' alarming and chaotic financial position had caused no end of unr--«>t with mercantile and investing companies, while the wholebalr and recklct* .expenditure of public niouey* for the parpcw.' -of letaining an unflinching political patronage * unequalled in any other British colony. The Government".* only device semed to b:- to uqnander more money in ordej-- to j-tifle public opinion in every electorate. They wf-re utterly ilevoid of any energy, and not only tolerated but ag gravated many of the abikirs which I hey were pledged to destroy. A fatuous and criminal f.ajty liad added thousand* i« tl«t public expenditure. The self reliant. non-borrowing j>olicy of that great Liberal. .John Rallance, had long since fade.l inio obscurity, and our very existence depended upon the capriciousne.-t» of the London money lendt-r. Disguise it ras they might, the Truth wan that the Governui. Nt had subrttatitially adopted the old Cons-ivative policy, and all the argument.* that ÜberaL> used" against Conservative government of seventeen years ago. fell with ciuohing force upou the Ward administration. 'I h.'. must mean a revolution in public senli tbrut. and would critainly l>e expressed ai the polfc. in the im|>ending coutai. and thake the issue of the snuggle doi.!.:fill foi tlie Government °s> majority. .spvuit.og ol ill-- lauti questions, Mr .let tlle> xuiU lie waj slot iu layout "I main taming the setitemeut ol the people on'the lauti. Hie lauJ tor *etlknic..i polity ol ttie late John .Mackenzie appeal eu to have laneu on evil dny>, and ttu- present Minuter ot Lands hau lamentably limed in the maintenance «f a policy. At the present juncture it must, be cle.uly unpi.s.,ed up on all land owner* —leasehold and freehold thai their interest** from a productive point, of view were closely allied, iua-s----uiutb as the legislation of the pa*t few years had been aimed at the miners of Jand. Tu secure the success of this colony by continuing the selfclenicut of die peopl* upon the laud was the most important aspect of the farmer. He would stand boldly and uncompromisingly for the freehold. He wished to Me the day when every mau and woman in this Dominion could say "this is my horn* on my land, brie i.i my fee ainiple or my deeds and no single taxer or socialist on earth <:m deprive me of it." Wan it any wonder Mr Massey fongnt an be did for freedom of land tenure, knowing as he did the unliap piitess tiiat exk*« in the land of his birth, and being forced to migrate, owing to op prv*»ive land law*. And if the people, who after all, were really the Government, -•aid that they wanted 'the fre-hold, this should end the cry. It had been raid that granting the freehold to Crown it-n ant* robbed the State of the enhanced value of the land, which the tenant did not create. But the State had no claim •xtate purchased by the Government. Mr on th*? increased value, for the next 900 jor more year". The- speaker went on to condemn the appointment- of the Hon. H. I MeXab. a* Minister for Lands, suyTrig that i» more impotent or feeble appointment wafc not pcatiible. and as in every other walk of life Mr McXab** utter lack of administrative ability failed him. When the Amendment Bill was before the House it provided for preference without competition to person.* employed on the particular MrXab moved an amendment 'which widened thi-s and so that any peroon employed anywhere by the owner of :he estate ptirrha-ed, >houl<l be pla.-ed on an equal footim; wiihlhie-c ;n-tu.illy woikingonit. And they saw the result in the Otekaike l.;illot when two of th.- employ•es >in the estate got large are.i* of land without coiii|>etiliuti. ThU caused not a little dis-aiisfaction, and then followed I h>- most, humiliating back down ever witnessed in thin colony. The Soli-citor-General was appealed 10. and instead of tlie Government, holding to the law, t-v.-n a nir-t.ik.. hit Ii - n marl.- in permitting prefer. n< e. An at temp! w.i* mad- !■> p.a.. tlie b!..in on the Otajto Ijnd Board. Litigation eti-ued and the Court of -\])|>eal ended the grwv-M land botch ever (« r|ttrtiate<l in th>- colony. The I'.mit aw.ir.l- ---• d ti»- i*e t» tlh- applicant.*, and "In-y l.» cuiie p..~-ev«.| ..,' lb.ooo a. rev ..f land. r!.e ij....l uill «.f which i! was stated was \»..r'h £2l).Wio. Would any elector dare t«> uphold a »*...\> rntnent guilty of so Ktear a travesty ot the law ! Tlieie ucre liuinlre.l- of worker* in the Dominion to .l.iy for land, but it ap[>eared to lum that under the ■uu-r toiitinue l«er» o! w..«d .not drawir< ..f water

Siu.e r |,e j.lvenl of the l.ils ral j.inntiitri>...n 17 _\-ar» ai;... tie- oniiniioiu* min -trv jlid r»ll»Wlli.' had 11-ver le en ahlt to v'ripfl- wit.lt the native L.n.l ipi.-stimi lit \.\ii i toniitns-.oti. • oti>i>liug >.f 1:.,1.-i"t M-.u: ..n.l Mr Ml' were ..pp..ii.re,l t.. i«fce . v;.1.-n. ,-. A toll and «..iiiprei.eiv«\.. rep..r! was pr Jtit.-I by the • odiiiii-M-iu. i:« .•<"'. t>> the colony ' Iwiny i'iiin*l. :ui.t with every opportunity t.. put t\,\* inn. h vi.il question . Ii a far road to xitl.lnelit the «soV< ninw-llt had ijjliolil mi hi- ly f ail- .1 to r«e t.» tile occasion. ICeterrir.ir next, to old .■vge i«en»ioiis. Mr lefTri'- ' *~ was plea.«r.l to <.. v that ; lere.er.' alie li.ln>-n.« lo lii- \i t lnef «it ti 1... !. it v approval. Sntw o! ;"o« ,-lial tie; were »ev«re JC4 often cawed hard-

-hips. It. would be noticed, however, thar tha charitable aid grant of the colony had not deci eased, jn the manner that was e.v- ---" pecte*l. He believed that even,- effort, was made to administer the Act impartially and justly. He would like to see a national annuities scheme established in the Dominion, so that every man and woman might have the wherewithal, to purchase '.'•- iniiifi.it> nf life in their declining days. ('..mini: net: t.. finance, lie mid that > iii.e the Liberal (loveinmen: came into |h.w.-i- our public works expenditure had in.r.-as-.l from £300.000. to £2.000.000 p-r annum, and concurrentlv. a surplus of £750.000 wiib a loan of £1.000.000 oi £1.123.00 as an accompanim-nt. These rwo hksf items went to make up the PublicWorks Fund, which jt was understood wan cieaied for national as-er- >uch as rail wave, telegraph and other, oublic or what \- termed reproductive works. He had no hesitation in .-aying that thifund had been and is abused by cliarj;injr ro it--ex|»-iidiitire on items that should be charged to ordinary revenue. lu times of prosp-rity no Government thould incur loan expenditure for anything but muiik! tangible assets. For the vear ending: 31st. March. 1908, £1.909.685 liad been »|K-nt on public works and charged to cap'tal account, the legitimacy of which could wily l»-tested by the one rule—t.bat which wv had in the shape of national a---ts to show for the money. The differ.nce between th- value of assets and th» money spent represented cliaiges thai should never have a reared in this fund. Therefore the following items would not be accepted by professional accountants or I biein-ss men . —lMiblic Works. .l-parum-n----tal £18.218 (mostly salaries for officers and wjjriner-rsi. additions to open lines £367.790. Th«- largest proportion of this amount i- for ioll"n« Mock replacements. In thir. case ilept'tiiatioii and i< placements were being charged to borrowed money instead of railway revenue. ltepaii- 1, and haibour works £6862 iibi.-. should 1>- charged to rev-nue account! immigration £9150. Did it not .*>«-m strange that we should borrow money in Loudon to bring out immigrants h\ a>»-:sting to |>ay their passages to the tolony. Thck-o iiea.s and .-xmie otheis totalling about £790.000 should be charged to leveiiu- account and not capital "uc- • ••nut. If ihits weie doiw- the huge surplus irpotft-d last y.tir would disappear, and we shorld liave a iief : cit of appioximately £40.000. Our whole svstem of bo«.k-ke-ping was -adly in need of teform. lin. ,i, l„,ig a> «',- could borrow no proline w;.s f It. Kveiy memb rof Pa,-liani-nt today admitted that we could not g.« on continually Inn rowing, that soonei or later it juiisi < eaw. The amount of our indebtedness and the wav it wae increasing shouhl be -uftici.nl* to make the most casual student of figure* put on the th nking cap. Taking the Pmnin's ovvn tij>nr.s; front hi- speech at Palmer•jt.ui Xorth on Welne-day night, thev foniid thar our gio-» debt on 51st .March was £66.453.897. The average im>ie-t charge of £5 4s 7d |«r cent, oi a sum of £2.115.184 had to lie annually raised from the |>eople. In pro|>ortroii to population, no other coiuttit in tlic world was *<. heavily indebted. The Premier attempted to show that our taxation per head was bring reduced, bur- it was absolutely certain that with an increasing debt we must have increais'iig interest, and :ha being so. from whence did it come if no from the Jacket* of the people? The question arose a* to why we wen- >• heavily taxed? The answer was because :i small percentage of our loans was leprodiiclive. In Xe« Zealand only 2s in .-Very £1 was lepro.iuctive as compared with 12s in the £1 in An--ialia. It r. quired £7OOO |>er day. including Sundays. to niiet 'h- interest on (•'•ivermneijl loans. To in.---! interest on loans lo local bi>detleqiiired £IOOO jht day including Sundays. It would thus be s.el'l that the people "of the colony «ete taxed every week of the year no U>s a sum than £56.000. f Sim-. the Ballance Cov.-rnmeiit took oflii<- |.i 1891. the ileht had ris, n in this colonv from £37.281.765 to £69.670.471. Wait not time to cry halt? It was repeatedly asserted by die Treasurer that our finance.- Weie buovaui. If so. how was il lh.it theie «.-u> no inonev in the Advances to Settl.it; Department or in "ilio Advance- t<. Workers Drpait ment? Why «•»» i; that the banks wr.c refusing advances, and hundred- uf <ui>!l overdiafls weie being call. .1 up? Why Wer.- wool and grain ineichaiils chaiging 10|»er cent? How was t that our sheep price.- Weie lower now than fo r many month.-? Were the.*! not indication- iha't the buoyancy ami siirplrr, of moti.-y lid not actually exist. llcferriiw next to our lailwavs. .\[,- Jetfrirs said that these do not piy :ntcfst on the money hotiouel fo r tonstri--;io;i and maim. name. To mh-1i a pitch had our • X|>eii.lir me incr.asil thai iis proporiiiin to the earnings fn.ni i.ur .a !• ways for the year 1907-8 ua- no 1 ,-s ilnn hut. en p<r'oiil. higher lhui for ..|| An Indian lailway. in 19:6 7. lie be l : ev-d thai I lie iailw.i\.- should be run in th.- iiii.te-ts of the' people, but that Iby sbiiiih'l b- Mill at a 10-- to develop Ihe count ly was a dot: line that no Pallia m-lli ill t lie Moil.l legal fie I as iin.ilict t'l\ ■sound.

'l'll.- candi lair said he was totally op posed to ihe pie-cnt im.saiii.'aetory method if muiiigiat ion. limne paints for a lon-; time had Ixcii full of uvcnhuwn pictures of I lie gnat o|h-iiiii».. Ik ie li.r labour, and «i on. He I»li. M.l lliat en, oiuagement. of the light ty|w of .-ftlit-i willi small means to take tip pin suits would not I*hi evil, bill th.il we should pay thousands of jHiUInU anay to assist poor people without mean., to mule liete was wrung. -While admitting the basic principal that ]>opula('oii wa.- ißjfvv.iiy lor a young count iv, lie thought ihe Government should encourage the binh rate liy offer ing grants of land to the parvm.s who laise a healthy family to a renain age. A.s lo education, he was glad in know that retrain amendments were made dui ing the year to protect the leaching start' and hojied that the effort* to improve t.!ic lot of the country teacher would he con linued. He would Mippoti liee op(>ort.uii ity to any child in tit.- country fioin our piimary school* to the universiij. >. l.aiejy there had been a suggestion tint our Mitii«t>rs were overworked. If the luenibeii of tlie Cabinet wire to leinain more closely mi touch with then depart ineiiLs, there would lie no ne.-<l for moie MiiiMrr<>. There were now eight Ministers in tin- Government, arid any attemptto increase th-in would give the Cabinet an unwholesome influence a< the executive of the tropic. He was opposed to the suggestion to increase the hoiioiat itilii of ineuilHMs to £4OO. Mr.Mfii.t- -|m,l>- on s„m,. oibr rial.•• i... including the i.-,,uir. mem* of I en,id... and in ionclii.ii.il. he oiitlm, <| th p..h. v of th- (lp|K..iti..,, a. follow.. : ■ The , ,!,„., 'ion ot l'ailianieiitaiy coniiol ~: i h--public linaiiisr. by improving th- -v.-;em of audit, and restoring th- pow-i" n..w liv ,|„. Mi„-,.;, v of to.i'.y. ol expending upon ~ne district m v voted by Parliament for an..:h. r. Th.' . «t.,1, hshment of a Civil S-rvii-e Hoard. withM-i-Ollje. t Ol eTejlldlllg po|i-„ .! i|,||„. ~. e HI nuking publi. .ippoimm- n\ Th - >■<; ,i. li-htii-in of ~ round and ~., ,-i..j .*. :. ~, ~i lo< .il govrrnm. nl liiiaiice, wi:h ~ \;.i\ to tit- «-.|io:.d.i. .li.fi.i.iiia.n m.i .....,.!,,,. ,| expeltdltlll. o| pillih. mole \ ~ , ~.- ..I the ~i. ~■!,! , v-i. in ol ail.iti.mU i ui. d Miiii-t.ii.d i;i„i,!.. .u,.| ,:,.;., )', ~._,. l.e Ii! ol land «• ; I e in 1,1 l,\ i„.:,„.i, ; ; ; |.e •\i :■ in of I'ioun !..nd- up.ni tic op'.ioli.ii J. 1.,1,. „ :), ,„,»,., ~, ~}] . v:-t ;1,0. and fnlnic irii.inls to :e.|iiiiv the freehold .'poll e.|iii:.il,:.. mii,.. | llit .-u1.,. . : -o pro l: -""'- ''■' !"• ■' "-"» th- . ■■ .!,..■, . • !..:.,. h0!.|,t,0,. |'!.e ~■•.:■,,„.„! ..: ,i,. „.-,,. land ipl- »: i"li li\ ' |i- • , j, .1 l.divi.ill .!« • ' i-'ii >•• ~!! :. .: ae t;t ! -- ,i, ; [,•, [• .: ' i-.i ■•■ th- i.UiV :., •- ...ininoi. |. uv '■■.■■■ of it.-pi.'ii.i' ;.:' their la. !? •; the b-ft

advantage in the op:n market, but subject ill U> a sufficient area of good and accissihle 'and being r< seiv..-d in-.dienably for the support of each native and bio dtr-ceiidante : ;2i to the same restrictions as to area to be acquired by any one selector as pertaiiti to Crown laprfs-. with th-obj-it of preventing the aggiegation of la rue estate.-. The maintenance ami" improveiiMit of our national t-v.st.-ni of education, and in particular, by increasing the miiiinimn remuneration and raising ticSI3IUS of cOllUliy teiu-llell-. Tile IvdllCtion of dtitieii on the necii-sari.-s of life. Uefornt of the evst-m of cat lying on pub lie works, with a view to secure . ftici.ncy and economy. Amendm-ntis of jh,- Arbitration Act. Mich as will provide a sufficiently powerful deterrent agaiiiM strikes or failing to svenr.- simple meait- of con ciliation. The < ncoui.tgeinent i>f ihe right tsiamp only of immigrants, who will' make good tsettlt-is and Hritish subjects ;it that. The encouragement of the defence forces of the Dominion, by encouraging every citizen to take a j>et«>nal share in tlw defence of his country and home. The encourage"-menr of private enterprise and individual effort, and t !►»- by eveiy legitimate means of that tendency to So< iti'isin and dependence on the Srate. wliicli is sapping the virility and independent character of the people. The promotion and ciicouiagejnent by .very prop.r means of ihe candidature for Parliament of honourable ami capable men. .so as to ensure purity of politics and honesty of administration.

The candidate roundly condemned such expenditure aw £50,000 on a bathhouse tvt ltoiurua, which might- be blown up at. any moment, and referring to the daily rcgudations, he said that- in their original form these were a, scandal, but. tlto farmers could thank ihe Opposition for having caused the objectionable restrictions to be removed. Lastly, he likened himself to a young colt winning a race under a heavy handicap against two older horse*, but he had made up Ills mind to win, for he believed that the people must now see that the time was ripe for a change and that in their own interests they should elect those who would give them clean and •-•conciiiical administration.

In reply to questions Mr Jeffritr> said he was decidedly opposed to the single tax. He had had as much experience of farming as the Premier and other members of the Cabinet. The present Government was not a poor man's Government. Th? Opposition opposed tooth and nail the proposal to make it compulsory for a poor nvin to have to show three years' rent at t.he land ballot. He would be in favour of allowing a man to go to the ballot if lie. possessed only one year's rent. The object of the Land for Settlements Act had been defeated through allowing men possessed of large sunw of momy to ballot for Crown lands. He oid not think the- trades people of the colony were such a bad lot as to justify the Government, in sending inspectors to to* their weights and measures eveiy 11, re* months. Ho wax not in favour of consultations- such as TattersallV" oeing run by the Govcnment. He would I.e in favour of the abolition of the v.iccination exemption ft->. He thought a great opportunity had been missed by the Government in not getting more land for closer settlement near T-mnka: the Green Hayes e-inte was suitable for cutting tip into small daily farms and he would work in that diiection if the owner was willing to sell. He would declne to nn-wer the ouestion :n; to whether he would be in favour of giants to Catholic schools until the Hiblc-in-schools quovtion was settled: he had lx-en warned against 'his ipie-tion. and he was not going to b- caught by ch.clf. lie \v.i« not in favour of a lax on bach-lots. He was in favour of no lic.-n-• no liquor in prohib'tion distiicf-. Il was t unfortunate, that tin- Government had run short of money, but it was not cornet to say that the Conservatives had got it all. Land could be obtained on better terms in Queensland than in New Zealand, and Xew Zealand was' 10-injr a lot of good se:tler- as a i-snli. Wage, hail increased 18 per <eni. and taxation 25 per cent. A return of 7s in the £ on our railways was not ;, fair tetuiii. The Opposition .-uppoited immigration of the right kind. The "gag" clause was 'mended to S!ilhpnblic civicism. The £IO.OOO spent in entertaining the American lleet could have been put to belter u-e. Dr .1. S. Hayes, in piopudng a vote ol thaukt- tn th,- candidate, complimented him on his very able addi<-s*. and said that Mr .JetnieK had shown that if they >em him to Parliament he would be well able to look after the r interests. Mr K. Williams seconded the vote, saying thai it was the first .political sptech they, had heard in Temiika. and he w;ie; piutid of the man who hail delivered it. The vote was carried in an enthusiastic manner, and the usual compliment to I lie chairman terminated .h- meeting about 11 o'clock.