THE ELECTION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13737, 29 October 1908, Page 6

THE ELECTION.

4- -' THE TESIABAJ SEAT gffe li. CAMPBELL AT Kfcßßl--3E.r—. ;.:• '±\nYA. 'lMryfVlhrL'ainpLeQ continued his camSurtirti i-eac. at la*c c-vtning, Jf. 1/riscoU presKkd over a Utge ■of electors. In pursuance ol fo : policy of dfevoting a'speecn to each, of ' important political questions untu tar-tntd covered the whole field of politics, t^cMdidate-dealt last night principal-! %uE3and matters- Speaking fire* of land Taittatibcur, he coiidemned the inflation of hunt values fox taxation purposes thtoogn life" adoption by the Tattlers joi a standard Inset? on sales (many, if not the majority were not straight-out cash purbut. arranged on easy terms of SMflcialaccomnHidationl instead of on the 'jUKfocing value of the land. He quoted «fiS latest Taluations suppb'td by the GovSjameßt officials to tbe Thnaro. Harbour ifcttrdT''showing- that the capital value of ~»W Board'a district had been increased .■a£"fon»w».i—l9o4, £7,308,546; 1905, , «tcas«* took., place in every rob-drvi-tjt-n at the district. They were fte .capital valoe*. bat the tmimproved vSam. on- which land tax was assessed , -tad. been greatly increased to provide ibis ;I»rge increase .ia the capital value. The terohV was that the farmer had to pay .'y&SjjT wm&i "more of his earnings in th* .itepe, of .land ..tax. to tbe Government and bxal authorise*. Had the ilpmißg power "of the land gone op in proportion t Jtiio answerTwas to be fotmd hi, tlie trade of tbe' port' of Tnriaro. wbicb -flitred the producing power of tbe dr>fßfc. and in tbe Board'* revenue which JSl* another index of tbe nine thing. He Mnterft from tbe Board's last annual retail 'tb» figures snowing' the total tonnage fjjfrffrfl at tbe port in recent years. Tbe Urgnfta »howed an increase from 64,984 jSr-sa 1904 to 86,220 tone in 1907, an of one-third, while tbe exports, UfenSeasttre of tbe productivity of the dis--fl|rt> bad continually declined, from 81,119 i& in 1904 to 66,062 tons in 1907, a Wftase' of one-fifth. Tbe total tonnage 3r MOT- showed- «i decrease of 5200 tons Stbat of 1906. This was reflected in the agetwC which for the laet four consecu-2ot-rears bad been £55,555, £55.766, £36.065 and £32,952. Allowing £2OOO for ' "Wi reduced' harbour rate last year (a JSSxH estimate Jand £BOO earned by the BSud in 1906 for hiring its dredge to the ' OajMta-Jlarbanr Board, there was still a diip of over £2OOO in tbe total "revenues. Tfcse decreases snowed conclusively that power of the district bad not nwcased, and that therefore the forcing ■lt of valuation!! bv tbe Government was H§ justified- Turning to land settlement, fir Campbell warmly commended tbe motiv» of tbe. late Sir John Mackenzie's Land for Settlement Act., and quoted the late A#rtralktt niilUonaire, James Tyson, to tKpr that, as tbe colonies advance in age. peculation and wealth, close settlement ■HgituJnevttablgr replace the large runs and •fation* which, the pioneers of new coun6f» must take np if a start in to be made with colonisation. This was shown by th* «tton«-movement that has now M-t in to- • close mttlement in Queensland, a eetmiry of immense area and distances, and aScoaatrv to which many of New ZeatftdVbnt swttleis, several from Temnka, nr taking their money and their families to get land at a cheaper rate than can get it here, where values have gjrfw fictitioaifly increased. He thought Sir exodus was to be regretted, but tht> 9&j>ert>tnent just laughed at it- What else was. to be expected when the Cabinet eon- . tlfiEd"Ministers who looked- upon the farmer as nothing better than an ignorant. eew to be milked for the benefit of other people The Hon. George Fowlds had *>id that "the arrogant axKumption of a. firmer bodies who bad found Ujeir •anr into the-Houre was amusing." He hid. also said that "tbe railways ought to MjlJYiin absolutely free of cost, and th> WMuse* of running them should be a Uu VOpb Ihe land values"—leaving tbe> fanner tO|pay the railway fares of every person uvtbe country who wanted to travel. Hut HKjias" the farmer who had made the counand it w enterprising famvrs and dwr "associates who had changed Xew ZtSand from the poverty-stricken country jf*u in tbe eighties to what it was now. Itjw Ibe invention and installation of daty machinery awl freezing maoliinery tb«t" had lifted thw'country from a slough of into a position of .ifrluen.-'. BevVjoted the following from .Tovph \T*<r< Itst Bwlget to show how tlw val our exports of butter, cheese an.l frofrn mutton lad increavd : -J,- Dairy Frr>/'i» ~* Prodore. M-at. --i £ £ tfeRT lT9.flß> 'J^S.STn -WW7 5.>>.125> 1..V16.?W» ITSO7 2.277.7t» 3.:20.3 ft-l __ *-<>r » total at e«<*h d-<i"'le »t £065.3.V». £&U9.4GB. ami £5.698.364. _Sr Campbell contrxst'd tlv p.«-!ti<>n ••( 'f»r»n*ki t"-day. with its «tairy iiwip.-.!tv. WtTlt k» position in the eighti-f.. wlko itr. olffy export wa» 'Taranaki w«..r /> * ftmr<y gathered from trv» Jnd ei|»>rt..i t£|pbina to be eaten by Chinamen. H<r(fora)te<l tbe position of Soir»h t*nter bMPr to-d»V. with it« two »plcn<lt.l fne/irg wSjfcsJ with it» powition in :Ii- right u*. wj|n farm»-rs wnt 'n-ir nheep to boilingwork*, or drove them over the eliff* atTtoSTß'tO the> nf ruttmr th«|r throatr. Tbew two indu.-trtes hid

changed the lace of the country, and they were due to farmers themselves, to dkii like the late Thomas Brydone and John Urigg, or to men like Newton King in Tarauaki, who erected dairy factories and creameries, and when tbs dairy farmeib of Taranaki had.accumulated monjy from their dairying, encouraged them to form co-operative companies and take the factories and creameries into th- ir okii bands. The Government had assisted the industries; he was not going to deny them credit for the grading eystcm, for the dairy in&tructon>, veteriuaiid,. n. and >■•> forth. He cordially approved of nliath.nl been done ~iu that direction, and lie would do all he could to assist the primaly producers in this way. He would not do. as the Government had done, drive away ,*' Dairy Commissioner like Mr Kinsella, who resigned in disgust becalm- lie could not get what be knew wa* nect.aary to improve the quality and quantity of thcountry's dairy produce. Nor would he treat a veterinarian of world-wide reputation as the Government had treated Jlr Gilruth—suppress the offer of a much higher position transmitted by the Transvaal Government through tit.- imperiiil Government for fcubm**icm to Mr Gilruth. Mr Gilrnth might have preferred to stay in Xew Zealand if the oifer had been shown to him, and he had been asked not to leave, but when lie came to ream that it had been sopprossed. it was only natural that ho fbould take the tii>: chain •• to emigrate. Mr Campbell finally dealt with the question of close settlement, which naturally followed upon the increased opportunities of making .t living off the land, tbrongh dairying an! freezing. He approved of the isubdivs ion and close settlement of the land, bat argued thit it would be better for the State, after it had settled people on tiie l.tn-l, to get its money out of tlie iaml it, the settieis became able to pay their debt. That wsa the system followed by Australian Liberate,—Mr Kidston Ith. pro-cut Premier of Queensland}, and Mr J. L. Dow, one of the leadens of land icform in Victoria. It waa also the *yr>tei>i which the Hon. R. McXab himself had favoured when he was a private iwmkr. Three yeat« ago. when addressing his constituents, he said :—"Four niilli. as were now invested (in resumed estates), and it was time they gave the right to acquire the freehold, and did away with tite nectsMty of borrowing for "the purthase of further estates."

In reply to a question, the candidate said he was not in favour of abolishing the duty on flour while every other industry enjoyed the protection of a tariff. A vote of thanks lo tbe candidate was par&ed. on the motion of Mr Morrison, seconded by Mr Kyne. and a similar vote to the chairman close! the meeting. A strong and influential meeting of Mr Campbell's committee was held InM night in the Sophia Mtteet Hall. Most cncourag:ng itpoits. were icceiv<<d itoni tlm country di-triclr,. and the prospects' for the campaign were considered most satisfactory. Arrangements were u.ade for the complete- woiking of the elcctoiate. It was decided to secuie a conmiitieeroom for conducting tlie. busim:o until the election day. MR HOLLER AT THK SOCTH SCHOOL. Mr George Holler, the I-ulitical Labour League candidate, had a very good meeting in the .South School lnr,t "night. There was a large it tendance, the main schoolroom l>ing well filkd. Mr G. J. Sea ley occupied tho chair. 'flic candidate spok'e on much the wme lines as at his opening a»ldresa in itjm Assembly lt'ionis lant week; hi» addr<th occupied an hour and a half, and be was given a sympathetic hearing. He made* a correction ot a slip in his first speech. H«» had Kiid that, he would not abolish the duty on Oregon pine; what Ik- meant to > a y was that he would not incivase it, to keep out the limber, at. it «w, advisabl- to s,iv mir own fon->(r. as much as |HiM>ible. In regard to the licensing i|iH-siim, lie added that he would make th.- depot illegal. In a no confidence motion \, t would vote as the majority of the Labour party decided. He did not favour the <.>tab-lishmt-nt of railway repairing work»liopi at Timarii. U-eauee nuch shops emild not l»e carried on here except at a h>-». He had bren told by a railway man of fortr y,ars experience that such shopn Ih-is-would be a scandalous uante of public money. L.Mr Hurdley attempted to i.-piy to this, but tho meeting would not hear anything in the fdiapc of anotli. r r.|vcrh). The candidate ftaid he favourcl a national t.up raiitiu.ition scheme, t<> wliich , \cr\oii.would lie alloweil lo contribute. "'Hie Gov. iinnent nevd not. iHirrow a ]••• imy to n.ttii>ualk-e the land. It could !>•• donv by the i»»Ua- of bonds, tlie interest on which would be paid by the tenants. On tlie motion of Mr M. Fran*, refunded by Mr Sinclair. Mr Holler was ,ncoid-<! a In-arty voir of thanks for ins vciy inter«s>t:iig .iddn.-eu SIR W. J. STEWARD'S -CATECHISM. Tlie following were the chief replies to question* given by Sir Wdliain Steward M Waimate on Tuesday nigh; : - ■ Sir William said be did not think the j exj-endtturc oti the American Flo i was I an •xtr.na^atie.-: they must do honour to i • tieii m iiot«. and the fleet sj«nt .i ~• [ da! more than whs sjient nn ;!. He • voted that Mtiklo be exonerated, but did j n-'t vote for giving him £6o>X> He | vote.l agaiiLst giving him only £! : |»., would have been prepared !■• z>\c him | £IOOO. Did'not f<yi cilUI to j revirw ih« decision of Jud;c Sim on the ; farm labourer'* dispute: «rring t!>-- grrat ' •I frkulties l»r wa« not «urpti»ed that the Court found itself umbl« to make an award. Did m< >e< how the St.i!e •...uhl

j run the flour mill*, tut he believed in the State undertaking anything that it could carry on better than individuals. — It was a very difficult matter to express what one wanted to say in such plain English that no one could misunderstand it, and thai was the explanation of the peculiar language of the Statutes; they had to be so worded that lawyers could get only one meaning out of them. If a shearer under an award struck each inau was to be liable to be fined up to £lO. He believed in the Parliamentary franchise being applied to the election of hospital board* because the general taxpayer contributed so largely to the funds of those boards: in the case of other local bodies it should be one ratepayer one Tote. He would not agree to Tattersail's sweeps being brought back to New Zealand; there was too much gambling here now. There was no likeness between a Tattersall's sweep and the land ballot. The latter was a fair way of deciding by lot between a number of applicants; Tattersall's was a pure gamble. and women, boys and girls gambled through it. It was not the case that all the people coming out. from Kngland lately were assisted immigrants; most of the unsuitable —clerks and e-> on —paid their own pas-sages. There was room for many more people who were pr< pared to do the necessary work of the colony. ;:nd they must have more population in order to be safe against a swarming of some other race. He quite agreed that it was unfair to tax highly a man who had put his capital in.to land and let. off the man who invested it otherwise. There should be a graduated income tax, and a policy high land tax to break up large estates. He could not sec how to get meat for them at a cheaper rate, or he would be glad to help them. (The questioner said they must try socialism, as they could not get capital to Mart, cooperative butcheries). The difference in flour tariff* between New Zealand and Australia was not fair, but ho would not vote for increasing the rate. It was probable that 25 millions had been borrowed and 25 millions paid in interest, and the 25 millions were still owing. That must come about in time. But they had had the benefit of the expenditure all the time, and had it ptill. No more questions offering, the usual votes of thanks were passed.

~S\r T. Buxton will not be able to t-j>e-»k at Hook on Friday v* announced, owing to Sir Joseph Ward's Temtika imeting. On Tuesday Mr T. Buxton gave an address at "Lyalldale ischool. Mr J. Fraser presided. The candidate's icinarks were on tlie lines nf Ilv oilier ad-drtt-ses. On the motion of Mr K. Bums a hearty vote of'thanks was carr : ed unanimously. On Monday evening Mr W. Xosworthy a large audience at the Oddfellows' Hall, Waterton. At the close he was accorded a hearty vote »f thanks. On Tuceday e-veiiing, at Winchmorc, Mr Xosworthy also met with a good reception and \ra* accorded a vote of thanks. At the close of each meeting, a number of questions were put. and answered to ihe satisfaction of tlie, qucstioiKio and ••he audience at each centre. A Bnike's Pass correspondent write?: Mr Jeffries, the' rceognbrea Opposition candidate, broke the ice here on Monday night, delivering an excellent address to ;l meeting of nearly forty persons. There was no new matter imjiorted into the address, except a strong I'-feictue to the subdivision of the runs, whose leases expire in two ycait*. It was Mated that owing to tlie bad effects of tlie pietcnt teniiie. the population was only half what it was 50 years ago. ...«r a good many • lucstions a nd exchanges of opinions with the audience, Mr Jeffries finally and emphatically stated that he was in favour of the subdivteion of the runs, that ic, •i returned to Parliament, he would do h'a best to assist in the moderate subdivision of this class of country, where disinterested exj>ertt> reported k to be practicable. Thev? vie«.» seemed to \k in keeping with those of the audience, and Mr Jctfnes'was- given a Ulianiinou-. vote of thanks for his address.

There was a good attendance at Mr Jeffr'es" meeting at St. Andrews on Tuesday evening. Mr George Lyall presided. Mr Jeffries f-|>oke for an hour and u half, and his remarkh weie frequently applauded. In the course of hiu speech he said that he had been taken to task by the Premier for stating that there would bo thirty second ballots, with an enormous expense to the country. He denied having caid this. What he did say was that if there were thirty second ballot* 'he cost would be as lie had stated. When asked to say wjiat Acts passed last :*•*- -on he would be in favour of lepcaling. Mr Jeffries mentioned the Public RevciiuctAct and the Second Ballot Act. In an •*w«T to further questions ho stated tha' there were a million acres of native lands in the Bay of Plenty district well adapted for the growing of maize and other cereal*. The (lovernnient last vcar hail hot row en £2.275,000 although they had been an thoiised bv Parliament to borrow onlv £1,000,000." In lefeience to giants to denominational schools he would wait until the queetivn came up for discussion in Par liam nt and he would then make tip his mind what cotirso he would pun-aic. Ht would ailvocate that school cliildi.n should Ik: railed free to any ccnttv, so that th-n might get the. benefit of tlie cilmation.il advuntageK provided tlnic. On the molion of Mr Thos. Scott, second.-d by Mi J no. Dtiliiiaii, a hearty vole of thanks was accoided Mr .leffties lor the able iiiantier in wliich he had placed his va/us bclon. the ui>-ctiug. THE TIM ARC SEAT. ■T" the Editor of the ' iini.iui Hrrald.) Sir,—l was jpievcnted, tlnough other business, from iK-mg jir.svnt (luring the early part of Mr t anipboH's nueting on Monday evening, for which 1 am now thankful, but 1 heard stitfieieut to make me wonder what manner of man tJiw \\ l>. Campbell is. From livginning to .nd his socailed is.litic.il addnto nothing but a tirade of abuse against the pis rem. Oovernineni and Liberal 'paity general!} - an onslaught of deslructiveiH-s-, witlioul one vL-Jble lay of cunstructnemes. Hut I p.u-.s that over, and r.-f. r to the latter pan of the meeting, w Inn the candidal, war, answering question,-, and paiticularly the pa:', in winch the ' Tiinatii Post'' figured so pioinincntly. Hitherto, lam thankful to think. jw,"lilic« here have |>... n fairly clean. 1 saw the letter iu the "I'oM. ' to which objection was taken, and while I cannot quite e.xctis. it„ puii.'i.-., tioii. I f,-. i certain that .\. . y ught llnnk ing per«o n pn.M'iit i.e.ntd tie mini -tinging xhihiti iu bv Mr Campb-11. F.-r th- tun.- 1 ,-. I i.,U, ii. this gentlemaii is not a "biotln r jotirri.il- .>.;," hut a candidate- for Pal liam.-ntai v honoin>. ;,n.l a. Mich, suielv ,i fair tai-.': for any tea.-.nable criticism. |f e will get plenty .-re he again i-r-utn s the editorial chain. Mr Campb.-l! „ ~( prthe Cuib-ci vativu party's "whitehaii.d boy," ;i wotthv offspring :.. -cli a iiide-lMMind Mi.. .h"t,t h-.k at tie p.iM. H..v ti, ••Hctald," who- .Lsttii} Mr Campliell dir. ct» with "vitriolic" pn. ' cv.-r had a e„od w.„d to ...,y of the I.ileru pai-y- C.ini- ii.aier ho"m.- (in anv, and . v.-iv i>cc.i«ion. the llrni l|.' ; l .1..11-- bar, b .i, (he p.„ti. ular but: to,- , )„• •■Heiald" K ib.-s and .-|i:i. t-m. whi.h h.,».0.'t.1l applo.,. il. d p. l.soll.illlle. Win. then. 1 ..s.k. should lii-. guil.-l. - 1,,,,,-: ■l'y gradual.-, witii tiie Ltr.X li cdn- ..' ion. : -*ii-t Latin .piot itioiiv win..- i wh.ic- ! likr a whip|>cd cur when li.- i.-..-ivi-< m-l j .« Illtl- of ins own lar-h' l! Mr C.ilip ! K.H'« p..li;:e.,i .vkui .- ... trjid.-r tint tier--., lutle pin pii.-Us irrir.it.- lntn. Irt me .oh :-■ bun To ..; on..- "■lii-.w Up til-' »',-o|igr," | and rc-tim-.- n-.ik w.tli that fea: mhii.pen ... hi- Ir .• i 1 i >.. Nt turn >■ i». <■■■ I and •*«-..ibly >.. i. ii in from inrth.-r eril'l tin..!-!. i>v j wicked world . I .uu. ct. , ai:«;i >

THE MINISTER OV MINES. Per Press Association. THAMES, October 28. The Hon. Jas. McGowan addressed his constituents to-night, and received a vote of thanks for his administration, and condence in him and the Government. The Minister gave a general rttume of political matters, defending generally the Government's policy, giving details of the marked progress the Dominion had made during the administration of the Liberal Government, under Mr Seddon and Sir Joseph Ward. He spoke of the satisfactory record made by the Departments under the administration of the various Minister, and gave details of the substantial assistance given to gold mining, of the large amount voted and spent, and of the satkfactory conditions of the State coal mines. He outlined no new features, but said the endeavour of the Government would be to make further progress on lines which had guarded them in the past. The only question of note was as to his attitude" re the Meikle grant. Mr McGowan stated that Meikle had generously dealt with by the colony. He had given full receipt to the Government, and the speaker considered he hud no furt her claim. THE DISSOLUTION. WKLLINGTGOX, Oct obi r 28. A proclamation dissolving the present. Parliament will be issued to-morrow. The writs for the election of a new Parliament will Iks issued within a day or two. THE PREMIER. IXVERCARGILL.. October 28. Sir Jifteph Ward went to Stewart Island to day, and was cordially welcomed by the inhabitants, who voted him thanks and confidence. To-night he was entertained at a banquet by the Rluff Borough Council. He visits several places tomorrow, and leaves on Friday morning for Tcinuka.