CHRISTCHURCH NORTH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10233, 16 August 1911, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH NORTH.

TO-MOR ROW'S ELECTION. ' PREPARATIONS FOR THE CONTEST. The committees of Messrs L. M. fsitfc find J. D. Hall have completed their arrangements for the contest tomorrow for the Christchurch North scat, and both sides are ready for the stmscr'e. Arrangements have been made to take inters to the pollingbooths with as little inconvenience as possible.

The candidates' final addresses will be given this evening. Mr I sit t will speak in the King's Theatre, and Mr Hall in St Luke's schoolroom, Manchester Street.

The returning officer will meet his deputies and other officers at 5 o'clock this evening, when arrangements will he concluded for carrying on the polling. The whole staff will assemble nt the office in Victoria Chambers. Arirwigh Street, next to the Rink stables. The returns will he posted nt the " Lytteltou Times" Office, in Gloucester Street, as they are received tomorrow evening. EARLY VOTING DESIRABLE. It used to bo n standing joke in the days before one-inan-one-vote was the rule that ihe best advice that could be given to a voter -was to " vote early and often.'" The "vote often " portion of the advice has 110 meaning now, but the "'vote early'' part still has force, all the more so because of the stringency of the rules now in force at the polling booths. It does not matter how many persons may be inside a booth at seven o'clock— the official hour for closing—-as soon as that hour lias been reached the poll "ill close and no more voting papers will be issued. Voters in possession of ballot papers will be allowed to drop them in the box, but not one single paper will be issued after that hour. 111 iaco ol this very stringent regulation, it would be well for voters to accept the oldfashioned advice and "poll early. - ' to make sure of being able to poll at all.

THE SUMNER BATHS GRANT. Mr j. i>. I!aiT/s Allegations. Considerable resentment was express, ed to a "Star" reporter to-dav by Sumner residents at the suggestion made by Mr J. D. Hall last night that the Coronation Memorial grant to Sumner was an imi>roper one. In his speech Mr Hall referred to the Hino charges, and said that the scandals revealed by Mr Iline were only discovered when the members concerned had lost their seats. It would be a good thing to unseat a few more of the Government members, when some more startling revelations might be made. Recently the Sumner Borough Council had asked the Government for a grant of money. The application -was disregarded, but a little later great publicity was given to the fact that the member for the district had championed Sumner's claims, and that n grant had been made. That -was a most improper procedure.

Sunnier residents declare that thorn was absolutely nothing improper about the grant to the seaside borough, which was obtained in a. perfectly open and honest manner.

Mr George Laurenson. who is in town to-day, way asked if he had anything to say in reply to Mr Hall's statement- regarding the part he had played in obtaining a Coronation grant for Sumner. •' The suggestion that there was any impropriety about the business," he said. is too ridiculous to wasto words o\-er. You don't want to ask me about it, because I may be accused of being a politically biassed party. The Mayor of Sumner is the man to ask for information on the subject. Mr Marriner will be able to give yon the facts."

Mv Laurenson was pressed to give the history of the grant. He explained that the Sumner people had decided as a means of marking the Coronation of the King to erect accommodation for bathers on the sea front. When application was made in the usual way for a Government subsidy, the Minister replied that, grants were available for such memorials as baths, parks, libraries, and so forth, but that the Department. held that bathing accommodation did not come within the category of works earning a subsidy. The Mayor of Sumner conferred with Mr Laurenson, the member for the district. 011 t lie. matter, and it was decided to amend th" plans with the object of bringing them within the scope of the subside regulations. This was done, the plans were forwarded to Wellington, and the Minister sent them on to the departmental officers, and in due course it was reported that the amended plans had been approved, and that a subsidv would be grouted. "J am not anxious to express any opinions," Mr Laurenson concluded, "because I don't want to interfere in the bv-elce-tion. The facts are there, and they carry their own refutation of the suggestion of impropriety." THE RIGHT TO \Y()!!K. TO TIIK EDITOR. Sir.- Your correspondent "Only a Clicker" bursts forth inlo a wild flow of foolish and ill-flavoured abuse. He no doubt possesses that. Socialistic doctrine which the red tie brigade used to harangue the long-suffering crowds on Sundays. He also effervesces freely about a " Right to Work Hill,'' and apparently betrays great, surprise ;it the tact that- Mr Hall has never heard of it. He does not. however, attempt to even outline this Hill that he professes to know so much about. If ;i man will •stand at any of the Ko"ialisi meetings and, with open mouth, imbibe all their wild and spasmodic utterances as if they were gospel, I can understand that he will be* consumed with a violent antipathy against those who occupy a better position than himself. In his dwarfed opinion ability and proficiency are counted as nought. If n clever man accumulates wealth, by the aid of his brains, he is begrudged ii by his slower-wittcd fellows. if Mr Hall all the " bread and butter and beer he wants why does your correspondent iipgMulge him it? Hvporbolieally or literally, does he not'himself like to have a full bcllv-' Would he like to uo up to Mr flail and ask him for a bite and sup of his victuals and beer. J lie talks in a hungrv manner, as if he considers it, ;i personal affront that Mr Hall should possess anything. However, his blind wrath will not sway auv doctor's opinions in the coming elections. I hone 1 am ei<\, G. CHAPMA.Y. (This letter is published because it is a reply to earlier correspondence. Other letters, on boih sides, mv declined because there could be m> opportunity for reply, lid. "Star.")