POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9170, 19 August 1908, Page 5

POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

Bv Telegraph—Press Association. ELTHAM, August 18. Mr G. P. Wake, a Libera] candidate for the Egrnont seat, addressed a meeting at Eltham last night. He defended the Government finance, combattcd the idea that the Government was opposed to the farmers, and suggested an amendment of the Arbitration Act by making unions deposit a sum with the Government before they registered, and by automatic cancellation of unions that offended. In reply to a question he said that he was a prohibitionist, and favoured retention of the present three-fifths majority. A vote of thanks was given the candidate.

MR ERASER AT WAIROA." WAIROA, Aucust 18. Mr A. L. D. Fraser delivered a political address last evening to a large audiencr, dealing optimistically with the progress of the Dominion. Referring to the Wairoa County statistics for the year he showed that in 1898 the valuation 'of the land and improvements was £1,040,618 (cep'tal value), and it was now £2.695},807; improvements increased from .£759,735 to £1,834,436; the number of occupied holdings 240 to 257 ; cattle, 6,970 to 24,936; trust lands leased to Maori boards, 344,625 acres; lands leas-e:! by consent Maori board, 410,333 acres; lands in respect to which restrictions were removed to permit of sale, lease, or mortgage, 410,101 acres; trust lands lease! to the East Coast Board, 63,676 acres; lands sold to the same board, about 50,000 acres; trust lands leased under Mangatu Act, 51,294 acres; native lands purchased by the Crown, 263,001 acres; area under completion. 55,53 1 acres; taken for Crown lie's. 21,791. In addition the areas re ported on by the Native Lund Commission have yet to be operated on.