LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19445, 3 November 1925, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Country readers, who will be anxious to hear the results of the elections tomorrow evening, will have the information supplied to them if they ring the “Chronicle’s” city office, ’phone 3034. Readers are requested not to ring 'phones 2191 and 2192.

“Labour is now known as the squatter's dream, that is, if you believe the newspapers,” said Mr J. Roberts last evening at the Opera House.

The steamer Calm, which discharged at the Town Wharf yesterday, brought the largest cargo of transhipments that has entered the port of Wanganui.

“You can’t blame the Nationalists. They were born only a few weeks ago. They can't have many sins. ' ’ —Mr Coull at Gonville last evening.

At 8 o’clock to-night His Majesty’s Theatre will be the scene of Mr John Coull's final pre-election meeting. It promises to be the best gathering of the whole campaign.

Mr Roberts, speaking at the Opera House last evening, said he would admit that there were better housing conditions in Wanganui than in any other town in New Zealand.

“Where are the children going to when they come out of school?” asked a questioner energetically of Mr Dunbar Sloane, Reform candidate for Wellington Central. “To the pictures.” came a voice from the audience.

Mr Collins, chairman of the Wanganui Education. Board, desires to acknowledge with thanks an unsolicited donation of £25 from the Licensed V ictuallers’ Association towards the children's health camp.

“The Labour Party is afraid that some terrible bomb will be exploded before the election, and it has taken the precaution, to publish answers to statements that have never been made,” said the Hon. W. Downie Stewart, Minister of Customs, at a recent Dunedin meeting.

At 5.10 last evening the City Fire Brigade received a call to 242 Victoria Avenue, where some toi toi bushes near the residence were found to be alight. The lire brigade were on the scene with their usual promptitude, and extinguished the outbreak before any damage was done.

Speaking at Towai, Mr Allen Bell, Government candidate for Bay of Islands, said: “Apart from the political parties led by Mr Coates and Mr Holland, all other parties are simply excrescences on the political wheel. They are like fleas on a dog, although less numerous.”

“So well has the country been governed and so rapidly is the wealth of New Zealand growing that it will not be many years before all the money we want for development purposes will be borrowed in the Dominion itself,’’ remarked Mr D. Jones, Reform candidate for Ellesmere.

When last evening at the Opera House Mr Roberts was showing that the striking English seaman received only £2 3s per week, a lady 's voice interjected, “Too much!” “Yes,” quickly retorted Mr Roberts, “I know some people who would have the workers visit St. John's Hill and eat cocksfoot. ’ ’

Amongst the Maoris, the Labour Party is known as the Labour “Patiki.” “Patiki” is the Native etymological representation for the flounder, and, as Sir Maui Poraare has observed, the suggestion is that the Labour Party has been on a fishing expedition into the Maori electorates, and that the progress it has made resembles that of the fish so named.

“I am not now expressing the actual platform of the Reform Party—it is my own idea. There is one thing about the Reform Party. We are not tied down to a platform and hauled over the coals like Mr Moss if we say anything not strictly in accordance with the Party’s policy.”—Mr J. McC. Dickson, Government candidate for Chalmers.

“Some people think that, if you got Socialism here it would be Heaven. You would get something with an H in it, but it would not be Heaven. (Laughter). Such people ought to go to Russia, where Socialism has been in existence for ten years, and where the whole of the population are slaves of the Government. And Socialism can never be anything else.”—Mr David Jones, at Chertsey recently.

“In 1910. when the Liberals were in power,” said Mr David Jones at Chertsey, “316 settlers in the Dominion left their holdings. Only in one, year since has that number of settlers left their holdings, and that was last year. Among those who went off their holdings were some soldier settlers. It has cost the country two and a-half millions to keep some of them on the land, but it will be worth it, as the bulk of them will make good.”

“I understand,” said the Postmas-ter-General, Sir James Parr yesterday, I ’’that statements are being widely | made by the political opponents of the i Government that telegraph linesmen j are to be dismissed immediately after the election. I desire to contradict this rumour. No instructions to pay off temporary linesmen, have been issued by the Department; and, indeed, if the necessary material comes to hand regularly, as we expect it will, there is no reason why work should not proceed as usual.” One of the oddest things we have met with in the election campaign is, says the Christchurch “Press,” a report from a correspondent that “A rumour is afloat’’ that the Reform Party favours “free trading with Italy and America,” to the detriment of the local motor body-building trade. Probably there is also a rumcrur afloat ! that Mr Coates intends to cut the tie with Britain and register New Zealand as a province of the Chinese Republic. Both rumours arc incorrect. The Government stands for the Empire, in trade and everything else, first, last, and all the time. With reference to the suggestion that produce was not arriving in proper condition as a result of being shipped coastwise, the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce instituted inquiries. At last night’s meeting a letter was received from the Dairy Produce Control Board, which disposed of the suggestion. It was pointed out that in connection with the temperature of dairy produce carried coastwise, at the time of shipping very little complaint could be made. The board had an inspector watching this matter continuously, and every efort was being miade to see 1 that produce was placed on board the I ocean-going steamers ist i’i r st-class con- ‘ 4itiQK

At last night’s meeting of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce it was resolved to hold the annual meeting on December 1 next.

During last month nine cases of in fectious disease were reported in the city, the total being made up as follows: —Scarlet fever 2, diphtheria 4 pneumonia 2, and chickenpox one.

“If a man is pledged to ‘out’ the Government it is pretty hard to explain his sitting in conference with a view to joining that party.” said Mr Coull at Gonville last evening.

“A wave of Liberalism was going to sweep the country at last election, so they told you,” said Mr Coull. “But it was a backwash that carried them almost to oblivion.”

On Sunday afternoon, the Garrison Band gave one of their enjoyable open air concerts on Durie Hill, when a large number of the public were present. Conductor Watson selected a very nice programme, which was given in a style that was much appreciated by the audience.

An error occurred in the report of Mr Hogg’s address on the licensing question at Wanganui on Sunday night. In the paragraph headed, “New Zealanders a Sober People,’’ a sentence should have, read, “The convictions in New Zealand for drunkenness are I in 1000 every four months” (not

“Just before an election I have not the slightest intention of promising anyone anything.” said the Prime Minister forcefully at Woodville when answering critics who had stated thiat he had not replied to certain requests. “The needs of the country alone come first and foremost, and rise above sectional interests.” (Applause).

“The black cat for catching rats,” said Mr Roberts when the enthusiasm subsided after the presentation of a mascot cat to Air Rogers at the Opera House last evening. “If there were no Labour rats Mr Veitch would be the Labour candidate now in Wanganui.” The audience enjoyed the sally.

To get their hand in early for Guy Fawkes’ Day, some young boys were practising letting off crackers in Cook’s Gardens yesterday, when one exploded in a youngster’s hand, inflicting a painful injury. This should act as a warning to parents to keep an eye on their young offspring on November 5.

At Gonville last evening, when referring to the strength of the Labour vote in Wanganui electorate, Mr Coull said that Mr Lewis Mcllvride polled about .1400 ■votes. At the end of the meeting. someone with a bent for figures, said: “In .1919 Mr Mcllvride polled 1256 votes- —if it is any use to you.’’ “How many did John Ballance poll, Bill?” asked a voice, amid much amusement. A member of the audience at the Opera House last evening interjected when Mr Roberts was discussing the Labour Party’s land policy, saying. “The ‘Herald’ says you will take our rooster and orchard.” “I wish the ‘Herald’ would get another rooster to write their leading articles; he might crow with more intelligence,” replied Mr Roberts amidst tumultuous laughSatisfaction at the manner in which the provincial committee is arranging matters in connection with the various courts at the South Seas Exhibition, including that of Wanganui, was expressed at last night’s meeting of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce. It was stated that nothing would bo advertised at the court apart from the potential resources of the district, and that the money contributed by local bodies in Wanganui district would bo well spent. A suggestion that the Union Steam Ship Company should bo asked to arrange a seven days’ excursion trip to the Dunedin Exhibition for the convenience of Wanganui residents was contained in a letter from Mr C. 11. Burnett to last night’s meeting of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce. Members were somewhat apathetic concerning the matter, and the chairman (Mr W. Brown) questioned whether there would be more than fifty Wanganui residents at the Exhibition at any one time. However, it was eventually decided to get into touch with the local agent for the company with a view to ascertaining the prospects of arranging such an excursion.

The Wanganui Chiamber of Commerce recently drew the attention of tho Dairy Produce Control Board to a statement in Weddel’s Review to the effect that the quality of New Zealand produce showed little or no improvement, and that a largo lot of second grade butter h’ad been shipped Home. In a letter to the Chamber, which was received at last night’s meeting, the board explained tha the article was somewhat misleading, insofar as the percentage of second-gflade butter for the year ended March last had only increased by .33, as from 4.27 per cent, to 4.60 per cent. It would be admitted that the increase had not been very great, although, naturally, the board would have liked to see a decrease. Quite franklv. they agreed that the quality of butter had not been improving during reecnt years, and the matter wtis being very carefully considered. The Turakina bridge has been strengthened as the result of the united , action taken by local bodies in regard to the matter. In referring to the bridge lat last night’s meeting of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce, the chairman (Mr W. Brown), stated that while the structure was in a weak state, there was no doubt that lorry drivers had not played the game, and had carried loads over ten tons across the bridge. It would have been a terrible thing to tho district had anything happened to the bridge, as it afforded the only means of communication by road. He had learned that it was intended to build an? overhead | bridge at Turakina, that would come across the railway line, and avoid the. i “Devil’s Elbow.” Mr W. J. Gilberd j advocated urging that the new bridge |be erected as early as possible. The secretary (Mr Hague Smith) reported that the engineer of the Rangitikci County Council had stated that he wtis drawing up the necessary specifications. Tho secretary was instructed 1o inquire I from the Rangitikci County Council when the bridge would be commenced. Tho chairman said that the council was fully aware of the necessity for tho matter being put in hand immediately.