AT THE HUSTINGS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19445, 3 November 1925, Page 8

AT THE HUSTINGS

CANDIDATES ON TOUR WANGANUI DISTRICT ELECTORATES DAILY NOTES OF PROGRESS

WANGANUI MR COD'LL AT GON VILLE. THE ISSUE FOR THE ELECTORS. REFORM OR LABOUR Mr John Coull, the Reform candidate for M anganui, had j*. very successful meeting at Gonville last evening. The very large audience was in good spirits and enthusiastic, the candidate being very frequently applauded. He put clearly before the electors the political position as affecting the Wanganui seat, showing that the issue was between Reform and Labour. He held up to ridicule the way in which the local Nationalists were angling, first for the Labour votes and now for the Reformers’. The Nationalists, having found that the Labour Party was more soli<J than it was in 1922, were now endeavouring to seduce votes from the Reform side by talking of after-election fusion. Mr Coull read, amid much laughter from the audience, the double-column advertisement in that evening’ paper stating that Mr Coates now **agreed with Air Veitch’’ to reconstruct after the election, which meant, of course, that Air Veitch, who had been prepared before the election to fuse with the Reform Party, but recently said he would not support Air Coates, would, after the election, be prepared once more to fuse with the Government. By no trickery of words could it. be said that Mr Coates wanted a Nationalist sup-

porter. Air Coull referred to the many good works of the Reform Party and its record of administration and contended that the Reform Party had. served the people well. Mr Coull dealt at some length with what the Reform Government had done in regard to afforestation,, which, he remarked, had now been appropriated as a plank in the Nationalists’ platform. This, he said, was the difference between appealing to the people not on a policy alone, but on a policy as well as an achievement.

The candidate dealt at some length with the question of taxation, showing that the general trend was to reduce Customs taxation on the necessaries of life and to increase them on the 1 tries, such as spirits, tobacco, motor cars, etc. He showed that the income taxpayers contributed by far a larger share

of taxation, in the form of income tax, death duties, estate duties, etc. During the lust ten years no less than £74,283,105 had been collected from those sources. These people also paid their share of the Customs taxation, bringing their total to £102.867,295, while the remainder of the community paid only £28.755,452 through the Customs. After several questions had been asked and answered, a hearty vote of thanks and confidence, moved by Air F. Spencer, seconded by two electors, ono of whom was Mr C. M. Crcsswcll, was carried unanimously, amid applause. A vote of thanks to the chairman, Air Tancrcd Cooper, concluded the meeting.

FINAL MEETING TO-NIGHT. AT HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. The final meeting of Mr Coull’s campaign w'ili take place at His M jesty’s Theatre at 8 o’clock to-night. Mr Coull will be worth hearing, and the meeting should be the most interesting of tin? whole series. MASS LABOUR MEETING. AIR ROGERS AT THE OPERA HOUSE. Last night the Opera House was taxed to its fullest seating capacity to hear Mr VV. J. Rogers, the Labour candidate for Wanganui, address the electors. Upon the appearance of the candidate the audience rose and gave three hearty cheers. Air A. Clark, presided. Mr Rogers prefaced his remarks by stating tuat Labour in Wanganui was coming out on top. The large audience that evening was clearly substantive evidence of its progress, and that at Wednesday ’s poll there would be a “change over.’’ (Applause). The fight was keen, and Labour was justified in reviewing the position of the sitting member. The contest had disclosed that both parties were on their political deathbed of repentance. The late Lib-

erals supported Air Statham as Speaker in opposition to Labour’s nomination, Mr AlcCombs. There was no difference between the two parties. The contention that a vote for Labour is a vote for Reform was pure balderdash, and Afr Veitch would find that that bogey will not work on the present occasion. The issue was Labour v. anti-Labour. After sitting down the candidate was presented with a black cat as a mascot, bedecked with red ribbons, the candidate’s colours. Air J. Roberts, secretary of the Alliance of Labour, commenced by stressing how innuendo had already been trying to discredit Labour. But such tactics would react on the one who concocted them by returning Labour once again for Wanganui.. Air Roberts spoke in detail of various planks of the Labour platform., and severely criticised certain announcements appearing in the Wanganui “Herald.’’ He asserted that Labour stood for international peace, and offered no apology for holding such, views.

(Applause). The defence policy of all intellects was that of goodwill, and that was what the Labour Party stood for, Irrespective ot : editors’ lying criticism. Then a strong appeal was made for support for Air Kogers, as representative of Labour. A vote of confidence, with cheers, was given for the candidate. MR VEITCH’S CAMPAIGN. MEETING AT CASTLECLIFF. Air W. A. Veitch, Nationalist candidate for Wanganui,, spoke at Castlccliff Town Hall last night, the attendance being fairly good, though there were some rows of empty scats. The candidate devoted a portion of liis address to attacks upon the Labour Party and upon the Prime Minister, claiming that Mr Coates at Wanganui had referred to the Nationalists as a rotten parly. A questioner who asked whether it was true that tho members of the National Party were divided among themselves, some being in favour of following Air Coates, expressed great dissatisfaction with the answer ho received and naked for a straight answer. Air Veitch replied, however, that what ho had said was the only answer he would

A vote of thanks to the candidate and confidence in him was carried. RANGFTIKEI MR GLENN AT SOUTH MAKIRIKIRI The South Alakirikiri School was packed last evening when Mr W. S. Glenn, Reform candidate fo • B gitikei, addressed the electors. Air A. Stuart presided, and in introducing the candidate, eulogised his work during his six years as representative of the district. Air Glenn ’s address was on similar lines to those already published. In conclusion he urged his hearers to cast their votes for Air Gordon Coates, a young New Zealander, who was out to do his best for the country. At the conclusion, Air Glenn was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address, also a vote of confidence in him as the representative of the district. The motion was carried by acclamation.

OROUA THE POSITION REVIEWED. The last local political meeting has been held previous to the 1925 election, writes (he Halcombe correspondent of the “Chronicle.” Air Taylor, tho Labour candidate, was the latest to woo the electors. His party, if elected, is going to try all manner of schemes for the people’s welfare, but the desire to take farmers’ land at the buyer’s (the Government) valuation is cordially disliked, and only brings down on the proposers the bitterest scorn and hatred. It is safe to hazard the prophecy that Labour, as far as the Or-oua seat is concerned, has not a hope. The fight will be between Alessrs Eliott (Reform) and Cobbc (Nationalist), and in this part of the electorate, at any rate, tho former will be on top when the last returns arc known. Last election Mr Cobbc polled 170 votes to Air Guthrie’s 164, but this time the Labour candidate will get a few, and it is thought they will be at Air Cobbe’s expense.

WAIMARINO MB SMITH AT TOKAANU. On Saturday, Air R. W. Smith, Liberal candidate for Waimarino, journeyed to Tokaanu, where he addressed a meeting in the evening. There were about 50 people present and Air John Curran presided. Air Smith dealt with tho leading political questions of the day. He promised, if returned, t-o use his best endeavours to get the party in power to establish direct telephone communication with Waimarino and also push on the work of metalling the TokaanuWaimarino road. Ho also said he would do his utmost to have the Native ami Crown lands settled in order that the country might be worked and made more productive. Production from the land as well as the establishment of industries was what was wanted. The speaker received a very attentive. hearing, and at the conclusion, was accorded a hearty vote of thanks and confidence. TO-NIGHT’S PROGRAMME Candidates’ arrangements for tonight aro as follows, each meeting being at 8 o’clock.—■ Air. J. Coull, His Alajesty’s Theatre. Air. W. S. Glenn, Taihape. Air. H. G. Dickie, Patea. Air. W. J. Rogers, Open-air Rally. Air. A. Lyon, Marton Hall. Air. AV. A. Veitch, Opera HouseAir. C. J. Duggan, Town Hall (Wanganui East.