SIR JOSEPH WARD AT AUCKLAND.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14462, 28 November 1914, Page 3

SIR JOSEPH WARD AT AUCKLAND.

VOTE OF THANKS AND CONFIDENCE.

AUCKLAND, November 27, Never-his a public man received such a stirring reception as that accorded, to Sir Joseph- Ward at the Town Hall tonight: Long before the advertised hour of meeting the building was packed un every part, including the platform. No j tickets of admission were issued, •it > bei ing -a case of first come- first served. When Sir Joseph Ward arrived there was' a huge crowd outside the Hall unable, to gain admission, and the Loader i of the Liberal Party had great difficulty i in getting through-the crush. His ar- ( rival inside the building was the signal ■; for: an enthusiastic and spontaneous out-, burst of • ■ APPLAUSE AND CHEERING, the demonstration being renewed when Sir Joseph stepped on the platform. The chairman, Mr J. Treverick ; in mtroducting Sir Joseph Ward, said that the Leader of the Liberal Party had the confidence, not only of Auckland, hut of the whole Dominion. (Loud .-Applause.-) Ho referred to the great audiences that Sir Joseph had had. from one end of the' Dominion to the other. Such great demonstrations proved conclusively that Liberalisra was not dead. (Applause.) Those who had traduced the Liberal, party would find that the people 'were solid for- what was right, ; just, and true. Sir Joseph Ward was not only Leader of the Liberal party, but the leader of tho people of tue Dominion. (Loud applause.) ' . - - . When Sir Joseph .Ward rose to speak, there was ANOTHER GREAT DEMONSTRATION. The applause and cheers were deafening, ! and lasted some considerable time. When silence was restored, Sir Jospeh said no man in any part of the work’, could fail to be touched to the heart at such a great reception. (Applause.).He wished to express his regret to those outside the- building that the Town Hall was not large enough to hold all who wanted to hear him speak; The Massey party had gained the .Treasury,-benches by .an accident due to the; forgetfulness of some men who were returned to Parliament in 1911 for the: purpose of. supporting, the Liberal Party, and,for the purpose of opposing the- party now in power. A Voice—“ Where are they, to-day r Sir Joseph replied that they were in a precarious position, and on the morning of December 11th the lesson which would be published .to the - world would servo them for the remainder of their political lives; (Loud applause.) MANIPULATION OF ELECTORAL LAWS. The minority was occupying the extraordinary and. unique position of being the party in power, and the electoral laws had been altered. The Second Ballot- Act. had been repealed-, - and nothing • put in its place despite the sacred promise given by tho Prime’Minister in his •policy speech in 1911, that a substitute was to be put in its place, a promise also renewed in the first Budget submitted by Mr Allen. (Applause.) The rolls Had been jerrymandered, and hundreds of names had ,been removed, h.-. BLUDGEONING THT ELECTORATES. He referred to the Gtaki electorate, stating that a number of heroic, determined, and independent men, supporters of the Reform party; had publicly declared their determination to mark their disapproval of the Cabinet making the selection Of a candidate for the electorate. They refused to be dictated to, and objected to the selection of a former Liberal to carry the Tory' flag -at the general election. (Applause.) At'Devonporb, he had been assured that 220 men engaged at the forts had been removed from their posts, and for what reason? ..Could it'; bo because their political proclivities were known? These ■men . would find themselves outside'their ■electorate on election day, and without an opportunity of obtaining an. absent; voter’s .permit. The forts for the protection of -Auckland were, in consequence, undermanned. Men should not ho-shifted out of an electorate in the interests of any party, no matter , what; they were politically—Reformers, Liberals, Labourites, or “Red Feds.; (Applause.)

A MAGNIFICENT RECEPTION.

EXPOSURE OF ‘‘RE-FORM’:' TRICKERY

Tp.Wraoh. —Special to-“ Herald.”

ANOTHER “REFORM” TRICK. Before he left Wellington, he had had 1 his attention drawn ,to something peculiar going on there in connection with the rolls. He had been informed that a number of men not living in a .Minister’s electorate had been supplied with commercial travellers’ permits in order that their votes might be recorded, nai in the electorate in,which they lived, but in another electorate-altogether, and .the ' were not commercial travellers a t all.' Therevshiild he absolutely no .inter; Terence vith the ballot or rolls. (V> piausc.i. i - ; , KFJ'ORM” MISREPRESENTATION. ; 'Murepresentation • was and - ,of the greatest assets in .the. posse.uioe of th , present Government. Recently a, state- . meiit had been telegraphed all'cver.-New Zealand to the effect that Sir .James Carroll, a' former colleague of his, had condemned him (Sir Joseph) for giving the Dreadnought. Ho was confident such a statement had never been made by Sir . J as. Carroll, and he telegraphed to him for a reply, and , was informed that the. statement was made by Sir J as. Carroll’s political opponent. (Applause,) Those who had read tho statement would naturally think that there was a divergence of opinion in ■ the Cabinet in regard to this historical event. (Applause.) He would, give yet another example ni misrepresentation. Mr/ Lang . had beau asked at a recent meeting, according to the published -report, whether; in giving a loan to the OSTRICH FARM Company (laughter), -a concern in which members of .the' Government'-were interested. the Massey, party ; had been guilty of corrupt . practices. Mr Lang’s reported reply was “Not for the reason that the- Minister for Finance who authorised that loan was Sir Joseph Ward.” (Laughter.) He (Sir Joseph) hat)/ never heard of the loan in question until ho had recently seen it in print. The Liberal Government drew no disthictions between opponents and supporters in. the matter of tho treatment which was meted out to them ,by any State: department. (Applause.) CABINET REPRESENTATION. ‘ Referring to a recent speech made by Mr Parr, who was reported to have said 'that, if the Liberal Party were returned ,tq office, Auckland would not he properly in the Cabinet, lie showed that' the Liberal Party had given more representation in the Cabinet •to Auckland than Jjad tho present .Government, and if returned to office, he would see that, at least half-the members of the Cabinet were representatives of the North Island, (Applause.) Sir ! ospeh then went on Government, his remarks being on the lines <jf those delivered, in other places. These workers had,' hot got. a . “squaredeal,” and there had never been such a record of . BROKEN PLEDGES as that at the credit of the present 1 Government. (Loud; applause.) The Liberal Government had' never shown the white feather, but the Massey Government had failed to- make prosecutions* as the ■■result.-ofthe' strike... (Applause,.) At. the conclusion of tho address; which lasted over two hours, Sir Joseph resumed his seat amid a-great stornj of applause and cheering.’ , f THANKS AND CONFIDENCE/ Mr T, Lang then moved, “That this large and representative gathering of Auckland- electors thanks Sir ' Joseph Ward for his very able and instructive address, expresses confidence in him as Loader of the.Liberal.Party, and pledges itself ,to do, everything in its power to oust the Conservative, party from the Treasury benches.’’ ■ A VAST-MAJORITY, i Mr E. H. Potter seconded, and the motion was earned', the-cjlairman- stated, “by a. vast majority,” the meeting dossing with loud cheers , for Sir - Joseph Ward. ; '