THE WANGANUI SEAT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15972, 14 November 1919, Page 5

THE WANGANUI SEAT.

I MR YEITCH ATCASTLECLIFF Mr W, A. Yeitch, M.P., addressed the electors at Castlecliff last evening, -when he received a meet attentive hearing from an audience that was entirely with him. Mr S. Jarrett occupied iJie chair. In opening, Mr Yeitch said ho would first deal with several misrepresentatione o-f a personal nature which were being circulated regarding himself. He regretted hawing to do so, but in justice, to himself must take the opportunity of refuting them. It was being stated that ho was a big landholder, and held several large areas, including £OOO acres in the Auckland district, two farms up the Wanganui River, a farm at Okoia, and other are.ts. In one sense he wished it wore true, but the fact was that lie owned not a single farm. He had owned a farm at Okoia which he bought for hia boys, who had gone to the war. It had then been sold, and at present he owned no property but the house he lived in, and he mutant to stick to that. It was stated that it was by his vote that the Massey Government got into power. That was not so. The vote that put Mr Massey into power was the vote on the no-confidenco motion against the MacKenzie Government. On that occasion he voted for the Mackenzie Government and against the Reform Party. Another 7nisrepresentation against him was the Chronicle's accusation that, in the trouble over the Inga's coal cargo, he had shirked his duty, and stood aside and done nothing. He certainly did not advertise himself by speeches, or do as the .Chronicle did, via., yell at excited men to make them more excited. But, when the two sides met in conference ho attended, and. was unanimously appointed chairman, showing that both sides had sufficient confidence in him to appoint iim to take the lead in smoothing out their difficulties. In this connection Mr Yeitch read a letter he had received during the day from the Mayor, contradicting the Chronicle's statement, setting out the facte, and expressing appreciation of the wray in which he had controlled the negotiations. Mr Veitch then spoke on general matters, advocating a White New Zealand, and official recognitions of the sacrifices made by mothers and wives during the war. He related the steps he had taken leading to the appointment of the Commission to inquire into accidents on the waterfront, and the reforms which followed, and then entered on a criticism of the Government's finance, showing that the Minister's own figures pointed to a large deficit for the coming year. He outlined steps necessary to restore industrial and commercial confidence, and spoke strongly for good housing, universal superannuation, and sickness and accident insurance for workers, going on then to deal at some length with the matter of profiteering. At the conclusion of his address, Mr Yeitch was heartily applauded, and a motion was' enthusiastically carried of thanks for his address a.nd of appreciation of his services to the district and to the Dominion during his term as a member of Parliament.