Musings and Meditations

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 18, 28 October 1908, Page 2

Musings and Meditations

By

Dog Toby

THE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE

aS - ! t has been freely asserted that many candidates have to send to Wellington for their speeches, one is tempted to see if the demand cannot bo supplied locally'. The following is offered for use by that large class of people whose political label is independent. «><s>❖ “Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, —I stand before you as a champion of neither political party’. Both sides have their faults, and both sides have their virtues. I do not tie myself down to blindly follow either leader. I shall vote as seems to me to be best, both for my constituents’ interests and my own. (Don’t emphasise the latter part of this sentence.) You will of course want me to give you my views on the liquor question before I touch matters of general policy. I believe drink is a great evil if indulged in to excess, hut I do not care to lay down any hard and fast rule as to what constitutes excess. If I felt sure that no-license would stop excessive drinking, then I would gladly vote as the people wished. I would, however, consider the question of compensation to hotel-keepers. There is much to be said on both sides of this vexed question, as, while we wish to place a cheek on drunkenness, we want also to assure ourselves that the closing of licensed houses would not lead to slygrog selling and other evasions of the law. I hope the views I have so lucidly expressed on this great and momentous matter will meet with the approval of all parties. <S> <s> <£> “As regards land legislation. I feel that for the man with small capital the leasehold system offers many’ advantages. He has no large immediate outlay to face, and be can use his money in stocking' and improving his property. At the same time, many a farmer takes more interest in freehold property, and the desire to hand down land from father to son is inherent in the British race. I do not wish to see the State part with all its landed possessions, but I do not wish it to do anything likely to retard the farmer. The settler contributes much to the wealth of the country’, anii should be encouraged as much as possible, but we must- not neglect the interests of our city workers, who do sc much to add to the conveniences anf comfort of life. <S> <®> <£> “You will of course want me to express clearand definite views on the Arbitration Act. This is a subject on which I feel very strongly. (Hear, hear, from the whole audience.) Yes, I repeat, very strongly’. I am firmly convinced that it has raised the wages of our workers, I am not so firmly convinced that it has added correspondingly’ to their comforts, because it is pretty generally acknowledged that the cost of living has also increased. 1 should be sorry to see anything done to drive capital permanently out of the Dominion, but I do not want to see the worker robbed of the just reward of hie toil. 1 believe in legislation that secures justice to employer and employed alike. <s> <•> "As regards borrowing, I should be sorry to see any course followed that would lead to national bankruptcy, but 1 recognise that if the country is to progress its resources must be developed. There is borrowing and borrowing. (Hear, hear.) We must remember that loans can be wisely spent and made remunerative, and we must not forget that loan money can be easily wasted and made an addition to a country’s financial burden. I need not dwell fur-

ther on these facts, which will be selfevident to an intelligent audience such as I have the pleasure of addressing tonight. <s><»<£ “Gentlemen, I call myself an Independent because my convictions are too strong to allow me to be led by either party-. I have put before you a clear, definite policy, and one that I feci cannot but commend itself to men of all shades of political opinion. I aim at no jiarty vote, I merely aim at convincing all thoughtful electors that the man who takes an independent attitude is tho truly strong man, the man who can be trusted to act in the best interests of his constituents to whichever side they may belong. We want a definite conviction that all men have their rights, that we must not legislate to secure benefits to one person at the expense of another, that we must go forward without plunging into extravagance. With men of such convictions in the House, our country will take a fresh lease of life, she will renew the vigour of her youth, and become, not in name only but in fact,' ‘God’s Own Country.’