THE TARANAKI SEAT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2078, 13 May 1907, Page 3

THE TARANAKI SEAT.

VIGOROUS PREPARATIONS

Press Association. FAS PLYMOc - last night. The contest for the Taranaki byclcction is becoming exciting, each side having all its forces marshalled. Mr. Massey and tho Hon. J. Carroll are in the' district addressing meetings on behalf of Messrs. Oko.y and Dockrill respectively. A feature of the campaign has been the large audiences which have met the candidates everywhere. On Monday night Mr. Carroll speaks in the Theatre Royal and MJ: - - Massey in the Drill Hall. Mr. Malone, the Independent Liberal candidate, will possibly address a .meeting after Mr. Carroll. Locally Mr. Doekrill’s chance of election is favored, although tlio vote will be split.

OPPOSITION FALLACIES. NEW PLYMOUTH, last night. The Hon.. Jas. Carroll addressed a meeting at Oniata last night in the interest of tlie Government candidate. He maintained that this was a partv fight, and that the Government had a claim on the seat, which had for so long been represented by a Liberal, tlio same as the Opposition had rightly held tlie Manukau seat after Mr. Kirkhride’s death. Tlio Opposition was centreing tlie fight of the election on the Land .Bill, but tlieir criticism was based on misrepresentation. Mr. Massey had , told the electors that tho L.I.P. leases terminated with tlio death of the ten-

ant. That was untrue, and was made to frighten the wives and dependents of lossoes. Tlio heirs of lessees succeeded in the ordinary course, and trustees could even sell to another Ik'iiant, provided tho terms of the lease were fulfilled. Tho Opposition also gave out that tho Land Bill was a direct attack oil existing freeholds, and no freehold was safe, and all woro in danger of confiscation. There was absolutely no foundation for such a statement, because the bill provided for nothing in regard to existing titles, hut only for tenures of the future in respect of land belongin'l - to the Crown yet undisposed of. No contract could he violated, and no Government could attempt to. except, in cases of resumption under the

Land for Settlements Act. Tho only existin'*- tenure at nil affected by the bill was the 0.R.P., and in that ease the State morolv gave tenants the choice of another tenure—a. lease

with an opportunity to pav off 90 per cent. HeJ defended the limitation of area proposals, with which none could disagree miles victims of their own selfishness and covetousness. There was nothing in the proposals for the farmers to run their heads against. TTo defended at length tho endowment proposals. The Opposition said it was hotter to soil land ■ and fund the money, hut if lands | were sold it would he at the presentj dav value, and only to-dny’s value would l>e funded and produce interest. If tho land were set- aside its value would increase with the opening up of the country and tho growth of population. It might ho an open question whether tho whole or only part of the Crown lands remaining should he sot aside, and that was a fair subject for debate. There was nothing in the Land Bill, continued Air. Carroll, to frighten anyone. The bovcqtt raised hv the Opposition put fear in the settlors’ breasts. He onlv desired to set aside misrepresentation 'find show that tho hill was not tho I ■ joarful ogre the people wore being I led to believe, and that there was plenty of room between all opinions to arrive at a workable basis.