The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1908. MR GOW AT ORMOND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2236, 31 October 1908, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1908. MR GOW AT ORMOND.

Those electors who attended Mr Cow’s meeting at Ormond had no reason to regret tlio courtesy tins extended to a political cand* lute Jnrmerly unknown to them, ft is one of the disadvantages att idling to a large ,scattered electorate such as the Bay of Plenty, that each candidate must necessarily be a complete stranger to a large section of those who will be called upon to decide who is best fitted to serve their interests in Parliament. Thus, while Mr Cow is well and favorably known in the northern part of the electorate, ho has until now been unknown politically at this end. Those who did attend the Ormond meeting were manifestly impressed by the candidate. There were no rhetorical fireworks of the kind with which the modern politician is wont to tickle the ears of his audience, but there was, what was infinitely -preferable, a plain statement of fact in which the views of the candidate were placed before the meeting in as clear a form as. possible. Mr Gow is himself a successful dairy farmer in Opotiki, and, in addressing an audience of farmers he was able to speak as one practical man to another. Mr Gow’s speech, though free from elaborations of any kind, showed that tlio candidate has a very clear grasp of the politics of this country. Though standing in opposition to the present Government Mr. Gow made it very clear that his platform is, nevertheless, one of progress. Party lines, as he pointed out, are not very distinct nowadays, and it is all nonsense for one side to taunt the other with being Conservative, or to assume a monopoly of the term Liberal. Following this point up he was able to indicate how, if used at all, the term Conservative could more justly be abscribod to the present Government than to those in Opposition. His instancing of the refusal of the Government to reform the Upper House, which at present exists chiefly as a political heaven where rejected candidates may find consolation and others may obtain a suitable reward for party services, was very apt, and he made another strong point in drawing attention to the wretched system under which tlio public works of the Dominion are at present carried on. No-one can jusdify for a moment the deplorable methods by which the roads and bridges vote is annually passed blind-folded by Parliament, , yet the so-called Liberal Government persistently refuses to bring forward a reforming aneasure. Unlike Mr Macdonald, Mr Gow knows precisely whore he stands on the freehold question, and he does (not hesitate to make his position clear. He would give every leaseholder ia chance at some time to secure the title of his holding, Relieving that only thus will the settler's be encouraged to bring forth the utmost productiveness from their lands. . After .all, this is the vital issue as between the Government and the Opposition on the land question, and we have no doubt that on this matter, at any a - ate, the farmers of th« country are to a man with Mr Massey and his supporters. It was evident to (anyone listening to Mr Gow that his sympathies are entirely with the small fawner, upon whom the future welfare of the Dominion will chiefly depend. To. quote his own words: “If any industry must bo pinched the last ol'asff to feel the pinch should he

the country'settler,” and this attitude is .one that is entirely commendable. In returning Mr Gow to Parliament the electors of the Bay of Plenty would not secure so brilliant a politician a® their former member, Mr Harries, but .they would have an honest, painstaking representative, who would leave no stone .unturned to properly serve his constituents, whose actions could never be dominated by any-Parliamentary leader, and whose vote would bo invariably oast for reform and straight administration.