THE RANGITIKEI ELECTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2611, 20 September 1909, Page 4

THE RANGITIKEI ELECTION.

SPEECHES OF CANDIDATES. i

fPmt Press Association.] TAIHAPE, Sept. IS. Mr. R. W. Smith, Liberal candidate, continued his campaign last nffikt, shaking to a large number of electors at Utiku. He welcomed the second ballot, and said he felt confident that lie would be returned by a large majority. He said Ins chances had been decried by Opposition, papers, but the polling on'Thursday last gave them their reply. The unsuccessful candidates had” promised to support him. He had been strongly advocating the purchase of tlie freehold of Xa-tive allotmeuts, on which Utiku was built, and had been assured by the Native Minister that there was now nothing to prevent the attainment of this right. The Native owners were perfectly agreeable to sell. . He wanted to seethe Lands Settlement Act applied to Native lands, as there were large area? held, t-o the detriment of closer settlement. The speaker read a telegram lie had received from Mr. Carroll, stating that the Awarua- block would be opened up for settlement at an early date”. He was opposed to the Government assisting further immigration, and sun-ported the Arbitration Act. At Manga-veka last night, Mr. Hook ]y met a- large attendance of electors. In his opening remarks he made reference to tho -Second Ballot Act, the principle of which he condemned. _ It was his opinion that if the bare majority system was generally disapproved ot a- system should be devised tinder which the absolute majority could be ascertained without the need for a second ballot. He declared that unimpeachable testimony could lie adduced to show that his opponent had effected a complete change of front since last election.