THE BAY OF PLENTY SEAT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3342, 7 October 1911, Page 5

THE BAY OF PLENTY SEAT.

MR. DE LAUTOUR RETURNS TO TOWN.

WELL SATISFIED WITH HIS TOUR OF THE ELECTORATE. To a “Gisborne Times” reporter yesterday Mr. H. de Lautour, the Reform Party’s candidate for the Bay of Plenty seat, said that lie was well satisfied with the results of his recent tour of the electorate. Mr. de Lautour said that throughout the eletcorate he found much evidence of the dissatisfaction of the residents with the present Government. As regards the sitting member, Mr. Macdonald, it was also clear that he was held in high esteem, but his association with the party in power was deplored. The Reform Party nominee expressed himself as more than pleased with the meeting which he held at Opotiki. He will next speak at Te Karaka, but the date has yet to be fixed. There will be an address at Whakatane ou October 28. Mr. de Lautour added that a big committee was being formed at Opotiki to further his candidature. MR. H. de LAUTOUR AND THE LIQUOR QUESTION. [To the Editor.] Sir, —It has been reported that at a meeting of electors that I addressed in Opotiki that I said, in answer to a question, re my views on the liquor question, “What is wanted is a Prohibitionist, not a nominee of the License party.” This is a misstatement that I 'hasten to correct, and ask you, sir, to put the matter right through your columns. In answer to the question I said, “The people have this in their own hands. I am a Democrat, and believe that it is the right of the people to decide this question.” I went on to say that I did not think that a nominee of the Prohibition party or one of the License party should stand for Parliament. Because the nominee of the one party was voted blindly against by the supporters of the other party, and all other questions were subordinated to this one, which, after all, was only one of the many questions before the electors. —I am, etc., HARRY DE LAUTOUR.