The Rangitikei Seat

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 2, 14 June 1884, Page 2

The Rangitikei Seat

Mb F. Aek weight addressed a meeting of the electors of Rangitikei at Marton on Thursday night to explain his views on political matters. His speech, which is ably reported in the Advocate, was a most comprebehrive one. He is in favor of the Central Route for the main trunk line of railway, but thinks that what the settlers most need are good roads; the railway is a luxury. He blames Ministers for want of forethought in not seeing what would happen when the funds were not forthcoming to meet demands made under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. He is opposed to wasting public money in attempting to make harbors where nature had forbidden them. He thought the Government would be justified in taking up a fresh loan to complete the works in hand. Iti the ( absence of any able Opposition he did not .

see what alternative he should have but to support the present Government. He did not think much of Sir Julius Yogel. He was opposed to free immigration, as tbe larfle natural increase in the families already in tho colony made it unnecessary, while free immigration only induced the lowest classes to come out. He would advise a firm resistance to any fresh taxation until the Government of the country was conducted more economically. He considered the payment of members should be curtailed, and the members of the Legislative Assembly should be contented with the title of " Honorable Gentlemen." He considered M.H.R.'s should pay their own railway fares. Want of space prevents us making more copious extracts from tli3 address. We can ouly remark that whoever stands against Mr Aekwkight will have hard work to defeat him.