Mr Fraser at Ashhurst

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 14, 12 July 1884, Page 2

Mr Fraser at Ashhurst

— ♦- On Thursday evening the school at Ashhurst was weR fiUed, Mr Cottor being in the chair. The Chairman thought some might be surprised to see him in the chair, as he so strongly supported Mr Macarthur, but that made no difference. He asked them to allow Mr Fraser a fair chance of speaking. Mr Fraser spoke ©n-the subjects as reported in the Feilding Star of the Bth instant, and then expressed? his willingness to answer any questions. The chief enquiries were by Mr Webley regart^ng the candidates being in favor of taking the toUs off the Manawatu Bridge. By so doing the ratepayers of Ward No. 6 would have to pay the special rate that the Board had pledged themselves not to collect. Mr Cotter spoke strongly, on the subject, saying this" was the' chief reason why Ashhurst would not support Mr Fraser. Mr Fraser explained tliat though he didn'.t believe in tolls, still he would choose the lesser evil, and he .didn't uphold forcing the Ashhurst people to pay for a work that wquld bpnefit the whole country. He .fo^ugtrtT the money for buijtding the bridge could be obtained from Government as a special grant. The otliei* bmds§ had been built so.and why should not this? Mr Cotter explained that -when the other bridge was built the Roads and Bridges Construction Act was not in force, but now all applications whatsoever had to come through that Act. The money had been applied for as a special grant dozens ot times over. In reply to Mr Cotter, Mr Fraser said he would favor the Roads and Bridges Construction Act being amended so as to put the district and Maori roads on an equal footing. He was not in favor of federation at present at any rate, and as regards education, he would like to see denominations receive capitations, but could not see how that could be done without destroying the secular education. When the vote of thanks to Mr Fraser was moved it was unanimously carried, Mr Cotter proposing and Mr Nelson seconding,* and Mr Webley remarked that they were obliged to the candidate for addressing them, ahd had Mr Macarthur not been standing as well he might have, received their support. But they all favored Mr Macarthur's candidature. Mr Sly asked if that was meant as a compliment and Mr Webley replied in the affirmative.