Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1884. MR MACARTHUR'S ADDRESS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 184, 2 July 1884, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1884. MR MACARTHUR'S ADDRESS.

The address which Mr MacAitTHUit delivered at Palmerston on Monday evening dealt with a large number of the leading and most important questions of the day, and it now only remains for the electors of Manawatu to carefully consider the views he holds, and the opinions he has expressed, and, from them, to decide whether or not he is the most suitable man to represent them m Parliament during the ensuing three years. One of the chief points noticeable m Mr Macauhur's address is the candid manner m which he acknowledges anything which outsiders consider m the light of a fault. Few candidates, when on the hustings, are so severely taxed as to questions of local interest long since gone by, and,one would almost have thought, forgotten, and few have to meet the persistent catechising which that gentleman met with on Monday evening. Had there been any real damage to his candidature likely to arise from such questions being put, it is possible that his friends would have preferred to have silenced the enquiring minds of the gentlemen who put them ; but, be it said to their credit, no damper was thrown on the questioning part of the proceedings whatever, and Mr Macauthur met them as only a man can who has acted m a straight-forward and honorable manner m the past, and has consequently nothing to fear m the J present, and no apprehensions for the future. Some of the enquiries made were with regard to the action of the Road Board with which Mr Macarthur is identified, blaming it for not assisting the residents m the locality to get a certain road constructed which passes for a great part of the distance through a single property. Now, it is well-known that when money is taken up under the Roads

ami M r t ages i ' < > n n t :\ci, me 10.-;i'ity thnni<j;h which the ro.ul that is to be made runs, has to bear the entire cost of it, paying the s:une by means of a special rate struck for the purpose. Where that locality comprises a many diil'crelit | holdings, the burden of such extra . taxation is more or less equally distributed; and, whilst theadvanta r e< derived are great, the increased cost j to the settlers is comparatively small. But m the particular case which the questioners kept on bringing up on Monday evening, the proposed line of road would run through a single property to a very great extent, thus incurring a heavy annual liability, and entailing an expensive piece of fencing to the owner of it. Though that road might be beneficial to many settlers, still no fairminded man would, we believe, say that any single individual should be taxed to so inquisitorial an extent as Mr Cotter must have beeen had Mr Macarthur consented to assist the settlers m carrying the proposed scheme into effect. And then comes the point with regard to Mr MacakthuVs personal character, which these opponents do not seem to appreciate. L-Jad he truckled to the wishes of what were clearly the many, he would have gained much more popularity than by stoutly refusing to be a party to inflicting a hardship on one individual, as he has done m this case. It only goes to shew, therefore, that the candidate possesses a firm and decisive character, which is so seldom met with amongst Parliamentary aspirants, whose chief aim is, usually, to pander to the whims; of their future constituents, and steal popularity at the risk of good sense, stable judgment,and honor. Mr Macarthur's views on the Education question will conform with those of many of the electors. Free primary, secular education is a system which good sense teaches us is advisable, and which experience has proved to us to be necessary. Those who wish their children educated m the more advanced branches of learning are, people who, as a rule, can well afford the extra expense, and it is ! therefore taxing the country to too great a degree when the mass of the people are forced to pay for secondary education. Of course, occasionally, a clever lad will be found who might turn out well if his parents could only afford to give him a fair education, but there are always scholarships to be worked for and won, and the number of these will increase as the country gets older, and more advanced, thus affording exceptional advantages to those who are promising but have no opportunity of obtaining the advantages of an expensive education. The formation of a Federal Council also met with Mr Macarthur's approval, except m the one point that it was expensive. It is all very well to cry out that by allowing federation to take place, we shovild be forfeiting our freedom of legislature ; but on the other had our freedom might become a very doubtful point some fine day when French criminals are swarming m the Pacific, and populating it with abandoned elements of society and outcasts of the worst class. We should then be glad of a little assistance to uphold our rightSjfrom the sister countries. The medium must be adopted. Join the Council, but strongly object to any of our freedom being festered by having to truckle to the whims of the other colonies. There are other points m the address which afford food for comment to an almost unlimited extent, but it is sufficient that the general expression of ideas are those of an experienced man and one who has a practical turn of mind. In spite of the various questions which were asked, many of which were rather out of place and unfairly put, Mr Macarthur shewed out m good style on Monday evening, and the spirit m which the electors of the Manawatu district accept his candidature will probably be shewn by his return by a large majority to the House of Representatives.