MANAWATU ELECTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 191, 10 July 1884, Page 2

MANAWATU ELECTION

MR DONALD FRASER AT HALCOMBE.

Last evening Mr Donald Fraser met tbe elector* m the scbool-houiie, Halcombe, when a good attendance was present. Mr Tompkins occupied the chair and briefly introduced the candidate. Mr Fraser came forward and addressed the meeting, recapitulating the various points which have been already published. He repeated .his views on the education question that he was m favor of secular education, but if denominations could be'grauted assistance without breaking up that scheme he would support it. Iv conclusion Mv Eraser said that perhaps they didn't expect he would couie forward ns a candidate, a* he was just a country working man like themselves. He could uob be expect* ed to do as well m the way of speaking as those who had a great deal of practice, and were politicians of many years' standing. He stood a* a duty for the benefit of the district because he had been asked to, and it was for the electors to decide whether he should represent them or not. (Applause.) The Chairman invited any question to be asked. Mr Foot: I think there was nothing said about leasing land. Mr Fraser : I mentioned that I was m favor of giving land . on deferred payment and with as easy term as possible to pay for it. Mr Foot : But we want to know your views on leases, whether you favor long or short leases? Mr Fraser : Long leases with the right of purchase, are what I would support, and the blocks should be. according to the locality and quality of the land, ranging from two acre* to one or two thousand. M.r Purkiss : ¥ou are not m favor of reducing the price of land? What did you pay tor your own land? Mr Fraser : I" think I paid from £1 to £4 per acre. Mr Purkiss : In your Palmerston speech you were reported to have said 10s per acre. Mr Fraser : I bought some at 10s ; at first it .was that: price andy afterwards it rose to .£1 and more, ~ Beduring the price of land more would be unfair to those who h»ve alreadf bou»ht. Mr K. Marsh : Are you m favor of cutting up large blocks of land which are now held by one individual into small farms fot the benefit of the poor man to settle upon? Mr Fraser: I think I said that land should be cut up into blocks to suit the quality and locality. Mr Purkiss: How would you capitalize the rates to make the roads with? Mr Eraser: Say the local body has an income of LI OO a yeaiv The/ could with this pay the interest and sinking fund on a aura of money say LIOOO at the commencement on the security of the rates ; they could thus make all the roads at once, and pay for them by degrees; '*'.'■''.',' Mr Marsh: Would the reduction you propose to make m education, reduce the cost of education to one-h«lf? Mr Fraser : I don't know, but people who have given the subject some careful cousideration say it would. That is educating up to the fourth standard and only taking children after seven years of age. His own experience .told .him that parents could teach the children sufficient up to seven years. Mr Purkiss: If your fcvor a denomination would that reduce the ' cost of education ? „ ■ . • ■ • Mr Fraser : No, I don't think so • but 1 would not favor anything that would break up secular education. Mr Marsh : In Fielding you said you wore m favor of denominations f Mr Fraser: I only said I was m iavor of helping them if it could be done without breaking up jbhe secular system. Mr ATarHh : Then how can you give the Catholics ttielrU capitation without breaking up the secular system 1 . 7 Mr Fraser : £ didn't say I could do SO. : ; Mr Harris : Are you m fovor of free passes for members on, the railway? Mr Fraser.: Only when members are going to Parliament, and not otherwise, f Applause). Mr Purkiss : What interest haveyou m coming forward, to represent the Manawat*, otherwise tkan io Palmerston? : ... . (A voice: "Not to work , for anr land company." Laughter). (Another voice : "By electing you, we are giving three members to Rangitikei)." • ■■ ■■ w Mr Fraser : Well I have an interest, which is being asked by a memlw of electors to come forward as a candidate; and every elector iv New Zealand has a perfect right to come forward on his own accord but especially on the solicitation of others. (Applause). Mr Marsh : Will you try and reduce tho Civil Service expenditure ? Mr Fraser : Yes, if it can posuiblr be done, •■.?.*■•■■ Mr Mar*h : Can yon suggest any way of doing it ? Mr Fraser : No, I have not been m the Civil Service. (A voice. <«Wnr don't yon ask Major Atkinson?") Mr "Purkiss : What is your opinion on local option? | Mr ' Eraser: My opinion on local option is that where it 5s found necessary, to shut up an Hotel, tha owner of it should get some compensation. Mr Wopdhead : Would you support v bill for S'inday closing ? Mr Fraser: There is an Act m force at present. . Mr Woodhead : Well if that's the case we are goinsr wrong m Hnlcombe. (Applause.) If a bill is brought m to prevent Sunday poach-. ing? :...: Mr Fraser: T would like to see Sunday poaobing done away with. Mr Woodhead : There is plenty of it herein Halcombe.' Mr Fraser : Tarn troubled a great deal myself with-it. Mr Purkiss: Perhaps yon. would] be m favor of keeping us at home all Sunday. Mr Cameron ; What about fencing the railways? .

, Mr Fraser: I think we mußt decidedly fence every railway that has been made. Mr Bealing : Would you maintain the Government steamships any longer or sell them ? Mr Fraser: I haven't given that much consideration but think at any rate one steamer should be kept m hand m case of eneigency. Mr Harris : Would you be m favor of testing whether the road should be made to the Otamakapna Block or not] There is some fine land up the valley there. Mt Macarlhnr never takes any notice of any roads but those m the Oroua. Mr Frascr : That seems to be tretting a knotty question. But I think the Government will take every precaution and adopt the best route. No doubt the route will depend upon the country opened up and the expense. Also the Government have ju»t bought a large block of land m that locality, so that I expect its interests will not be neglected. Mr Harris: Excuse me, but we %%-n.t someone to bring it before the Government as we have no one to look after us m this part of the country. : Mr Fraser thought it the duty of every man m the locality, whether a member or not, to make such a suggestion as this. Mr Marsh : Woiild you try and get the freights lowered oh timber, sawn either for building or for firewood? '■-' . :. ,' ':. vl xv Mr Fraser said ' M thought the American sy«t«ni, might : lbe :v adopted successfully, which was that all the local produce, was carried at, greatly reducedratcs,andthusloealtrades were stimulated whilst the railway companies would not lose over the reduc: tion, as they would make it up m the. carriage of imported goods tlmtwoxild follow the settlement of the- coun-, Mr Bealing : Had not some of the Australian-colonies adopted the plan of a non-political Board of Management for lailways? f ■ . Mr Fraser Baid .- ome had and some had not, but he thought it was a part and portion oi the work of the Government to manage the railways. Mr Hank asked to know if Mr Fraser would give/hi* assistance to get a foot bridge over the river, at Kakaiiki? .... Mr Fraser would support it it .we population and r^uireweirts of traffic would warrant it. . Mr W. Bell asked if the candidate would procure a monthly sitting of the R. M.' Court at Halcombe. Mr Fraser would try to do *o. At the conclusion of the meeting a vote of confidence, m the. candidate was proposed by M* Ekifria, seconded by Mr Cameron— An amendment of thanks only was proposed by Mr Mai-Bb, seconded by Mr Everiss. About 9 voted for the amendment, and over 20, f0r the motion, which was declared to be carried amidsi ap plause. , „ x A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the proceedings.