MR DONALD FRASER AT ASHURST.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 192, 11 July 1884, Page 2

MR DONALD FRASER AT ASHURST.

Mi* Frasei 1 met a good attendance of electors at Ashurst last evening. Mr Cotter took the chair by request and opened the proceedings by saying it was quite unexpected by him to be presiding theve that evening. He h.\d known Mr Fraser a long time. Of curse they might, be surprised to see him tuke the chair when they knew he was such a strong supporter of Me Macavthur, but he only wanted them to give Mr Eraser a patient hearing which he was* sure they would do. Mr Eraser then came forward and recapitulated the opinions previously stated on the various questions of public interest. Ho thought education had been a subject of general discussion m all the electorates of the colony. He would be iv favor of secular jleducation because. he didn't see how any particular sect could be assisted without the others. The other subjects were dealt with, as already reported. With regard to the honorarium Mr Eraser thought men were said to go to the House tor the honor of the thing. Well it was a very nice thing to be able to get honor and pay too. (Laughter.) The following questions were then put to the candidate. Mr Whibley: Would you do all y»u could 1o get the Gorge line of railway constructed as soon as possible? Mr Eraser ;: There are three pieces of line m the North Island that I" ■would favor the construction of. The main trunk line, the Gorige line, and the Wairarapa line.. I think myself that the Gorge line is the most important of them all. It is the shortest route, Hud all the land it passes through is acquired, and I think it will be a great boon to the people, and ought to be done as soon us possible. For the Main Trunk line, there are two routes proposed. One *>y Tarauaki and the. other by Marton. I see by one of the Palnierston papers m its report of my address at Eeilding, I am reported to have said I wwars r m favor of the Taranaki line. However, I dare .say it was an error, but I distinctly said the opposite. T have been over the route by Taranaki, and it doesn't open, up the amount of country the central route does. The j amount of country the central line opens up would "well pay for the opeuing. Mr Whibley : If a bridge was constructed over the Manawatu River, would you have the tolls taken off? Mr Frasei : I mentioned iv reply to a .question at Palmerston, that £ would be m favour of abolishing all tolls, if it was possible to do without them. I was asked the same question m Feilding. Now, I think Government built the former bridge, and as soon as this road is much used I think the Government should be made to build this bridge also. The matter should be put before them m proper form, and the importance of the work shewn, and the members for the Napier side asked to assist. Mr Cotter : The same question has been put to the Government half-a-dozen times, and they have refused to have anything to do with it. Mr Eraser : But this was my main reason m objecting* to the tolls' They are not fair to those who travel. We used to have tolls m other places, but we have abolished them. In my dis trict we have roads and bridges, and i everybody can travel free. Now, I I come over to these parts and I have to pay tolls. Mr Whibley: Mv Maearthur has explained to ii.s that if Ward No. 6 will guarantee a special rate, sufficient to pay interest on the money from the Roads and bridges Construction Act, the tolls can be made to pay that rate, and the rate will not be collected. Mr Eraser: I think it would be extremely unfair if you had to pay , for the bridge being made. : Many of you who would pay the rate would have no use for the bridge whatever. I am opposed to any hardship of that kind, and would say out of two evils take the least. I would rather see the public pay tolls on the bridge, than see Ward No. 6 paying the cost of it, As far as I can see a Minister is the worst possible member a district can have, for if he gets anything for his district he' is accused of showing favour, m order to retain hi 3 position. Mr Whibley : But as the law now stands the Government will not grant any money except under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act; and so long as the tolls meet the expenses, we should not make them high. Mr Eraser : Well, I agree that you must choose the lesser evil. I have a horror of tolls, but no small section of the community should be taxed/for the benefit of the general public. But I cannot help thinking that if properly applied for, the application would be granted. - Mr Cotter asked if the fact of his being chairman debarred him from speaking. Mr Fraser said he didn't object. Mr Whibley proposed thafrMr Sly take the chair, so as to give Mr Cotter full liberty. .''• Mr Sly thought any alteration unnecessary. Mr Cotter said the fact of Mr Eraser advocating the abolishment of the tolls from the Manawatu bridge would impose a grea.t hardship on Ward No. Q. They had pledged themselves a week or two ago to vote for the special rate to be struck. The fact of Mr Fraser being opposed to the tolls was their strongest motive to oppose l|is election. If the tolls were abolished, then Ward No. 6 would bo paying for the cost of a bridge for the benefit of the whole people. If Mr Eraser advocates this, it was the strongest poiut he knew on which they should vote against him. He had said the Government should have been askod to make this bridge. Why the Government have been asked a hundred times over, but would not make it, as Mr . Sly probably knew. Tho fact of Mr W. W. Johnston having been a Minister had had nothing to do with it. He merely made these remarks m justification of Mr Macarthur and himself, wlio was the representative of Ward No. 6. Mr Sly: Could you inform me what was the value of the timber that the Government gave for this bridge ? Mr Eraser didn't know the exact amount,

Mr Sly : Would yon be prepared to hare the Roads and Bridges Construction Act so amonded as to spread the liability over the whole of the district ? If I remember right some of the roads of this district were made on that principle. Mr Fraser : I would like to see money borrowed under this Act, for main roads and district roads, on the same terras, and not as at present, when the district roads pay the whole of the money back, whilst the main roads only pay a quarter of it. Mr McDowell : Is not the tipper Manawatu bridge which is now being built, beiiisr done by the Government ? I think if the Government built one they Riig'ht build the other. Mr Cotter: That's a railway bridge, not a merely general traffic bridge. Mr McDowell: The Palmeraton bridge is not a railway bridge. Mr Franer : We bare bridges m Rangitikei too, built by Government. Mr McDowell : There is no doubt that a special grant would be given for tho bridge. Mr Eraser: When I said I would abolish tolls at Palmerston, I didn't know that you would have to pay a special rate if that were. done. I 1 would not abolish the tolls if Ward No. 6 had to pay through their being abolished. A voice : "There is a toll on the other bridge now, and that was made by a Government grant." Mr Fraser : 1 here is no toll to pay all the way from Taranaki to here. Mv Whibley : It is only proposed to have a,.t01l for 10 years. Mr Cotter: I beg your pardon; the' Board makes no pledge as to time, m answer to the gentleman who said the General Government built the Palmerston bridge.they did certainly, but the Roads and Bridges. Construction Act wasn't m force then. All Government grants must now bo raado through the medium of that Act. There is £105,000 now ready lo be divided amongst the applications that were m by the 27 lh June last, Mr Sly: I am going to be irregular, but I am airaid our Chairman has ! forgotten his own home the Hutt, and how the Hutt County Council is do* ing- some works. *^Mr Cotter had not forgotten, but they were different. Mr Whibley asked for Mr Fraser's views on education more clearly. Mr Eraser : I cannot see my way to assisting any denomination, with*, out breaking up the system of secular education, and this: 1 would not do. Mr Colter : Would you abolish the Roadd and Bridges Construction Act, or would you merely bring m some measure instead of it ? Mr Eraser: No, I would amend it m the way I mentioned, putting 1 main and district roads on an equal footing, and income other little ways. Mr Whibley asked about Federation, and Mr Eraser , replied he had not given, the matter serious consideration, but thought it required to be well considered before <juite deciding. His own opinion was, however, that the measure was premature, seeing the difficulties the country was m. They had quite enough to do to look after their own business at present. Mr Whibley.: In case of war wouldn't we be stronger 2 Mr Fraser:. Of course there is no doubt about that. Mr Cotter : What system would you be m favor of regarding the management of the railways 1 Mr Fraser : Government management. It has been suggested that they should be managed by a nonpblitical Board, but be considered the duty of the Government to do so. Also there would be a difficulty m separating the revenue if not managed by one Department;. Mr Cotter said from the majority of speeches he had read both of candidates and m Hazard, h seemed that the management of railways should be placed m the hands of a non-political Board. Tt had been dove m Australia, and it seemed to him to be the best way. j' Mr Fraser : "Well, there ' will be ninety-foar members to decide that question. I have my opinion.^ Mv Cotter instanced the grain traffic and railway freight m Canterbury. - Mr Fraser thought the Government should manage the railways; if one Government could not do it they should get another that could. Mr Cotter than proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Eraser, Mr Nelson seoonding, which was unanimously carried. . i Mr Fraser thanked tho«e> present for the patient and orderly manner m which .they had listened to him, and wished each one to use his own judgement, and put the best man into Parliament. Mr Whibley said they were obliged to Mr Eraser for coming to address the settlers at Ashurst, and had Mr Macarthur not' been m the field he had no doubt he (Mr Eraser) would have had their support. As it was they were m favor of Mr Macarthur being their representative. In reply to Mr Sly, Mr Wiiblej said he meant what he said as a compliment. A vote of thanks to the chair, concluded the meeting at ten minutes past eight o'clock.