MANAWATU ELECTIOIN

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 193, 12 July 1884, Page 2

MANAWATU ELECTIOIN

MR DONALD FRASER AT KARERE. Last evening Mr Fraser met the electors at tlie school house, Karere, when the room was nearly full. Mr D. McEwen was m the chair, and briefly introduced the candidate as an old. friend and asked a quiet hearing. Mi 1 Fraser, who was greeted with applause, ~then came forward and touched upon the various questions of public importance. He thus expressed his views on EDUCATION. The system as it stands at present, is an efficient one. If grants were to be given to denominations, the country could not stand the cost. He was m favor of efficient primary education. Some people called this teaching' up to the 4th Standard, but here there was a difference of opinion, because m many cases a child passing that standard did not receive sufficient tuition. What he meant was that children should get sufficient education to t.e able to read and write and cipher. He was not so particular what the standard was so long as it taught the children that. That was his meaning of primaiy education, which shonld be free. THE CENTftAL RAILWAY. He repeated that through an error one of the Palmers ton papers had reported him to be m favor of the Taranaki route of railway. He distinctly said the opposite. The Taranaki line only opened up some 25 miles of good country and that was on the Auckland end, and would be opened up just the same by the central route from Marton or Fielding. He was thoroughly opposed to the Taranaki route. THE GORGE LINE. ' The Gorge line was necessary, and being the shortest, would stand the better chance of paying. With regard to the juuctiou, Palmeiston seemed to be the most natural place for it for many reasons. One was \ that they wouldn't' requite new sta- i tion buildings. But the township of Bunny thorpe was sold on the understanding that that place would be the junction. Now m his opinion, if the junction were removed to Palnier«ton, those who bought sections at Bunnythorpe should be 'compensated by the Government. (Applause.) THE MASTEBroX BAILWAY, Regarding the Woodville-Master-ton extension, he thought most people there, would use the West Coast line, and moreover, if the central line were to carry all the traffic some large alterations would be re-> quired m the Rimutaka. The longest pieces of timber they could take over the Khnutaka were 30 feet, and this would be a drawback to a timber trade if one sprang «up. Mr Fraser made a few more remarks on the same subject, and concluded amidst applause. QUESTIONS. The chairman invited question?, when Mr Monrad asked, with regard to borrowing, how mauy millions would it be necessary to borrow m order to keep the thing going. Last time they were told that one million per annum was enough. Would the candidate continue at that rate ? He thought the people were smelling the money already, and was he afraid the motion would -be brought up to borrow two or three millions a year instead of one. They were told it was only for reproductive works. Were the railways reproductive works he wondered? They found that these were the very things that were ejoins; to jack them. He wished to know what the candidate meant by sajing railways aiid reproductive works, and how much he would be satisfied with. Mr Fraser's idea was not to borrow all at once, because while they Were making the railways they were also peopling the country. If the money , were spent over a period ot five or ten years, the effect would be better. He would borrow by degrees and spend steadily, but wouldn't say how much exactly per annum, because they would have to pay most of the interest out of the borrowed capital which was unfortunate, and therefore he couldn't tell then how much would be required. If possible he would favoi one million each year. Mr Monrad: And would the candidate be prepared to face a very great difficulty ih the shape of Sir Julius Yogel, who would be sure to want to borrow a large amount at once? Mr Fraser thought Sir Julius Yogel required to b* kept steady and he would try and assist m keeping him so. Mr Sly : Would you support amending the Rating Act so that local bodies could adopt their own valuations? Ac present, if they accepted the Government valuation once, we are obliged to adhere to it for three years. Mr Fraser would support anything of the kind, and would look carefully after it. He would be directly interested himself, by giving the best possible attention to jt. (Applause). Mr Bi^cher \ Would the candidate be m favor of reducing the fees for naturalisation 1 Mr Fraser : What are the fees 1 Mr Bitcher : LI Is. Mr Fraser: Is that considered too high ? Mr Bitcher : Yes, it is considered so. The Government seem to think we should be glad to pay anything for the privilege of being naturalised. Mr Fraser would favor the charge being reduced so as to just pay the actual cost the Government woie put to by issuing letters of naturalisation and uo more. (Hear, hear.) The chairman understood the cost to the Government was only 2s 6d per head. Mr Monrad said that foreigners before being naturalised had. to give proofs of good character. That was an imputation of disrepwte. Any English criminal could come here and become an elector, but foreigners had to go through all sorts of forms to shew their good character. (Hear, hear. ) Mr Fraser: But m event of war the foreigner could not be forced to i take arms. Mr Monrad ; Oh, yes they must, they canuot vote without being naturalised

but they could be compelled Co fight m case of war. Mr Fraser thought that foreigners would make good settlers and should ! be encouraged as much as possible. Mr Sly : Would you favor our railways Wing fenced. Mr Eraser : Yos, if the Government can make a line, they can surely fence it. (Hear, hear.^ Mr R. Whibley would ask an important question. The Act was alredy passed relating to the " truck system," and why was it not kept m force? ' * Mr Ft-aser thought there was much to be done m railway matters for the protection of workmen, and when it was clearly shewn to him that there was a grievance he would endeavour to get it removed. (Applause.) Mr Mathieson : Would you be m favor of assisting denominational schools? Mr Fraser had much sympathy with them, but he would not be m favor of giving assistance to any one if he thought it would breakup the secular system of education. The difficulty was that if one had it, they would all want it. There were not only one or two denominations, but a gteat many, and they were increasing every day. Much as he sympathised with them he could not see his way to specially assisting them. Mr Monrad said Mr Fraser had* said that if our railways were sold, the company that bought them would make a profit, and they should "stick" to that profit themselves. Did it strike the candidate that all the works the Government undertook were not so cheaply done nor so well constructed as those that private com* parties took m hand ? Mr Fraser : "Well, it might be judicious to allow compauies to buy them ] that would be all right if the profits were spent here, and not sent to England. I know that companies geuerally do things more cheaply than the Government, but there is a piofit from railways that is not always allowed for. They bring increase of settlement to the district and the colony. When we make roads, we do not expect them to pay interest on the cost jf constiuction, but we always expect railways to do so. Why is this ? I consider if they pay, say, 2 per cent, interest we should be satisfied. Mr Monrad thought that Mr Fraser was quite right, even if the idea of them paying two per cent was * borrowed from Sji Julius Votref. He then moved a vote of confidence mMr Fraser. He hoped they would put him m the House as their representative. Mr J. How seconded the motion which was put to the meeting (there being no amendment). The result was 16 for and 4 against. The Chairman declared the mocion carried,, and Mr Fraser having proposed a vote .of thanks to the chair, the meeting broke up at half past eight.