MANAWATU ELECTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 194, 14 July 1884, Page 2

MANAWATU ELECTION

MR DONALD FRA.SBB AT AWAUUHL

On Saturday evening Mr Fraser addressed tiie olectois at Awahuri, when the school-house was full: Mr McDonald proposed Mr Weightraan to the chur, but that gentleman Pegged respectfully to be excused. ■ He h:wl occupied that position last time, and it. was only right that someone else .should take a turn. He would propose Mr McDonald to take the chair, to which Mr McDonald consented. Mr Fmser then, alter a fair and patient hearing had been bespoken, by the chairman, addressed the meeting: Amongst other questions which he fully explained was his desire to attend only to the interests of the district he was to represent, if elected, in the matter of a junction for a railway. His having property in other parts would not bias him in any way. He noticed that the feeling at -Ashnrst seemed to be that the only or at lea*t greatest qualification for a representative was his willingness to levy tolls on that bridge. Well if this wax the case he would never be elected. He did my at Ashurst that he had a horror of tolls, in a free country, but at Ashurst it appeared that if the tolls were abolished, the whole of the cost of the bridge would fall upon one small section of , ratepayers. This he did not approve of and would rather see the tolls enforced, if the Government could not be got to build the bridge, than nee a small section of the community so hardly treated. That bridge would be used by the Wairarupa aiid Woodviile and Napier people as well as those all up the West Coast : iniacb the Ashurst people would be the least) beuoh'ted, so he did not approve of them having to pay for it. QUESTIONS. The following questions were asked at the conclusion of the addiess. * Mr Knight said 'Mr 'Fraser had not touched upon the Impounding Act and the alterations he proposed making. ,jMr Fraser thought an amendment might be made in the present Act, aud had suggested that the Government might make some paper a Gazette for publishing all the notices together, and .that copies of these papers t e sent to the schoolmasters at the different district schools, so that" children could find out when any stock was impounded. Mr Kuighp thought this would be more expensive than the present system. "•'.'._ Mr Fraser did not think the expense, would be very much more, but the benefit would be large. In reply to Mr Whittle, Mr Fraser "was not in favor of high education at the expense of the State, and said he would only be in favor of borrowing money for public works. ; Mr Whittle : But it has been all lavished. aw»y that has been ' borrowed. ' -.., Mr Fraser perfectly agreed that it had been to a great extent. He would only borrow what was absolutely necessary and would not favor it being spent hurriedly, He •would stop useless expenditure as much as possible, and he thought they couJd learn from the past how to act in the future. (Applause.) Mi* Whittle reminded the candidate that the Bible said they should not force hardships on the working man. Tt was a great shame to educate the wealthy man's children at the expense of the poor man. The chairman suggested that these were not questions bearing on political matter?, anil if the speaker wished to address them he had better step out in front and commence. He would rather they kept to the subject. Mr Whittle only spoke to enlighten . the candidate so that he would know all about it when he reached the House. Education was an important suljjecfc, for a lot of young r luen were coming into the world. Mr Savage, (from Fielding), asked whether the candidate 'would be m favor of leaving the Education Act as it was, or" would he auiend it? • Mr Fraser would alter it so as to reduce it to a more economical way of working', but would maintain the secular principles. Mr Savage : Yon say that small farms are not advisable for the country. Now supposing a block of 5000 acres were settled on by 50 settlers instead of one, would they not pay more toward the revenue than that one?. • Mr Fraser : I said I *vouM ' like the laud cut up, some into 100 acre section*, and some larger, according to the quality. lam a farmer, and ;tliink one requires more than 100 'acres to make a good living off. Mr Savage instanced France and Germany, where the land : was settled, with! many holders, and didn't think tho«ei countries would be nearly so wealthy occupied by large landholders only. ■Mr Fraser agreed that by the time this country got as largely populated. a» France and Germany there roust be many small farms. He would favor having land cut up in. farms of 100 acres and upwards,, and the larger ones would more easily be able to make aseof the best machinery, without which they could not compete with the imported grain, in price. Mr Savage asked how the reduction of the price of land could injure thoso who had bough c it. They had got all they wanted and it could do them no harm. Mr Fraser considered the lowering of prbes • would tell if a man had spent all lie had in the purchase of a block of liand, and wished to borrow money on it to improve. The fact of other land being cheapened would preveut that man from borrowing all he should be able to borrow. It reduced the value of his land for the time being at any rate. Mr Savage enquired, if the candidate was in favor of reducing taxation, would be not do better by settling 50 men on SQOO aqm» than only qne man ? For all the inhabitants of- the colony paid an. equal amount pf taxes per head. Mr Campbell here interposed and suggested that people should ask | their own questions if they had any

to ask and uot write them out for others to ask for them. (Applause.) ' Mr Weightman contended that small farming could be m<ide to pay. He wanted to know to know why Mr Fraser wouldn't reduce the juice of Government land. Why simply because it reduced the profits of speculators ? Mr Eraser denied that. He didn'fj hold with speculators. Nor did he mind how much land a man held so long as he put that land to good use. He himself had lived on 4000 acres, some of which was not the best of land, and still altogether that land fed about fifty people. This was the same as 100 acres per head, Mv Whittle wanted to know whether Mr Eraser believed in a man i building a house and then being taxed for it. Mr Fraser did not. He did not agree with a land tax. lie' believed ' the property tax to be the fairest bor cause it taxed the capitalist and wealthy of every sort. Only he did not agree with improvements, being? taxed. .'■":■■ In reply to Mr Whittle's enquiry : re grain being distilled m the colony, Mr Eraser thought it had been abolished because of the great revenue that was gained from imported spirits, but he didn't see why they should uot destil their grain in the country and derive a revenue off that instead. Also Mr Fraser was only in favor of nominated immigration. ' In reply to Mr Lucas, Mr Fraser would support a daily mail to Awahuri. He would be always ready to do anything for the district that they aaked him to, but he -would rely oh the electors always giving their request 8 due consideration beiore bringing them forward. ,Mr Lucas explaiued that their maiis from Campbelltown at present went through Sandon and then through Balls and Feiidmgy' before they leached Awahuri. Mr .Eraser could uuderstand the reason of chat, as it could thus be carried, for all those places at once, the one mail sufficing for the lot. The same thing happened with regard xo their mail wfonre he. resided. i M r Savage wished to know whether Mr Fraser considered that a iriah who lived in Ragifcikei District should be expected to take such interest in their local afiairs in the ManawaUi' as a man who resided in the Mariawatu ? Mr Eraser said that was a matter for the electors .to decide. All he, could -say that although he lived in another district he was quite free to represent them without prejudice and was prepared to do so if they returned him. (Applause.) . Mr P. Stuart then proposed a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr D. Eraser,- Mr A. Campbell secunding. Mr .Knight said they had not heard Mr Burr yet, so he would move an amendment of thanks only." Mr Savage seconding. The amendment was put to the meeting when five hands" were held up, and on the motion being put there were so 'many hands that the chairman declared the motion carried without the necessity of counting them. The usual compliment to the 1 chair terminated the proceedings at 8.30 p.m. • ' ■