SIR W. FOX AT TURAKINA.

Patea Mail, 4 June 1881, Page 4

SIR W. FOX AT TURAKINA.

Sir William Fox addressed electors at Turakina on Monday evening. He gave a retrospect of the business of last session, in which he defended the present Government from the aspersions which had been cast upon them. As ho mention of education had been made by the Premier in his speech, Sir William Fox thought the Government would not attempt to make any alteration at present, but the time was fast approaching when some change would be found necessary, as the great expense it entailed was pressing heavily on the people. He would not say anything against State education, as he fully recognised its importance, but if £300,000 was not required for the educational system the property tax would not have been required. He fully believed that New Zealand could well afford to pay £300,000 annually for education, but he considered too much was being expended on the higher branches to the neglect of primary education. He wished the educational system more thorough, less superficial, and with less scope. He thought Highway Boards with extended powers would have been the best method of opening the country by public works, but now that Counties had been formed, he was not prepared to say how it could be altered. The main question was, whore wa,s the , money to come from ? There was only two ways : by taxation or by money drawn from the consolidated revenue. The taxation is already severe enough, and though he felt the importance of the subject yet he felt that at present he could give no opinion on it. No doubt Major Atkinson would bring down some project-—perhaps not in the copaiug session, as it would be the last of the present Parliament, but in the next —which would throw light upon the best means for opening up the back-country. If such a project was laid before the House and it met his views, he (Sir William Fox) would support it heartily. There was one other subject which demanded his attention the representation of the various districts according to basis of population. He did not think Turakina was particularly affected by it, but the districts of Manawatu and Rangitikei generally werej and he would be guided by the wish of the community upon that subject, and hoped if they had any wish to communicate upon any matter affecting them, they would not hesitate to do so. A vote of thanks and confidence was unanimously carried.