MR RHODES AT PLEASANT POINT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1616, 9 August 1887, Page 3

MR RHODES AT PLEASANT POINT.

Mr A. E. Qv Rhodes addressed the

electors of Gladstone at Pleasant Point on Saturday evening. Mr George Butler occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance. Mr Rhodes’ speech was almost identical with that delivered at Tetnnka, and on its conclusion he was applauded. The following questions were asked

Are you in favor of further borrowing ? —Mr Rhodes thought he bad answered that question in the course of bis speech. He would oppose further borrowing, except for the completion of existing contracts.

Would you favor the railways being placed under non-political Boards?—Mr Rhodes thought it desirable. He would give the subject fair consideration, but wonld net pledge himself. Are yon in favor of resisting any increase in the Customs duties except for revenue purposes, and do you consider Ibe present tariff sufficient for jprotecting local industry I—Mr Rhodes was opposed to increasing the Customs duties, and thought local industries sufficiently protected by the present tariff in addition to tfae distance from the Home market.

. Are yon in favor of reducing the number of representatives to 71 f Do you tbiak £l6O sufficient honorarium, and would you do away with the general use of free passes t—Mr Rhodes would certainly reduce the number, if possible. fl« thought £l5O would enable a poor man to go into Parliament, especially as be would probably receive that sum for three months’ services, and he would restrict the use »f free passes. If any member had occasion to travel on Government business he could obtain an order for expenses.

Are you in favor of the present system of Education !—Ho (Mr Rhodes) thought b« bad made his views fairly clear in the course ol hie address. He would consent to any retrenchment that would not impair its efficiency. Would you be in favor of making the Legislative Council elective, and of reducing its number to 371—Mr Rhodes thought the nomination system bad. Men got rewarded for party services, and supported any measure for their party afterwards. Ha would like to see a reduction in the number of the Council, and also thought the honorarium of £309 excessive.

Would you take the Savings Bank deposits to start your National Bank scheme! [The Chairman failed to see what tbislquestion and another he held in faia band had to do with Mr Rhodes, but since they had been handed up ho would ask them.) —Mr Rhodes had no intention of going into the banking business at preseat, and was hardly prepared to say what ho would do with the Savings Bank’s deposits. (Laughter.) Is the Lyttelton Times correct in stating that Mr Twomey is the best of the new blood ?—Yes. Certainly, from the Times’ point of view. Mr Twomey had promised to blindly follow the StoutYogel party, and while they were in power the Lyttelton Times would get plenty of advertisements. Mr J. C. Reid : Would Mr Rhodes explain how a Graduated Property Tax would exclude capital from the country, and did be not think such a tax would induce owners to sell out at a reasonable value and tbns assist settlement t—Mr Rhodes was opinion that if such a tax were put on foreign capitalists would not care to trust their money iu the country, and he did not think owners would be induced to sell out, for the proceeds of the sale would still be liable to be lazed.

Mr Tindall: Would you be in ,favor of reverting to the old Canterbury Provincial system of Education I Mr Tendall explained that under tbe system referred to 10s per head was paid by heads of families up to the number of four, and there was in addition t house tax of 20s. Under that system £30,000 had been raised in Canterbury alone,—Mr Rhodes was not prepared to go into the matter, Mr Crawford; Did not Mr Rhodes think that the occupation by the Levels Company of so much land was detrimental to the interests of the district, and would he be In favor of a Progressive Tax, or of the Government buying them out ? —Mr Rhodes was not in favor of any Progressive Tax. When the time came for the Government to purchase it would be time enough to go into the question. At present he thought land-owners would be only too glad to sell. He would certainly oppose the Government buying any estates at present. Such a measure would inevitably lead to jobbery. Mr Reid : Could he show how Departments and local Committees could not carry out tbe provisions of the Education Act without the intervention of Education Boards t—Mr Rhodes thought the Boards did their work vary well. Some arrangements might be made for better centralisation.

Mr Reid : Would yon support a measure for inflicting corporal punishment on men Who brutally beat and ill-treat their wives f—Mr Rhodes thought the tendency of modern days was to do away with corporal punishment. [Mt Reid : Is it, by Jove 1 The wives get it!] (Mr Reid’s questions were put amidst great uproar.) Two other questions, apparently of a personal character, were asked by Mr neid, but the greatest confusion reigned, and the Chairman had. some trouble in restoring order. Mr Ley desired to ask Mr Rhodes what political leader he would follow, if elected 1 —Mr Rhodes thought it impossible to say. He would not pledge himself to any party. If returned lie would register bit first vote against the Government, After that he could not say what be would do. There appeared to bo some uncertainty as to whether the prominent leaders of either party would be returned. (Applause.) Mr Ley ; Would Mr Rhodes vote for a modification in the law at present existing with relation to tbe appointment of Justices of the Peace ? Mr Ley instanced a case of a J. P. offering a bn'be to a member of the House.- -Mr Rhodes could hardly believe that such jobbery could exist at the present day. He thought the present scheme too cumbersome, but could not go into any detailed scheme.

Mr James Bishop : If Mr Rhodes found the present d-ficil could not be made up by retrenchment, bow did he propose te make it up f—Mr Rhodes would increase the Properly Tax to one penny in the £. if that wai not sufficient, he could aot at the time, suggest a measure, it was» question for the Colonial Treasurer,

Mr Bishop: If, as he understood, Mr Rhodes would favor increase of the present tariff if necessary for revenue purposes, on what articles would he impose the extra tax ?—Mr Rhodes would tax articles of luxury generally. Mr Bishop; Then the testing point with Mr Rhodes would be, Was it a luxury? and not, Could it be produced in Naw Zealand! —Me Rhodes would first tax luxuries and then arrange the tariff so as to be least harmful to the many. Mr Bishop : Was Mr Rhodes aware that the present duty on tea and sugar was equal to about 20 per cent, while on the majority of the other articles except spirits it did not exceed 15 per cent!—Mr Rhodes i waa unprepared to go into details, but would not advocate extra duty on tea and sugar. Mr Ley; W ould Mr Rhodes vote for a total repeal of the duty on those articles ?—Mr

Rhodes would like them free, but thought it impracticable. Mr Reid : Would Mr Rhodes impose a tax on hunting saddles, hounds, carriages and jewellery I—Mr Rhodes ; Certainly on jewellery. Hounds were already taxed, and he thought luxurious carriages might with advantage be taxed.

Mr Ley : Would Mr Rhodes agree to » modification in the tax on dogs 1 Mr Ley said the County Councils were allowed a discretionary power in the matter and it often led to a paltry abuse of the power delegated to them for the public good. Ho instanced the Mount Cook County, where the first two dogs were charged 10s per head and any number after that at Is. This was a hardship on shepherds and farmers who required their dogs for working purposes. Squatters could keep any number almost without taxation.—Mr Rhodes thought shepherds’ dogs should he free, but it waa really a question for the local bodies.

Replying to Mr Tindall Mr Rhodes thoaght it would be advantagous to do away with the present dml system of County Councils and Road Boards. Replying to a question *s to whether he would favor a Jaw compelling bankers to pay interest on open accounts, Mr Rhodes said he would not vote for any legislation controlling certain dealings between individuals.

The Rev. Jasper-Smythe asked if Mr Rhodes would support a measure excluding necessary agricultural implements from being seized if a fanner became bankrupt?—Mr Rhodes thought the present Act a good one, and he would not legislate for one class more than another. Mr Henry Nicholson then proposed a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Rhodes.

The Rev. Jasper-Smythe reconded the motion and said the real question of the day was simply Freetrade v. Protection. He (Mr Smythe) was a freetrader by principle, although every stitch of clothing he wore that evening was made in the colony. Mr Rhodes was born in the colony and so long as he was as good as the imported article he would vote for him.

The Chairman wrs about to put the resolution when Mr Rhodes intimated that he preferred receiving only a vote of thanks. If he were returned and came before them again he would be glad to receive a vote of confidence.

Mr W. B. Howell had much pleasure in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr Rhodes, He had shown his modesty in not asking for more, and they could display their confidence in him at the polling booth.

Mr Tindall seconded the motion but before it was put Mr Thomas Ley, farmer, Opihl Valley, said he had much pleasure in supporting the resolution —“That a vote o f thanks only be accorded to Mr Rhodes” and desired to tell that gentleman moat frankly and candidly that he had no confidence whatever in him. (Uproar, Cries of “ No, no,” and “ Go it Ley.” Order was restored by the Chairman, and Mr Rhodes said that he was cot afraid of anything that might be said of him, and personally he preferred that Mr Ley should be allowed to speak). Mr Ley, continuing, said that this was no ordinary contest, and they must not allow themselves to be hoodwinked. This was not a contest between Rhodes and Twomey, but it was a figh t for fair land settlement against monopoly, and however plausibly Mr Rhodes u ight disguise his opinions, and in spite of his piofound independence at first, they would find inevitably if he were returned to Parliament, that he would soon be merged among the servile followers of Ball and Atkinson. He would with their permission refer briefly to a fen Mr Rhodes’speech, and trusted that they Would give them their attention. Mr Rhodes was opposed to the Government purchasing private land while as he (Mr Rhodes) said there were thousands of acres of Crown land awaiting settlement. He challenged Mr Rhodes to point out these thousands of acres of land. Every acre that was worth having was the prey of the monopolists. The piek of the land from Pleasant Point to the Waitaki was in the hands of a few companies and runholders. (Cries of “No, no,” and “Let him speak.”) He would say further, it was brought about by the iniquitous Canterbury Land Laws, framed in the days when squatters had the sway, and no working man was allowed a vote. (Mr Clelland: It was free selection. Why didn’t you take up some 1) That was not the point at present, (Here there was another interruption, which was stopped by the Chnirman). Mr Ley continued; He would not detain them long, but de< sired to draw their attention to Mr Rhodes’ statement, that a Graduated Property Tax would drive capital out of the country. Let them take an example. Suppose a capitalist in the Old Country had £30,000, for which he could get 4 per cent,, er an income of £I2OO per annum. If he brought it here he could invest it on good security at 8 per cent,, which would give him £2400 a year. Deduct the property tax of Id in the £, or £126, and he still had left £1275 to the good. Was he likely to leave an investment like that and go Home ? (Applause). He would not. T*.ko an instance again from the Customs duties. The duty on tobacco was 3s 6d per lb. Suppose a man consumed 18lbs per annum, then a mm with an income of £IOO would pay at the rate of 63s per cent., a man with £IOOO a year at the rate of 6s 4d per cent., and a m>in with £SOOO a year at the rate of Is 3d per cent. Again with tea, the duty on which waa 4d per lb. Supposing the average consumption of a family was 52 bs per year, then the mao with an income of £IOO a year would puy at the rate of 17a 4d per cent., the man with £IOOO a year at tbe yate of Is fid per

cent., and the man with £SOOO a year at the rate of 4d per cent. In the matter of pngar, the duty on which was per lb. Suppose the consumption of the family was 6lhs per week, or 3121bs per annum, the man whose income was £IOO a year would pay at the rate of 13s per cent., the man with a £IOOO a year at the rate of Is 4d per cent., and the man with £SOOO at the rate of 3d per cett. All Customs duties ware graduated alike, but they fell hardest on the poor man. (Loud applause.) He would ask Mr Rhodes as aj man and a gentleman bow he could justify this, and then object to a Graduated Property Tax on the rich man ? This was a question on which all Conservatives were silent. Earl Russell had said “ that

there was an ignorant impatience of taxation among the lower orders,” bat ha (Mr Ley) would venture to say that the impatience was on the other sida here. Mr Rhodes bad made capital of Mr Ballnnce’s unauthorised expenditure of £70,000, but had said never a word of the £250,000 spent by Major Atkinson, Mr Ley sat

down amidst mingled applause and hisses. The motion was then put and carried; Mr Rhodes in proposing a vote of thanks to the Chairman said that he had not met Mr Ley before. He (Mr Ley) had been most candid in expressing his opinions, and he hoped all would follow his example. If the electors did not think he could represent the community at large he did not want to go to Wellington. He thanked them for the patient hearing accorded him. The meeting then dispersed.

MR W. PALMER AT WOODBURY.

Mr W. Palmer addressed the electors of the Rangitata District in the Woodbury schoolroom on Saturday evening last. There were about 70 electors present. Mr F. R. Flatman occupied the chair, and briefly introduced the speaker. He bespoke for him a fair and patient hearing, and expressed a hope that those present would not have recourse to what ha termed “The flour and egg business-” Mr Palmer’s speech was a repitition of that delivered by him at Geraldine on Tuesday evening last. At the conc'uaion of the address the Chairman intimated the speaker’s willingness to answer questions, when the following replies were given ; With regard to the election, he was in earnest, and would fight it out to the last. Mi femaie suffrage, be thought the ladies would shine much better at their own firesides. There being a few ladies present they took this hint and retired from the meeting, A yote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously, there being not a single dissentient. The meeting, which was of a most orderly character throughout, terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.

Mr George Playford, of Invercargill, offers himself as a candidate for Napier, having been invited by the better class of Liberals, who are not satisfied with Mr Ivess,

Mr Eden George announces himself a candidate for Christchurch South. Be supports the Ministerial programme. It is stated that Mr Henry Thomson, who represented Christchurch North in Parliament from 1881 to 1884, opposes Mr Ayers for Christchurch South, on the Opposition ticket.

Mr R. D. McLachlin has retired from the contest for Hokonui through illhealth, leaving Mr Cowan (old member) and a Mr Baldey to run for it. A requisition is being signed at Invercargill, asking Sir Julius Vogel to deliver an address there.