MR RHODES AT PLEASANT VALLEY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1635, 17 September 1887, Page 3

MR RHODES AT PLEASANT VALLEY.

Mr A. E, G. Rhodes addressed the electors of the Gladstone district at the Pleasant Valley schoolroom on Monday evening Inst. There was a good attendance, and Mr W, U. Slack was voted to the chair.

Mr Rhodes commenced by stating that he had noticed in the report of the meeting of one of the candidates for that seat that one of the electors had said there that he "onld bring several person* to prove that his (Mr Rhodes’) statement that he had eome forward as a candidate before tbe Political Reform Association bad been started was untrue. He tfr Rhodes hoped that elector was there that night, because it he (Mr Rhodes) had made a fa’ss statement it was quite unintentional. At the same time he did not think he had nude a falie statement. He then read a telegram he had received from Christchurch, stating that the Political Reform Association was not advertised in Christchurch till June 20th. He alio read a letter from the Timaru Herald office showing that the Political Reform Association vs* not advertised in the Timarn paper; till sth July, and their first public meeting wis held on 19th July. He thoughts strict enquiry should be made into the Civil Service a* he believed a large saving could be effected there. There had been a letter written to th'e Tbmuia Lesdhr which showed that the Customs duties was a graduated tax. He did not' think they would agree that it was so.

Several question* were asked and amw-red hut they were of the ordinary character. One in reference to hi* connection with the Political Reform Association resulted in a prolonged discussion. Mr Slack: There i* one question Hr Rhodes would like to answer. That we* about his coming forward before the forma lion of the Folitiosl Reform Association.

Mr Murphy stated that all the gentlemen ware not there that could prove of their being asked to join the Association before Mr Rhode*’ advertisement appeared.—Mr Rhodes said that did not make what he arid a lie, because there might have been a private meeting that he had never heard of. He bad the telegram from Christohnrob, and the letter from Timaru, and both bore him out in what be had seid. Mr Burke stated that be had been ask’d to join tbe Association lix weeks before the Reform Association wa* started at Hilton. Mr ?. W. Moore said to the bait of his belief the Political Reform AnociaMon wei started after Mr Rhodes came out. After some fu the? diiounion to tbe snme effect the matter dropped. Mr Murphy: Would Mr Rhodes explain to the meeting bow Sir John Hail sot (be name of " gridironer,” and what effect it had npon the settlement of the people wh-n tho Government gave the Companies and la*e* landowners tho chance to buy up all good land along the road frontage*. They buy up 80 acres and leave 19 acres, and had a law passed that no man ooulT get less than "0 acre*, and thn* they got a chance to hoy he good land. Haarited if that wa* ju*H o a to ’the peopl P He also spoke of the Preemptive Tights, when the runhold. rs were rilowt-d a right over fifty chains from ever* fet.oe. sheep y- d. op 4-grilou hollar ereoted He »W stated that if it became known that a,shepherd had bought land on on- o- th,station* h® got*? th 6 **^aok, ,, th*t those who wanted had to go by moo luhj and select it. He considered the Hall-

Atkinson party had mined New Zealand for the purpose of playing into tho hande of the monopolists,—Mr Rhode* thought Sir John Hall had got tho name from cutting up the land as ho did.

Mr Murphy thought it was a very ihallow answer. —Mr Rhodes laid tho question explained itself. A* to tho pre-emptive right*, they all knew about them, and that they were now oil done away with. Mr Murphy: Would Mr Rhodes pledge himielf to not to follow the Hell-Atkineon party ?—Mr Rhode* laid he would not pledge himielf to follow, or not follow anybody. An elector: Would Mr Rhode* be in favor of extending the present leases tornnholders. —Mr Rhodes said he would not. For his part he had no interest in the squatters whatever. Mr Burke: Mr Rhodes stated in hit speech that John Staart Mill had said that a man, if he had a rook freehold, would turn it into a garden, but hs would turn a leasehold into a desert. Didn’t Mr Rhodes think that a man would turn a run that would carry 20.000 sheep or 4,000 head of cattle into a garden? (Applause.)—Mr Rhodes said he was misunderstood again. The Act provided that block* capable of holding more than that should not be held by one man. There was a provision in the new leases that the land could be taken for agricultural or pastoral purposes by giving one year's notice. An elector wished to know if Mr Pestlethwaite could account for the change that had taken place since Mr Feld wick contested tbe seat with Mr Wakefield. He wanted to convince them then that it was madness to settle the people on the runs. Was not MrPostlethwaite oanvsning for the same Government now P Still he had sent hi* adopted son, Mr Rhode*, to Temnka with a land scheme, and when he was asked where the land was he said he did not know. This gentleman had gone round the country addressing meetings, end never saying a word about the rum till he came to Hilton when he had them already laid off in blocks. The questioner had been about 20 years in the country, and never beard a word about the runs being out up. He supposed it had com# about in this way. The father and son had met, and the former had said, "My dear son, we shall lose the election if we don’t say something about the runs.’’ He thought that was about how the snow got off the hills. (Loud applause.)— Mr Rhodes said he distinctly denied it. He bad mentioned the runs at every one of his meeting*, and he bad mentioned everywhere that be wa* not a iquatter. He had never in hi* life tpoken to Mr Postlethwaite about the Canterbury or any oth*r rune. Mr Slack asked if'Mr Rhodes would be in favor of cutting op the land in blocks large enough to carry one thousand sheep, and let the same by auction. He thought this would increase the revenue of the country, and it would also do a great deal to obviate tbe necessity for rabbit inspector* for which they were threatened with heavy taxation. (Loud applause.)—Mr Rhodes said he did not mean to say the runs would be actually out up as marked out now, but «• a matter of fact one or two were surveyed for cutting up into small blocks. Ha was in favor of land capable of being held in small blocks being out up. Mr Slack also spoke about the Plantation Encouragement Act. Under that Aot he h*d planted a considerable area of land, but was never able to get the compensation promised by Government for the same. He would like Mr Rhodes to inquire into this. Mr Rhodes said whether he went to Wellington or not he would inquire into thi*, as he was interested in a similar case.

Mr Burk asked if Mr Rhodes would be iu favor of a Bill to give Road Board* the power to compel owner* of laud to lay poison for the tmall bird* P—Mr Rhodes thought it was very reasonable that local bodie* ihonld have the power to deal with the small birds nui■anc*.

Mr R. Hammond propoied a hearty vote of thanks lo Mr Rhodes for his address.

Ibis was seconded by Mr A, W. McDonald and carried. A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the meeting, whioh was of a most passive and patient nature.