Rangitikei Election

MR ARKWRIGHT at CHELTENHAM On Monday evening Mr Arkwright addresser! the electors in the school house, Cheltenham. The meeting was much the largest ever held in the district, more that 70 persons being present, including, what was quite a novelty in political meetings in this district, several ladies. Mr W. Mills, having been voted to the chair, briefly introduced the candidate, for whom he bespoke a fair and patient hearing. Mr Arkwright, having asked the audience to excuse him if he did not speak at any great length on account of the severe cold from which he was suffering, referred to a report in the Feilding Star, which would lead the electors to imagine that he was a follower of Henry George. He explained that his proposed tax on the unimproved value of the land was not meant to supersede the Property Tax. but as an amendment to that measure. At present the more improvements a man put on his property, the heavier he was taxed. The consequence of this was that as at present worked the property tax fell with greater force on the small land holder than on the large holder and was a direct tax on industry. Mr Arkwright quoted several instances to show that this was actually the case, his idea, therefore, was that for property tax purposes the land should be taken at its unimproved value. He was certainly opposed to any further taxation being placed on the country settler. Mr Arkwright then briefly touched on Education, explaining his views on that question and showing that they would not mjure the present system. With regard to the settlement of the land, he was strongly opposed to the appropriation of the subsidies to making roads in Crown Lands. The Government should make these roads out of loan money and the subsidies should still be paid to the local bodies for maintenance of existing roads. The roads were for general use and it was only fair that the general public should help to maintain them. On tbe labour question Mr Arkwright expressed himself as strongly in favour of Unionism which he considered would be the most powerful factor in ameliorating the social condition of the people. ')n resuming his seat the candidate was greeted with loud applauso. In answer to a question Mr Arkwng-ht said that he was in favour of colonialising the secondary school endownments, at the same time he pointed out that there were great difficulties in the way. A vote of thanks and confidence haying been proposed, an ameudment in favour of thanks only was also brought forward. The Chairman on putting them both to the meeting declared the vote of thanks and confidence carried. A vote of thanks to the chair was proposed by Mr Arkwright and carried by acclamation.