MR RHODES AT ASHBOURNE.

Press, Volume XLVIL, Issue 7722, 29 November 1890, Page 5

MR RHODES AT ASHBOURNE.

•.- Mr B. H; Rhodes addressed a meeting of the electors at the schoolroom, Ashbourne, last night.-There was a capital attendance, the room being filled; the audience including several ladies. Mr Clark, the Chairman of the School Committee, occupied the chair. In his opening remarks, the Chaxr&ah said that it. was with sincere- pleasure that he welcomed the ladies who were present : that evening. There was, he felt, now no i necessity ta ask for a quiet' and patient hearing for Mr Rhodes. He knew that i .they would do so. • ■'• Mr Rhodes, who was wamily received on rising, spoke much on the same lines as his speech at Woolstou, pointing out that <a£ a beginning mhst be made in political life sometime the objection which was made Jao him of not having experience did not carry much weight. Mr rHhodeS then went on , to deny most emphatically that ho was the nominee of any Association whatever, and as emphatically declared that he was perfectly independent of any section whatever. His opposition to any further borrowing, and the large increase in the" value of our exports, more particularly that of frozen meat; the reduction by '££91*000 of the annual expenditure of the colony by the present Government, were rapidly and succinctly' touched upon. Mr Bhodes then dwelt: upon the subject of the railways, which he urged should ba used in the intciegLs of the colony as a > whole, and as' a means of -promoting settlement. He pointed out fthafc though the cost of education might be regarded as large, he could not but look ' at the importance of preserving the system intact. He called attention to the > fact that a floating population was always attracted where loan money was being I; spent, and the- cessation oi the public > works expenditure here .woulel- account to a large degree for the depletion of their j population. The scheme of General Booth, 1 the tariff/reciprocal, interchange of products, the retention of the property tax ! as opposed to a land and income tax, the settlement of the land under the present } land laws, bis opposition to confiscation but desire to forward boyajld* settlement, , his...firm, determination to give- a loyal ; support to . the - present school ase, | Unionism, were all passed ander rapid review. Mr Rhodes concluded his ad- , dress by stating that he would not if j elected go up to Wellinjxton as a ! representative of any one class, but he t would use his best endeavor* to further the interests of all alike* .. .la answer to questions, Mr Bhodes said that the Act of 1887 wsjs meant to stop dummylsm, but owing to a flaw it failed to do so. He thought that the first duty of the new House should be to pass j an Act to put a stop to this practice. He : thought that eight hours was a fair day's 1 labor for factory hands; but It was im* possible to apply this id farm laborers , who in harvest time would have to work longer hours than eight. One square mile of land to each man was & pretty fair allowance, but a mile oi mou-ituiu tops or of the Mackenzie Country would , not be much for anyone. He was not in , favor • of. export duties. As to female . suffrage, bethought that they might begin ! by allowing those who were entitled to i vote for local bodies, but ha troughs S,tefc,

ItJbay.would siot tolling before thai had [ universal suffrage for women. As to the doing away with Education Boards, he thought that they bM~ too many Boards, and should amalgamate some of them. With reference to the question of the Union Company ttnd the coal mines, he did not believe la monopolies, and was , not aware that tho Union Company had a ■ monopoly of tbeuoal mines of the colony. The land did not belong to the people the same as water or air, because they couhl take' as nwich of either of these as they liked; but if they did that with reference to land, some of them would come very badly off, as there* would not be enough foraU- - - -:• : ' v '' ' '"' Mr D. Dwnoan moved—" Tliet the i hearty thanks'of the meeting bo given to Mr Hhodes for his excellent addresi that evening." It had been said that Mi Rhodes was too young to represent so important a constituency as the Heathcofrs, but when he returned from Wellington to give an account of his stewardship If-he had no greater sin than that of youth tc j answer for they would gladly absolve I him. l Mr Henlkv seconded the motion, whlcl waa carried amidst applause. < The meeting terminated with a vote of ' thanks to the Chairman. ,