MR A. E. G. RH DES AT PLEASANT POINT.

Press, Volume XLVIL, Issue 7726, 4 December 1890, Page 6

MR A. E. G. RH DES AT PLEASANT POINT.

Mr A. E. Q. Rhodes' addressed a very large number of electors at Pleasant Point on Tuesday evening, the room being quite full and the meeting most orderly and attentive. Mr Cartwright, Chairman of the School Committee, presided. Mr Khodes, ou comioK forward, was warmly received, aud spoke for ajn hoar and ten minutes, being frequently applauded during his address. He explained why the election was put off till the sth December. If held earlier it would hare interfered with the Christchurch show and races, and also with races and shows in other large centres, and the Government got petitions from, several places for the above reasons to postpone the day of election. He next referred to the Hutchison charges, and said *he did not believe, the charges were true, but If on enquiry they were substantiated he would vote against the Government, as in that case they could not claim or maintain public confidence. He alluded to the circulation of 2000 copies of Mr Saunders* letter either by Mr JfcSuxton or his Committee, and said it was a distinct breach of faith, as both candidates had agreed to avoid personalities during the contest, and'not to resort to any printed aiciflce* of the kind. It tried to show that Mr Rhodes had not attended to his Parliamentary duties, while as a matter of fact he voted forty times oftener than Mr Buxton. (Loud applause.) Stonewalling, he said, must be put down, and to prevent it next Parliament must bring in some form of che cloture. He wenc very, folly into the education question, showing that several schools in South Canterbury were cos ing over £5 a head, and were it not for the say ng on the large schools, the country schools could not be kept up. • He also showed that the High Schools did not receive any grant froiri the consolidated fund, and that it was Canterbury and Otago chiefly that had landed endowments for them, provided in the time of the Provincial Councils, realising about .£25,000 a year, and it would be folly on the part of those two provinces to vote for their diseudowment. Touchingon the land question, he said it was the present Government who proposed to buy land from private persona for villagesettlemeiit, and he would support it if properly safeguarded. He showed that aland tax would be ruinous to the farmers, and proved it conclusively amid loud and repeated cheers. He would not put on a tax on foreign capital. , , V . / After a few questions bad been asked and answered i , , Mr Edymau proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Rhodes and confidence in him as our future member, which was seconded by Mr Harry Dossett and ■ carried unanimously amid loud cheers. ■ Mr Rhodes proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman, and thanked the electors for the very patient hearing they had' given him. It was always a pleasure to him to address a Pleasant Point meeting, a* they always received him in a kind and friendly manner. • • ' ■ '