MR W. FRASER'S TOUR.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 213, 10 November 1896, Page 2

MR W. FRASER'S TOUR.

Last week Mr W. Fraser addressed the largest political meeting ever held at Waikaka, upwards of 100 electors attending. Mr J. Paterson presided. Mr Fraser replied to a number of questions as follows : — To Mr H. S. Howard : The people should see to it that proper men are sent to Parliament, and then some good work would be done. The pension provided by the Old Age Pension Bill could be claimed only by those in receipt of an income under £50 a year. What was wanted was a bill which would provide for peusious in such a way as not to smack of charity. All should be entitled to pensions at a certain age whether they elected to claim it or not. He thought all, however, should be called upon to contribute something towards it, otherwise all incentive to provide for the future would be absent, and some would probably say " Let us eat, drink and be merry for to-morrow we get a pension." The whole matter required grave consideration, and only those who recognised the difficulties in the way would be likely to bring the question to a successful issue. To Mr Cruickshank : The difficulties iv the case of having different guages would ,De overcome, so far as shifting trucks from one line to tho other was concerned, by the Government engineers. A system was in use in India which seemed to answer well, and it could no doubt be applied here, To Mr Howard : If the Bank of New Zealand was let alone, it would be all right. But the Government w e like a child who had been given a squeaking doll for the first time — it first of all pulled all the clothes off and wanted to know where the squeak comes from. When it has found that out tho doll will no longer squeak. The Government have already pulled off the clothes, but they are beginning to find out that their interference is likely to do harm. To Mr H. Pemble : He recognised the necessity of borrowing for the purpose of completing existing reproductive works, and would support such a policy whether his party got into power or nol. It was much easier to get money allocated for particular works than to get it spent on them. He considered money spent on roads reproductive, as it enabled settlers to . work country which otherwise would be inaccessible, and therefore returned the money indirectly. To Mr Spratt : Had got for his district nearly all tho money that was asked fcr. This end had only asked for a subsidy towards the Leithan Bush road, and he was pleased to be able to tell them that he had succeeded in having £200 placed on the supplementary estimate?;. Mr H. Pemble proppsed a vote of thanks and confidence, which was seconded by Mr Spratt, and carried unanimously.

The ' Christchurch Weekly Press,' among its photos of Parliamentary candidates, publishes a likeness of Mr W. Fraser, member for Wakatipu, " candidate for the Otaki seat." We trow not. Mr McNab addressed a meeting at Charlton on Saturday evening, and received a vole of thanks and confidence.