Mr. R. T. Wrathall at Te Koroa.

Northland Age, Volume IV, Issue 48, 20 July 1908, Page 5

Mr. R. T. Wrathall at Te Koroa.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Mr. R. T. Wrathall, the government and gumdiggers’ candidate, delivered his first political address at Fern Flat on Saturday evening, July lltli.

Owing to the vileness of the weather there were not so many present as there might have been. Mr. Wrathall’s first subject was the Native Land question. He is a firm believer in the individualisation of the land for the Maori, and speaking verj 7 strongly on the matter condemned the communistic customs so prevalent among the natives.

Mr. Wrathall is a strpng advocate for the North in regard to the advantages which would accrue were the “ Roadless North” connected with its markets by railway, and he insisted on a railway being built in this direction. Incidentally he dealt with the Voile system and suggested its adoption.

In referring to the burning question of roads and bridges the speaker said that he would like to see the main arterial roads put in metal from one end to the other, and he held that every block of Crown Land that is surveyed and cut up for settlement should have a good dray road put right through it before the sections are thrown open for selection. He expressed great opposition to the system of dual control whereby a place that is given a grant of money does not always get same expended as granted, the money being disbursed in o more favored locality. On the freehold versus leasehold question the candidate is staunchly freehold, though ho believes in the optional system whereby a man may take up a piece of land on lease and acquire the freehold in a few years if he is able and so wishes. He approves of the breaking up of large estates and does not believe in one man being allowed to hold a large block of land.

Mr. Wrathall spoke of the need for Government drainage of the Lake between Pukepoto and Awanui which he said contained some seventeen thousand acres of good land. His idea is that the authorities should drain a part of this watered land for a start and that the . gumdiggers who go on it should repay tho cost of the drainage operations, the land to be cut up for settlement when the gum is finally worked out. This would turn a useless sheet of water into first-class farm land. Mr. Wrathall declared himself a supporter of the government though not the government nominee, and stated his unalterable intention of going to the poll. Ho spoke for about two hours and made a most favorable impression, answering several questions quite satisfactorily. He is a manly young fellow and has the courage of his opinions, and considering that this was the occasion of his maiden political speech he acquitted himself remarkably well. A hearty vote of thanks to the speaker was recorded, as also to Mr. Rhodes who ably occupied the chair.