COLONEL FRASER, M.H.R., AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7614, 17 April 1886, Page 5

COLONEL FRASER, M.H.R., AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

' [by tellihu?h.—own CORRESPONDENT.] k Thamks, Friday. j Colonel Phaser addressed his constituents ; to-night, Mr. McGowan occupying the chair. He denounced in strong terms the Northern members who combined with the Canterbury men in having the estimates reduced by £000,000, and pointed out many useful works that had suffered thereby, notably the Kelensviile railway, Thames- Paeroa railway, and the Thames water-race. When " this was done, these members said, " Let us , turn out the Ministry," but the Canterbury men replied, "Oh 1 wo have got what we want, and are quite satisfied with the J Ministry," and relm;«d to turn them out. Regarding the water-race, he had a promise " of £10,000 towards the undertaking when f the county was ready to assist in the work, j He was also satisfied that the Thames railway would be pushod on next session. If Waihi and Karaugahake go ahead, a branch line would probably be continued in that direction. It would bo found an 5 advantage to bring the quartz to the furnace 3 rather than convey fluxes to the mines, being cheaper. The great falling off in Customs he regarded as a good sign, as the decrease J had been in spirits and beer. This was so ' much saved, and was lowering expenditure in gaols and lunatic asylums. v The people would be better able to bear e taxation in other directions. At one time ? Sir Julius Vogel was in favour of a land 1 and income tax ; now he had nearly come 1 round to coincide with Major Atkinson in e favour of a property tax. One objection to 3 a land tax was that a great many farmers, through bad times, had their farms 3 mortgaged. Probably fourths of the e value was on mortgage. The farmer, 0 therefore, would have to pay tho tax not • only on his own fourth, but also on the 3 three-fourths of the mortgagee, who probably 1 was non-resident in the colony. The Cua- " toms, he thought,were nearly at a maximum. 1 Any increase in taxation should be on a property aud land. There was to be a 4 consolidating of mining laws, and he hoped this district would soon be in a position to take advantage of it, as native owners were r becoming fewer. At present we pay four times as much for everything in the shape of mining fees rights as they do in the South. y The gold duty he considered the fairest way of arriving at goldfieldu' revenue, as tha man ' who got the most gold paid the most, and the money went in roads and gold field work?. He heartily approved the policy of the a Ministry, especially Mr. Larnach's, who was h the only Minister who had taken any interest e in mining. That gentleman had certainly given i. gold mining every assistance. Mr. Larnach if had said to him in Dunedin that a School of i- Mines would be amply provided for in the next estimates. Referring to his speech re ! b the removal of wardens, Colonel Eraser said r he had no animus against the present Warden, e but thought it unfair an exception should be c made in favour- of two, Hokitika and the e Thames. He would have magistrates and a wardens shifted periodically, as there was a tendency to form friendships and coterie*, 3 which might bo a source of dissatisfaction t and distrust to persons not in those t circles. Speaking on education, he felt if more firmly thau ever that the present n arrangements should not be interfered with. II He thought tho high school should be interit mediary between the primary school and the ; t college, and that the children of the rich and i, poor should attend them after a certain i y standard had been passed. He was in favour e of borrowing to a certain extent for the y completion of railways in process of con■h atruction. The East and West Coast e Railway had been and would be a stumblingi, block to all Governments. He was opposed y to it at present, but it would have to is be made, aa all leadors of parties were i, pledged to it. Mr. Ballance, two days ,e ago, informed him the Government had >f some hope of being relieved of it, as g a syndicate for its construction was spoken i. of. He (Colonel Fraser) would limit borrowis ing to 1£ millions per annum. Iu reply h to a question, he said he thought a psper tl currency a delusion and a snare. It the s- Government established a State bank and issued paper, well and good. He was against plural voting. Had no objection to eight hours' labour, and would support a measure ?. that no man be compelled to work more than eight hours, but objected to labour k being fettered. If a man with a large family „ wanted to work a day and a half, he did not , see why he should not do so. Had no strong views on the matter of taxation, his mind in being in a balance, but was still slightly in le favour of a land and income tax. He thought le there should be Government auditors for sn local bodies. Re Sir George Grey's Bill for it taking land to settle people on, he would be p. in favour of the measure in an experimental :y way,, to be tried in different centres. People 10 should have good land at fair prices, is A vote of confidence, proposed by Mr. in William Rowe, seconded by Mr. Alexander Brodie, was accorded,