MR ARTHUR AT ROTORUA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5906, 27 October 1890, Page 3

MR ARTHUR AT ROTORUA.

The Auckland Herald's Rotorua correa pcmdent wired on Thursday : — Mr Arthur, a candidate for the East Coast, addressed the electors here last night, and met with a favorable reception. There was a good attendance of electors, and some of the visitors and tourists were also present. Mr J. H. Taylor was voted to ths chair, and briefly introduced the candidate.; Mr Arthur spoke at some length, repeating what He had said in other parts of the district. He avowed himself a staunch supporter of the present Government,, because it was the party of careful administration, and that policy should be continued. He claimed that in spite of the low price of wool and the general depression, the colony was steadily progressing, and quoted figures to show the great increase in the exports, especially of butter and cheese, during the past ten years, whioh showed how the small settlers were increasing. He strongly denounced the present native land laws, and edf ocated the taxing of native lands, a policy whiob. would speedily bring them into profitable occupation and cultivation. He was opposed to the locking-up of such^ enormous areas aa the Thermal Springs' Aot covered, and would do his best to have-tha Act altered/ H*mvss in favor of the 'present Edug&ti<«r'Act, but believed L2O,OQO^y^ af c° u^ be saved by making _ t>hoSe~who wished to carry their children beyond the. sixth standard pay the cost. He added uniformity of school books and of the instruction and examinations, In reply to a question by Mr Malfroy, Mr Arthur said it was difficult to enforce the compulsory clauses of the Education Act in the case of Europeans, and it would be still more difficult in the case of Maoris. He recognised how important it was to have Maori children educated, but he was afraid the Maoris did not fully appreciate the advantages, lb was a matter that ought to have attention, especially in mixed schools. He was opposed to a land tax, and hoped to see the property tax abolished in a few years. In reply to Mr Joseph Mcßao, Mr Arthur said that he would do his best to have the railway completed to Rotorua. He understood there was only about 12 miles beyond the present contract to complete the line from Auckland to the township. In a few years there would be large and magnificent hotels here with a constant stream of visitors, and the completion of railway communication was necessary. On the motion of Mr Seddon, seconded by Mr Butt, a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Arthur as a fit and proper person to represent the district in Parliament was carried unanimously.

The Napier Telegraph of Friday says : — Mr Gannon went to meet the electors at Meanee last night, but only three rolled up. The whole proceedings merely resulted in a "bob in." We may now expect to hear that the farmers are rallyng round Mr Gannon. i She Poßt takes Mr Buckland severely to task for his allusion to the Southern papers in his speech to the Manukau electors. The tone of the articles is somewhat: rough on Mr Buckland in its reference to his political career. The Bay of Plenty Times Bays Mr W. Kelly, M.H.R., has gone to Auckland on urgent private business, and is now on his way overland to Tauranga, where he commences his electoral tour. A bushman's honest opinion of one of the candidates for M.H.R., honors, in a constituency not one hundred miles from Rangitikei : — " I rather have taken a fancy to Mr ' Harkwright.' He 'aint no bili'ook to sharp, nor he 'aint no has to grind." The Bay of Plenty Times says :— With all due difference to the other candidates for the East Coast, we think our County Chairman, Mr Jonathan Brown, from his long experience of the district's requirements, and his energetic action in trying to get them carried through, would make a useful member for that district, and we would suggest that he be requisioned to allow himself to be nominated. The New Zealand Times thus refers to Sir R. Stout's remarks at Napier in reference toa Land and Income Tax v. Property Tax : — " What a contrast to the unblushing empirics who make a percentage tax on unimproved values the basis of their senseless rhodomontade ! The weighty testimony of Sir Robert Stout is doubly valuable at the present time. Let the electors insist upon the fullest proof from every would-be reformer of the incidence of taxation of the productiveness and fairness of his scheme. Failing such proof, let every would-be reformer be dismissed with comtempt as an impostor, an empiric, a charlatan." It is said that the manifesto which the Premier is to make will be submitted to the other Ministers in Cabinet, but that it is not intended to be issued as a Government manifesto. It will leave Ministers perfect freedom in addressing their electors during the interval between this timo aud the general ballot being taken. At the same time it cannot fail to have an influence that will affect many candidates, however much the Premier desires that it shall be divested of official authority. It is generally believed that the first appearance of the manifesto will be the signal for the real tug-of-war on the electoral hustings. Ib is also to be recollected that the manifesto will be strictly in r,he form of an address to the electors of Egmont, and this circumstance also is relied on to take it out of the category of State papers. It will mnfce its first appearance in the Hawera Star, which is in the Premier's electorate. Tho Government consider they are likely to return from the hustings as the victors upon all political questions of importance.