The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. FRIDAY, JULY 11, 1884.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4418, 11 July 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

FRIDAY, JULY 11, 1884.

Eor tbo cause that lacks assistance. For fho wrong that bows resistance. For the future in the distance, And the Reed that we oan do.

The speech by Mr DeLautour in tha course of his candidature for Newton last night must have disappointed those who esteem Liberalism as a thing distinct and apart from the names of men -pa movement for the amelioration cf tlie conditions of human life, and the gradual extinction of those extremes of wealth and poverty which prevail. For many years Mr DeLautour held a position in the House of Representatives which any young man might envy. By a habit of reticence, unless he had something which he could say with force, he gained the attention of the House, and by allying himself with the party pledged to the aidvancement of Liberalism he won the respect of a majority of the country. The first rude shock to this influence was given in the session of 18,83, when, being Managing Director of the New Zealand Native Land Settlement Company, he introduced a bill conferring upon that corporation special powers hr the acquisition of native lands, which would have given them enormous v^ntages, over all other persons who might attempt to compete with'them under the existing law. The intention of the Company, it was well under-

stood, was to go to the London money market with this Act as their charter, and it was the common boast ol Mr Rees and other promoters that millions of acres of native lands would be handed over to the Company upon trust, yielding not only unheard-of profits, but giving to the directors for the time being the virtual control ol the unsettled lands of the North Island. Without that Act, the Company are, we believe, now passing 100,000 acres of freehold land through the Registry Office at Napier, with no guarantee to the public that these lands will not exaggerate the evil of those great estates against which the whole current of feeling throughout the colony is directed. No doubt, in these acquisitions the Company is exercising its legitimate rights under the law. and its operations may, for aught we know, be comparatively free from those infamies of native land-dealing which might well call down tears _of pity from heaven; but their right to purchase these lands is a thing apart from the special privilege asked for under that bill, and the defeat of which, despite the powerful influences exercised in its favour, we owe to the firmness of Mr Bryce. His opposition, however, it is only right to add, was forttlied by a native petition of the most remai kablecharacter, making thegravest chargesagainst the Company's method of dealing with its trust estates. This petition was presented by Mr liryce, and will be found printed on page .. r. of Hansard for the year ISS3. Mr DeLautour's apology last night for native land jobbing as it now exists indicates to our mind the deadening effects upon the conscience of a naturally honourable man of any long association with this traffic. "If the natives will kill themselves with ruin," Mr DeLautour says in effect, "you cannot save them from the consequences of their improvidence ; are you to imperil the prosperity of the frontier townships, which are sustained by this traffic?" Anything more coldblooded than these reasons for deliberately shutting our eyes to the demoralisation of a noble people by the laws and civilisation we have imposed upon them, it has not entered into the human heart to conceive. Mr DeLautour would go even further than anyone has ever yet dared to propose in furthering the gre*d for the possession of nhese lands, and would abolish the Courts which havo.under a firm control, checked abuses, and which, if placed on a better footing, aud instructed in all cases to authorise, at the public expense, the survey of blocks for which applications for hearing are received, taking a hen upon the land, might bring even the present system into something like an endurable condition.

Mr DeLautour does not on this question represent the opinions of his political chief. It is many years since Sir George Grey first advocated the system of Government agency, the Governmeiit bearing all the expenses oi bringing the native lards into the market, and securing a real fr.e trade in these lands by enabling every individual in the community, and not meiely a few monied persons or powerful corporations like the one which is virtually managed by Mr PeLau tour, to become the purchasers. He has within the last two months reiterated those opinions. Mr IV Loutour's objection to this proposal, that the surveys of the colony are in a mess and to correct them will involve great delay, surely was not offered to intelligent men. Does not any system of alienation involve survey? It is quite true that funds will be inquired to carry out these surveys, and the North Island members must take care that funds for working the Act and bringing the land quickly into the market are found. Is it tolerable that the land through which the North Island trunk railway is to pass shall fall into the hands of a few speculators or go to swell the territories of Mr DeLautour'.s Company, whose agents have already been industriously working there ? We do not hesitate to say that Mr DeLautour's opinions on this question alone should keep him out of Parliament at the present time. He has not considered it improper to use his position as a representative of the people for the promotion of the interests of this Company in the past, and why are we to believe that he will not do so in the future ?

The rest of Mr DeLautour'.. Liberalism, if his last night's speech is .1 fair exposition of it, is of a unique sort. He tells us that he always avoids looking into the past; from what occult source, then, does he draw his inspiration ? From the past —its errors, its sufferings, its noble struggles for a higher good—surely all our experience is drawn. And when we look into it with earnest inquiry, we shall not fail to find imprinted there in crimson colours the image of the few grasping all power, entrenching themselves in an impervious selfishness, callous of the miseries of the masses of humanity, and leaving them to suffer and die like dogs, or sacrificing them to their caprices. How has Democracy arisen save by tho self-sacrificing patriotism of a noble minority such as will be found in the worst-constituted communities, who, finding their personal influence helpless in alleviating the condition of the dense masses of mankind, have made- their voices ring through the earth in denunciation of those Governments which disclaim responsibility for the miseries of their subjects. According to Mr DeLautour, however, history, if read at all, must be read backwards. A people have no right to look to the Government - that is to say, the executive of the commune br commonwealth—for anything. Statesupported hospitals and benevolent asylums for the weak who are driven to the wall, are a mistake; they should be relegated back to the charity of those benevolent few, who out of thoir abundance, but more often out of their need, are willing to divide their m.ans with their weaker neighbours, while those who have gathered into their coffers the wealth of the community rjutton up their pockets and bury conscience in the whirl of social gaiety, the people have no right to exp.a tlie Government they place in power to help them ; they must rely in all their ljiovements upon themselves. Land nationalisation — that burning cry which has stirred the hearts of millions—is disnrssed in a sentence; experimental legislation to test its practicability is foolish. The.Eight Hours Bill Mr DeLautour, of course, scouts as utterly untenable; but he goes further, and questions whether it has yet been proved that eight hours constitute the right minimum of labour.

!In taxation, Mr DeLautour declares that the property tax must go. In its jjlace he would substitute a land tax 2nd income tax. The property tax toceeds on the principle that wealih shall pay, a man must have qlear of debt before he is required to take it _■ fcut Mf DeLautour would grip the earnings of the" .people before they have a chance of accumulate j. The moment, a working man begins to earn more than enough to keep his family in

tlie barest necessities of life, without luxuries, the tax-gatherer should ronie in and seize a share ol" his substance. We presume that, as in England, every employer would lie compelled by law to see that none of his workmen escaped.

With respect to local works, Mr DeLatour's policy is one of the nonexpectant kind. He thinks we should not tie the hands of our representatives by demands for local works. A member should be allowed to pursue great purposes and secure tor his constituents if nothing so sordid as public works votes —at least admirable local bodies and institutions. Tim am might fight its election on the question of a racecourse out of the public estate — and get it too -but Auckland ought to set a better example. ()n the North Island trunk railway he occupied a position of perfect neutrality. He could have no personal wishes on the subject, and if the people thought it ought to go to Taranaki, why there was no reason why lie should not think so

as well. The above is not a travesty of Mr Del.amour's speech, it is a fair summary of its most prominent and farreaching principles as we understand them. One is almost tempted to believe thai, feeling secure of a large: vole through ihe mere repetition of the party shibboleth and that he pronounces with great firmness and dexterity the

candidate was making a heavy bid for the support of the wealthy. It these are, however, his real opinions, it speaks strongly for his personal honesty that he has made no attempt to conceal them. The manner in which he opened the campaign last night his courteous references to his opponent and vain appeals to the audience for a hearing for adverse speakers was everything that could be desired, and will, we trust, be imitated in the other contests. There is, as Mr. DeLautour justly said, no reason why men who dilfer in opinion should become personally abusive. And though his political creed will not, we believe, be found acceptable to the Newton electors; though he failed utterly to advance a single leason why a gieat municipality like Auckland should be unable to find among her citizens v representative who is acquainted with her commercial wants, and who paaiicipates in tlie daily life of the people; Mr De l.autour's candidature, if carried out as it has begun, will not fail in creating an agreeable personal impression ol his address and his talents which will ensure for him a friendly hearing from the people of Auckland whenever he may please to address them.