The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1834.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 170, 18 July 1894, Page 2

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

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1834.

Far tiw cause tiat laclss aasistancs, For tas -ffrong that noeclß reaietanca, Fit the future in tho dlstanoß. And tiia ffood tliat -wa can ca.

Up to the time of writing, the returns for 108 seats in the New South Wales Parliament have ■ been completed, with the result that 56 Free Traders, 30 Protectionists, 21 labour representatives, and 1 independent have been returoed. If the returns from the remaining 17 seats bear the same proportion, the reign of the Dibbs Government is over. The attitude adopted by Sir Henry Parkes during the election complicates the position. He distinctly slated that so far as the fiscal question was concerned he would be prepared to allow it to rest in view of the approaching time when the greater question of federation would be dealt with. Strong exception was taken to this avowal by the Sydney press, which declared that it reduced the contest between fiee trade and protectionist candidates, which was taking place all over the country, to an absurdity. The Sydney " Daily Telegraph " says: To ask freetraders, because they are also federationists, to elect possible supporters of a protectionist Government is sheer nonsense. Tho object of the freo trade party in the present elections is to dispiaco that Government, and it is to assist in doiug co- that Sir Henry Parkes lias been nominated as thoir candidate ac St. Loonarde. Hence, it would materially simplify matters it' be would say definitely whether his purpose and theirs are identical What Sir Henry Parkes' attitude amounts to is simply an acceptance of the protectionist policy which thoy foißtcd upon the country behind the people's backs, and an a'oject surrender, without) striking a blow, of the | main political principles which Sir Henry Parkes has hitherto championed. The Government now ask nothing mom from 1 their best supporters. Thoy dio not < openly proposo to increase the caril!; they will bo more than content to get back on tho understanding that it shall be left sevorely alone. After his acceptance of it aa i* stand*, therefore, there is tio reason why they ehould not claim Sir Henry Parkes as their candidate. They cerlainly have more right to him than tho Opposition under such circumstances. I'or that reason, in fairness to all parties as woll as to himself, Sir Henry Parkes ought now to say clearly what side he is fishting J on. It is no use saying ho will bo a thorough | freetrader after federation .is obtainod. The question is what is he now, and, if elected, what will be his attitude towards tho two 1 hostile fiscal parties into which the new 1 J Parliament must be divided." i But Sir Henry Pa'jkes, nolwithstarid- ! ing Mr, weight of etgfity years, is a wily politician. He sees1 that with the disturbing element caused by the growth of the labour party, compromises will have to be made, and his dominating love ot power has led him into a modification of those strongly-pronounced ! free trade views with which he swept the country a few years ago. His proposition that a simplified tariff should Ihe secured through federation, which !he professes to see looming in the j immediate future, was artful. If we count the labour party with i the protectionists, the free trade : majority in the new House will j hardly be powerful enough to 1 make sweeping changes in the tariff and throw the main burden of taxation on land and income. In these cirI cumstances, Sir Henry's moderate j attitude will make him more acceptable as a leader than if he had taken up an extreme position. He is, indeed, too powerful still to be displaced by any of the younger men who have come to the front in New South Wales politics. The outcome of the elections will therefore probably be another ParkesAdministration.a partial revision of the tariff in the direction of free trade, and a renewed and vigorous I effort to bring about Australian union.