The Press. TUESDAY. MAY 26, 1885.

Press, Volume XLI, Issue 6141, 26 May 1885, Page 2

The Press. TUESDAY. MAY 26, 1885.

• ~ The speech of the Son. Major Atkin--BOH at Hawera was studiously moderate in its tone. The speaker was at pains, at the commencement of it, to inform i-, 'fc»- audience as to the nature of the address he was about to deliver. He believed in men net measures; " for after «U," he said, "measures were bat of secondary importance. to good administrators, and it might be that if an Opposition agreed in general with themeasores cf a Government, bat mistrusted the administration of that Government, it would be its duty to torn those men oat of office." ■■ Prom this point of view Major Atkinson proceeded to criticise the actions of the Ministry, for the pnr.poee of pointing out where, in his opinion, they had failed, and where . they were likely to faiL When we remember the attitude flfajpr Atkistsok took up da: ing the late session with reference to the majority cf the policy Bills of the Govern-

tteatr.jftkd;. the part he .took in flue 'J- aegotiaiione for the formation of a - Mmarwy in which both Sir. JuliusTogex> and himself should be included, : idiffirtilt fe see what other, course he C eonaktently pureaed. - ife «onld sot condemn generally the policy Bills cf the late session, faec&uee he 6upported mott of then, and had he re*

sunned in office would probably have brought forward several of them himself. He supported the proposal to purchase the district railways last session, and he announced tha other evening tbatr-he would be prep£&d bis approval to? a se-ghie for* _«& purchase during the appsdaching session, "if the cost price at which they obtained was tbe fair fiisrket vafife of |the cost of their ednstifoetion- at tbo present time." On tits whole he was' i satisfied with the arrangements made for the construction of tbe East and West Coast Bailway; and, with some reservations, he also approved cf what has been done in respect of thai Greymouth and Westport Harbours! In fact, with the exception of thfl Colonial Treasurer's proposals with re*S ference to the Sinking Funds, it may be! said that Major Atkinson is, in tha main, favourable to all the measures in| trodueed during- the late session for the purpose of reviving hope and restoring prosperity. The. only proposal of last session of any importance which ho condemned was, as we bave juat said, that which dealt with the Sinking Funds. The saving of £300,000 by abolishing thcße funds consisted, said Major Atkinson, not in " ceasing to pay tiie Sinking Fund, but in paying it ont of loan instead of out of revenne. All that was secured by this operation woald have been done bettor by keeping to the inscription under the Consolidated Stocks Act, under which conversion had been proceeding for some time." We do not agree with Major Atkinson's views on this question. Wo think the proposal to stop paying the sinking funds until such times as inscription was completed was perfectly legitimate, -he relief of taxation, at a time when its pressure was severely felt, was very considerable, and that relief was given without, in our opinion, inflicting any injury whatever upon the colon; or upon its credit. As regards Major Atkinson's probable attitude towards the Grovernment during the approaching session his speech at Hawera throws some light. It is understood, if the Government see their way to do so, measures will be submitted for a revision of the tariff from the point of view of the Pxotectionistß. The proposal will no doubt give rise .to very strong opposition. But those who will feel it their duty to oppose the Government on that vital question can look for no assistance from Major Atkinson. On the contrary, he must give the Ministry the whole weight of hia vote and influence. Indeed, the only conceivable ground on which he could oppose them would be because they had not gone far enough in the direction of protection. A gentleman who can make tho startling statement that "if to-morow " they were to remove the whole of the " Cuatoms duties—supposing the colony, " could afford to do without the revenne— " one-half of the population would of " necessity leave the colony," is not likely to find fault with any proposal having for its object the increase of tho Customs duties. We do not propose in this article to discuss the point raised by Major Atkinson. We wonld merely point ont, at present, that a doctrine such as Major Atkinson has enunciated osnnot be accepted by free traders, or even by men who profess to favor moderate dniies for protective purposes. Free traders believe that a free trade tariff would give such au impetus to enterprise that the -population and wealth of the colony wonld increase literally by leaps and bounds, Such, at bdj* rate, was the experience of England after the adoption of free trade there; and New South Wales » not the least progressive of the Australasian colonies, although it has adopted a free trade policy. The enunciation of such ultra-protectionist views as those which he gave utterance to the other evening, is calculated to ahehate from Major Atkinson many who otherwise would naturally look to him as a leader in whom they could trust. There is another question whioh, it is understood, ia engaging the attention of the \ Government just now. We refer to local government. At the clobo of last eessibn they encouraged the House and tbe couutiy to expect great things at their hands in connection with thia question. On various occasions recently we have shown the confusion of mind into which Ministers have fallen with respect to the question. Major Atkinson's remarks on this subject are entirely to the point. He bad no difficulty in making ont an excellent case against Ministers. But it does not follow that because he has been able to show the weak points in the Ministerial scheme that hia own plan is any improvement on theirs. For our own part wo do not think it is, and we imagine that by this time the majority of tbe people of the country are as much opposed to the scheme of local finance unbodied in the Eoada and Bridges Construction Act as we are. There are other questions discussed in Major Atkinson's speech to which we might refer at some length did space permit. But it is not neeeesary. The practical outcome of bis remarks is to show that Ministers are more to blame for the extravagant hopes which they allowed to be formed last session than on account of the, measures which they actually -submitted. But if Minister- are not likely to be attacked by Mijor Atkinson on account of those polioy Bills we have mentioned, it is improbable tbat he would be successful with reference to questions upon which be and Ministers held different views—for those questions are just the ones regarding whioh as wide a diversity of opinion probably prevails.! amongst those who may bs expected to follow him as between Mmßelf aad Ministers. "But there is one question raised in Major Atkinson's speech to which the above remarks do not apply. We refer to what he said on Native Affairs. It is scarcely necessary to add that we entirely agree with what Major Atkinson had to say on that subject. We have in farmer articles done what we could to arouse the publio here to a sense of their responsibilities in connection with this question. With reference to the action of the Government in connection with the Trunk Bulway, Major Atkinson explained what the late Government intended to do, and pointed ont that in their hurry to make a splash the present Government had sacrificed tha interests of the colony. We are convinced that great injury has already been inflicted npon ns by the commencement of the railway without the i-Overnmex!- nuking s_me arrangement for grants of land, or for tho purchase of bto_ka at reasonable .prices. ;, What .has already been done may turn out to be anfficientiy serious to wreck the Ministry.. But if, in addition, tbey have made np their mi ud- to force Upon the country a Native Land policy, which must result 'in making the Maoris great proprietors

at the public expense, the House will have no alternative but to reject the measure, even if its rejection involve* the reaignaI lion of 4h* Ministry. The settlement of jhe TSokb Island is of vital importance to the whole of New Zealand, and our •representatives will not be faithful to the ttußl repaid in them if they allow any ?tHef Native Minister to interfere wh tb# deliberately agreed upon ihe-'construction of the North Island Tmsk; B&llway was sanctioned by the LegisWßire.