The Press. MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1886.

Press, Volume XLIII, Issue 6628, 20 December 1886, Page 2

The Press. MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1886.

Although two of the Ministers have made speeches during the present recess, it cannot he Baid that, as yet, we have had a political address. Both Sir Julius Vogel and Mr Ballaitce kave had something to say in public, but. both have been careful to say very little. The former, indeed, was at pains to tell the people of Lawrence that it was inexpedient to say very much. " As regards any new development," he said, "that might have arisen, I cannot help thinking that last year it was made the subject of a great deal of criticism that the members of the Government were endeavoring, so to speak, to puzzle the electors by giving them little items of information upon the policy, which were about as difficult to put together as a Chinese puzzle. That was really said last year, and at any rate it would be better not to commence such a puzzle again at such an early period." It may be taken for granted, therefore, that the Government are not anxious this recess to take tbe public fully into their confidence. If the affairs of the colony were in a highly satisfactory position freedom from political discussion would probably be most welcome. But it would be foolish to pretend that they are. Every additional revenue return which is furnished goes to prove that the opposite is the case, and the question which will have to be settled at an | early date iB in what manoer is the ! deficiency to be met ? Are we to have an increase of the Customs duties, or an increase of the property tax? or are means to be devi-ed whereby a resort to either of these methods of raising revenue may be avoided? These and other questions of importance will have to be considered in a few mon hs from now, and it is certainly desirable that our representatives should know something about the opinion of the colony regarding them. Yet no steps have been taken to test what public opinion is. We have had, it is true, some remarks on the subject of protection from two Ministers, but their views have been expressed in such guarded language that it is impossible to make much out of them. Protectionists have been warned against expecting much in the way of tariff aid, although the system has met with the most lavish praise. The public have been assured that they can depend on the Government continuing to show the greatest possible interest in, and attention to, the cardinal point of their policy, their desire to develope and encourage the industries of the colony. The Government, we are assured, believe that a large portion of the happiness of the colonists and the prosperity of the colony is wrapped up in the way they are able to find employment, and happy employment; and they believe that this colony possesses pre-eminently the means of affording encouragement to those willing to work. All this, of course, may ▼cry true, bu,t it is very commonplace. It has always, been the professed aim, we imagine, of every Government that has been in power to develope the resources of the country. But language of the kind we have just quoted is intended to convey the idea that those only who hold protectionist views are interested

indeveloj>iog and encouraging the resources of the country. Of course, this is an entire mistake. The whole controversy between freetraders and protectionists is with reference to the best methods of promoting the welfare of the community. Freetraders hold that every country has natural resources which stand in need of development, and which can be most remuneratively developed by relieving the people as much as possible from the Durdene of restrictive taxation. The freetraders of New Zealand hold that this country is specially marked out by nature f«r being a great maritime community, and that if our statesmen are wise in their generation they will afford every facility for the development of our commerce. They hold that the lower our tariff is the more prosperous will we become, and the more rapidly will our natural industries be extended. However, this in not the question we desire to discuss in this article. What we desire to point out is that although the Government have been most guarded in their language with reference to protection, they have shown every disposition to favour that policy. In other words, if they find it necessary to impose fresh taxation upon the people, they desire to have the aid of the protectionists in imposing it.

We began this article by stating that as yet we have not had a political speech from any of the Ministers. The Opposition have been equally silent. None of the leaders have had a word to say on public questions. ! Are they about to pursue the tactics of the last recess, and allow public affairs to drift? Aβ we have said, Parliament will be meeting in a few months from the present date, when questions of considerable importance to the colony may have to be decided. Do our public men intend to go up to the House without taking any trouble either to instruct the people on those matters, or to ascerta'n what the tendency of public opinion is ? We had to condemn last recess the ominous silence of the Opposition leaders, and we hope it will not be our duty to similarly condemn them this recess. It is true that tbe position is somewhat altered now. Last year the Ministerial policy was put before the country with much persuasive ability and adroitness. There was a great deal of contradiction it is tru", but the advocates of a bold and com;rehen6ivo system of borrowing were able to keep their views fully before the country. Yet all the time the so-called leaders of "the House were silent. They shirked their duty in the most disgraceful manner. Fortunately, the task of discussing these proposals was performed for them. From one end of the colony to the other the newspapers took the matter up, and for the most part supported the cause of prudence and economy. Theresults of that discussion are now apparent. We have the authority of the most strenuous supporter of the go-ahead policy that had he spoken a year ago " he would have gone largely into the question of the construction of railways and of future lines." Now, he is of opinion " that tbe House will consider it wise for some time to come to carry only to completion the railways which are now authorised, and to abstain, as far as possible, from going to the London market for fresh loans." Whatever excuse may be given for this change of front, the real one is that public opinion will not tolerate a large borrowing policy, and the discussions of the last recess had a good deal to do with the formation of that opinion. The Opposition leaders cannot go on neglecting their duty year after year without suffering the consequences of that neglect. The fact that Ministers, this recess, are disinclined to talk is no excuse. But although Ministers have not said much, they have said something, and that is more than the Opposition leaders have done. We hope as soon as the holidays are over, to learn that some o* our public men have plucked up courage, and have decided to tell the colony what they think about public affaire.