Cromwell Argus. AND NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell: Tuesday, May 14, ’95.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXVII, Issue 1360, 14 May 1895, Page 4

Cromwell Argus. AND NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell: Tuesday, May 14, ’95.

The member for the district lias given an account of his stewardship- since his election as the representative of Wakatipu, and we must confess to rather jjleasurable feelings than otherwise, in that the exposition of his fiolitical convictions and doings partakes of a straightforward support of the Opposition policy. We, and indeed a good many more of the electors, were inclined at last election to believe that Mr Fkaseii would adopt a policy of independent action, an assumption to which he himself lent a colorable assent by his very guarded expression of political opinion. There can be no doubt, however, after Thursday evening as to which side of the House Mr Fkasek belongs. His speech, indeed, in addition to being a detailed account of his own doings and participation in matters political during the past session, may be taken as a declaration of the Opposition party’s politicaj

platform. Mr Fraser, in his speech under notice, has shown that he is no tyro in the art of criticism. His attack on the Government’s Policy bills is so strong, and marked with so keen a perception of the many blunders and mar spots which they contained, as to carry conviction to all who are not blinded by mere Government party considerations. And if evidence of this is needed, it is to be found in comparing the bills of the Government as brought down to the House, and the amended ones which emerged from it. His apt aphorism that “a Government’s policy is discovered in the original acts introduced,” is one which is worthy of the closest study and attention. For the part which he has taken in criticising the Consols Bill, the Advances to Settlers Bill, and the Lands for Settlement Bill he deserves, we think, every credit. His spirited action too in the Midland Railway affair, in which he materially assisted in balking the despoliation of the Oalonial taxpayers of so largo a sum as £618,000 is an indication that ho may bo trusted to keep his weather eye open in the interests not only of this electorate, but of the colony at large. Wo are particularly pleased too with the position which ho has taken up with respect to honorable dealings with the native race. His characterisation of Government duplicity and disingonuousness in regard to the Levin State farm purchase in connection with this same matter, is especially noteworthy as showing to what length Ministers of the present Government will go in pursuance of their own sweet will and misguided determination. Mr Fraser, we are also pleased to see holds no extreme views on labor legislation as a panacea for affording work for the unemployed, or for, generally speaking, bettering the condition of the laborer. And hero lot us say that his illustration of the results of the labor laws which have been passed should prove instructive if nor pleasant reading to our worthy Minister for Labor. We confess we would have liked to have seen Mr Fraser more enthusiastic on the Otago Central question. It was a somewhat noticeable feature, or rather, we should perhaps say, want of feature iti his speech, for he only passingly alluded to it there. It was only when the question was put to him as to whether he was in favor of raising a loan for this railway’s construction that lie gave voice on the matter. His answer was only partially satisfactory, being hedged with conditions which are capable of very different interpretations. Mr Fraser too, seems embued with what has now become a stock sentiment with members of the Opposition—“self reliance,” with the poetically expressed hope of a favorable sequence to this policy. Theoretically, it is very good, but the text may, and we have no hesitation in saying is preached from far too often. And the present time, we think, in those days of so material evidence to the contrary in the shape of loans of a million and a half contracted on behalf of settlers, is hardly a fitting one to serve up the same threadbare old story. Might we suggest to Mr Fraser thac it would be better to cast aside the “self reliance” theory, and pay more attention to the pressing need of opening the country to settlement by means of our railways. While the Opposition arc prating and pluming themselves on self reliance, the Government party are slowly but surely adding million after million to our indebtedness. The “ self reliance ” reaper but garners the grain to see it pass through the colossal sieve of the Colonial Treasurer—but this is by the way' —to return to our subject. Mr Fraser may, we think, rest satisfied that his conduct of the affairs of the electorate has mot witli general public approval. Apart from purely political feeling, and there must always be a diversity of opinion on this head in any electorate, it must be conceded alike by political friends and opponents that he has evidenced a strict attention to his duties since he has been elected, and his attention and his uniform willingness to oblige, have, we think, earned for him the tentative support of many former political opponents, a support which may yet ripen into permanent confidence.