THE MEMBER FOR DUNEDIN WEST.

Evening Star, Issue 6819, 5 February 1886, Page 1

THE MEMBER FOR DUNEDIN WEST.

In many respects Mr W. D. Stewart makes a useful member of the Legislature, and he lias been instrumental in bringing about beneficial law reforms, as well as preventing a mess being made of legal Bills in Committee. As a politician, however, the honorable gentleman has proved a failure, although undoubtedly possessing many of the elements of success. He is, we believe, conscientious, hardworking, fairly well informed, and versed in public affairs; but as regards statesmanship, his mind would seem to be defective in having no strong convictions, whilst he has neither the taste nor the specific qualifications for playing a Machiavellian role. In respect of principles and policy he never seems to know exactly where he is; and, not being a good party man, is somewhat indefinite in his position in the House. Personally there is nothing whatever to his discredit in his Parliamentary career, and it is hardly necessary to state that he has nothing in common with the “tag rag and bobtail” of Parliament, the vote-grabbers, waiters on Providence, and Ministerial jackals.

A member of the House of course challenges criticism when, in the face of his constituents, he explains and justifies his past conduct, declares his intentions in regard to the future, and his opinions on the vital questions of the day. Respecting several matters of importance, we fear we must hold Mr Stewart convicted out of his own mouth of being among that somewhat

numerous class described by the poet yet the wrong pursue. ” He now stands forward as champion of rigid economy and crucial retrenchment, yet he is one of those responsible for placing in office a Ministry in which Sir J ulius Y oqel is the dominant spirit. Nor do wo find, when such policies and proposals as might have been expected emanated from the Treasurer, Mr Stewart lifting up his voice against them or making any earnest endeavor to stem the tide of extravagance which apparently has now set in beyond ordinary control. It is not, however, our purpose to comment specifically on the Parliamentary career of the member for Dunedin West. He has, as we have stated above, done good service in some respects; but he is, individually as well as jointly, responsible for the pass the Colony has come to under the administration of the ill-conditioned Coalition Ministry, who, almost in defiance of Parliament, and certainly so of public opinion, retain office, having saved their skins at the sacrifice of every rag of policy, and by the abandonment of every pretence of principle. He tells the electors now that he did not approve of this or of that, and declares himself opposed to nearly all the pet notions of Sir Jumus, but he does not say whether he intends to continue to give the Government at least a tacit support. Indeed, he carefully avoids committing himself as to what course he will adopt next session. It is true that he stigmatises the scheme of big borrowing, tentatively put before the country, as a “ gambling and scrambling policy,” but what he proceeds to say in reference thereto is little more than a reflex of the opinions expressed by the Premier, who expressly asserted in his last address that he would be no party to further borrowing unless the money was to be expended on works giving a fair promise of being remunerative. Sir Julius, whatever number of millions he might ask for, would most unquestionably be prepared to demonstrate, on paper, that the whole expenditure was quite certain to bo reproductive. This is invariably the declaration of Ministers when authority is asked for a new loan; and wo know, from a very costly experience, just what such declarations are worth. The sentiments of Mr Stewart arc admirable in their way, but really amount to very little that is practical. It would be unwise, he says, to increase our indebtedness unless we have a fair prospect of improving our position. Every reasonable person will agree with this, and possibly with the counter proposition, that with a fair prospect there need be no apprehension of evil results from further borrowing. The gist of the question, however, will be as to the fair prospect. Mr Stewart does not state whether such prospect is likely under the conditions sketched out by. the Treasurer; he avoids, in fact, what is really the main issue. It is not the borrowing per se that is absolutely objectionable, but the involving of the Colony in vast responsibilities without due provision for increasing the ability to meet the accruing annual charges. The generalities of Mr Stewart arc excellent, but he leaves himself free to support the Ministerial policy, as indicated, should it suit him to do so. To put it very mildly, he t remains open to conviction ! Mr Stewart possibly had not tho least intention of being humorous, but in reality was very successful in this vein when dealing with the subjects of Protection and local government. Ho would levy “prohibitive duties” on articles for the production of which the Colony was particularly adapted, and which consequently no one in his senses would think of importing, and he would impose “ protective duties ” only where there was good assurance that the money would not “simply be “put into the pockets of the manu- “ facturers at the expense of the con- - “ sumers. ’’ His protective tariff would presumably be minute enough to in»

scribe ou Gnu's finger nail ! M lu'ii hard pusliud by a questioner, he, however, wont so far ay to say that “ all “industries likely to In* adapted (o tin 1 “ Colony should l>o protected! ’ 't lie intelligence of the honorable gentleum n is manifestly tied in a knot so far as this question is concerned. Ife does not see Ids way to lilt thn happy moan, which it is his characteristic to do, where he possibly can. if he can conceive a system of protective duties which will neither mulct the consumer nor enrich the manufacturer at the expense of the people at large, wo shall be willing to admit that wo havo boon in the wrong in considering that he knows very little of political economy, and still less of the loading principles of trade and commerce. Tho Manufacturers’ Association, wo are inclined to think, will make very little of tins now pervert. In speaking of local government, Mr Stewaut said that he believed that tho true key to tho removal of the dillicultios in connection therewith had not been found. “ The problem was not “ an easy one to solve, but he was sure “ a good and substantial one would bo “found before long.” It is too had to poke fun in this fashion at his friends iu tho Ministry. Has not a moat comprehensive scheme, tlio product of the combined labors during a whole recess of the Premier and Treasurer, been successfully inaugurated % Are not tho local bodies and the ratepayers—especially tho ratepayers—quite jubilant over its operation 1 A prominent New Zealand politician once said in the House that “ the tost of civilisation was taxation.” What a highly civilised country New Zealand is likely to be, if confided much longer to tho tender mercies of the Stout-Yokel combination !