The Evening Star FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1887.

Evening Star, Issue 7252, 1 July 1887, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1887.

There has been remarkable activity in the political arena this week. We have had the Premier on the platform, and are to have him there again to-night; and we have heard his opponent Mr James Allek. And, at an infinite distance, Mr Dick and Mr Hutchison have expounded what they are pleased to term their views on the political situation. Tfra renewed interest taken in public affairs has been evinced by the large attendances with which the candidates have been favored. We augur the best results from this. The people are beginning to recognise the fact that the business of politics is everybody's business. The shoe of taxation is pinching them ; and they are now bestirring themselves in earnest to know the why and wherefore, and to seek for a remedy. Of course, political quacks prescribe " Protection " as a panacea for all the ills undpr which the body politic languishes. But experience teaches, The present Tariff, though ostensibly levied for revenue purposes, Is protective in its operation, and people are beginning to doubt whether an extra dose would be beneficial. j The remedy they favor is retrenchment, and I it is very apparent from candidates' speeches 4&os' this, and chiefly this, is the popular demand. Every bidder for the electoral vote takes up the parable and makes retrenchment histrumpoard. The<ColonialTreasurer,when making his Financial Statement, asserted that ,S as to the capacity of the peeplo to " meet the further taxation required there "is not any doubt." But "the peopleV are of a different opinion. Sir Epbjejit Stojjs labored hard to show that his Government had retrenched, and most lamentably failed to prove Wa case. Mr Dick, who is a legacy from a formerly existent Government, madeecononiyof expenditnreMeetrongpoint. With great gusto fie .derailed the mwdepdjß ,of the present, Government, and over their broken promiseshe became grimly humorous, But he spoke,the wqrdapttrnth and sobers ness he said" thatf Ministers had'-no idea of and ,the tendeneyMbfj the popular mind' was evinced by tlje applause which greeted njj* declaration jihaj

if he was elected he was going up to turn out the present Government. There is a directness about this which contrasts favorably with the shifty utterances of Mr Stewart. If the electors of Dunedin West return Mr Dick they will know exactly how he will range himself in the coming Parliamentary struggle, which assuredly cannot be said of his opponent, who seems to pose as a " waiter on Providence." On the subject of Protection Mr Dick appears to be in a state of dubiety. He was evidently feeling his way in doubtful waters. But he might take a hint from the circumstance that no applause greeted his tentative approaches to a protectionist policy until he announced his desire to do away with duties on raw materials. Rightly or wrongly, the people of Dunedin have achieved the reputation of being a protectionist community. For our own part we disbelieve that it is so. A noisy minority have raised the cry, but it is extremely questionable whether any candidate could be returned on the Protection ticket unless he were also strong on retrenchment ; and it is quite certain that a staunch advocate of retrenchment would obtain the preference—all things being equal—although he were an out-and-out Freetrader. Mr Dick should not palter with this question. His heart is not with it, and his head should enable him to avoid ambiguity. Mr Hutchison's address to tho Roslyn electors was a remarkable one in many respects. One would have supposed that the chairman of the Protection League would have availed himself of such an excellent opportunity for ventilating the political doctrines of which he is the avowed and foremost champion. But he did nothing of the sort. In plain English, he shirked the question, insomuch that when he expressed his intention not to say anything more about Protection he was reminded that he had not yet said anything about it. Has he also discovered that there is no reality in the cry for Protection ? We do not ask his own opinion, for that is evidently a thing to be moulded by the popular will. Hence he was strongest on retrenchment. Here he felt himself on safe ground, and, waxing bold as he proceeded, he finally attacked Ministerial extravagance, declaring that the expenditure on defence works " might as well have been thrown into the sea," that the Native Department should be abolished, and that the present mail service was an expensive luxury. It is refreshing to hear such a vigorous supporter of the Government avow that in the matter of retrenchment " for one step they took forward they took two back," and expose the Premier's misleading statement that a saving had been effected by allowing the Secretary of Customs to retire on a pension of £6OO per annum, whilst another officer receiving a salary of £550 is installed in his place. But whilst, when assisted by popular instruction, he can see motes in the eyes of others, he exposes a large beam in his own. Nothing more wildly preposterous was ever mooted by Sir Julius Vogel than Mr Hutchison's proposition that the Government should take over the £58,000,000 "owed by private individuals and local bodies " and relieve the mortgagors of " the heavy percentage they have to pay," so as to reduce the interest to 4 per cent. Where the funds are to come from, or how they are to be raised, does not seem to have entered into his calculation ; but, as it may fairly be assumed that there are not two men in New Zealand who would seriously advocate such a course, Mr Hutchison may safely be left to work the problem out at his leisure. He does not seem to know exactly whether he is a candidate for Roslyn or not, and, judging from his speech, it is not of much consequence whether he is defeated there or elsewhere. It is a relief to turn from the tricks and quibbles of these old political stagers to the fresh utterances of Mr James Allen. It cannot be denied that he is a formidable opponent to the Premier, all untried though he be in parliamentary'practice. His first appearance was indeed most promising, and he has already won " golden opinions from all sorts of people." But what is of more importance is that he is politically sound. His ready apprehension of the truth that " the real way to put our house in order is "by a thorough system of economy and " retrenchment"; his detection and exposure of the sham retrenchments paraded by Sir Robert Stout; and his uncompromising hostility to further taxation—"direct or indirect "—show that he has considered the subject well and thoroughly mastered the position. He does not come before the people to learn its will, but submits himself and his opinions fearlessly to public criticism. It would be as absurd as unfair to cavil at details respecting which he is not so fully informed as the practised politicians with whom he stands in comparison. It is sufficient that his principles are in accord with public feeling. , And it is in his favor that there are no sins of the past to lay to his charge. If his performances in the future, in the quite possible event of his election, equal the promise of his debut, Dunedin and the Colony will gain by his addition to the ranks of our public men. The temporary relegation of Sir Robert Stout to private life would not be an unmixed evil, and may be of service to himself. Whether this will happen or not, it is quite certain that the presence of such men as Mr Allfn is sadly needed in the Legislative Chambers, and in the interests of the community it is desirable that he should find or conquer a seat there, and the sooner the better.