THE WEEK.' *

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10216, 9 December 1893, Page 4

THE WEEK.' *

The “fitful fever” of the elections Is * well over, and all is once more normal, but ' for the attempts being made by certain Conservative scribes to persuade the people that there is something particularly critical and ominous about the political situation. Sir Robert Stout and the remnant of the Opposition are said to be about to form a coalition that will torn the present Ministry : oat of office, and there are dark hints of a “summer session,” when this consummation is to be brought about. In these forecasts and warnings the wish is generally “father to the thought.” One astute Opposition journal even throws out the friendly suggestion I that Mr Seddon’o ouly hope of retaining office lies in having a summer cession and hipping in the hud the revolt of Sir Robert and his merry band of prohibitionists. Really, these Conservatives are altogether . too effusive in their invitations to the onoe heartily-bated “Socialist and faddist” to come over and help them. Their sublime faith in the elasticity of Sir Eobert's political conscience recalls a story that used to be told with gusto during the Russian war scare. The Stout-Yogel coalition Government was then in power, it should be explained, and considerable comment had been evoked by that combination of opposing elements. In Wellington one day a knot of politicians were discussing tho possible consequences that would ensue j if a Russian cruiser were to sail into I the harbour. Unconditional capitulation ■ seemed to some the only alternative to the prompt destruction and sacking of the Empire City, A southern member—Mr i Barron, if we recollect aright—took a more j hopeful view. He declared there was no ' cause for anxiety that all nntoward , consequences could be easily averted, \ "How?” “Nothing simpler. Send out j Stout to meet the invaders, and he’ll I soon form a coalition with the Russian I Admiral.” The talk of a Stout-Conserva- | tire combination is just as wild and wide | of the mark as this jocular suggestion. | Here is what a practical, hard-headed ! member has to say on the situation created ! by the elections. Mr Duthie, interviewed , by an Auckland Herald reporter, said | “ Practically there are only eight members I of the Opposition returned, and tho party ‘ia virtually annihilated. In my opinion . our action and that of tho Council in resisting what we think is vicious legislation, has not met with public sympathy. Good government will only oome from tbs experience of the evils of such legislation. Various measures, hitherto sooeeeifully resisted, must now become law, and we think a revulsion of feeling will ensue when some of these measures am .brought into practice, UlvisioM wi%4

think, «ri*e in their own part? before they go very far. I think there is an improvement in the personnel of the House, and I am of opinion that men of more moderate ' views will gravitate together before very long. As to the Premiership, mj opinion is that it would he a great pit; to disturb the present Government. They ought to bo retained jn offloo till the effect of their measures and their finance la full; before the country. I would regard lb ae a huge blunder to die* turb the Government, even if a division upon prohibition arose. The country, as I laid, must first realise the general effect of their measures, and especial’ yof their finance, before there is any attempt to disturb the Government. As to Mr Rollestou'a ‘defeat, one must express regret that a high-minded man of ripe experience like him, after all his self-sacrifice and toll, should be oast aside. 11 The notable point* in this pronouncement are—(l) The ndmlslion that the Opposition Party is out Of touch with public sentimeht; (2) the conviction that the Liberal legislation hitherto obstructed must now be passed; and (8) the opinion that it would be a blunder, in the opinion of an earnest temperance reformer, to oust the present Government from office over the question of prohibition. Beyond all doubt, Mr Dathla will be no part; to a Stout-Eusaell coalition.

Moat of (he defeated candidates have taken their beating with a good grace, and have publicly thanked their supporters without allowing the slightest trace of bitterness to appear. An exception to this tale was found in the case of Mr Kennedy Macdonald, of Wellington, who, with more truth than taste, threw the blame of hie defeat upon the lack of unity and organisation in the Liberal Fatty, and concluded ■ by announcing that he would never again woo the suffrages of the electors. In pleasant contrast to this, Mr G. W. Purnell, smilingly told the electors of Ashburton in his address of thanks that, though defeated ha intended to try again, and made the announcement thus early “so th&t no discussion might hereafter arise upon the Important question of who was first in the field. 11 Mr Purnell's pluck, determination and forethought are worthy of all V (admiration. It is to be hoped that he Will be found fighting next triennial contest with his wonted dash, but on the f * right 11 side of politics. "Stop my paper!’ 1 This is the last argument of people who refuse to accept the logic of facts, or whose minds are eo Barrow that they cannot understand that the thoughts of the general body of mankind are being " widened with the process of the sons. 11 We have all along been in the van of progress, and yet we have included in our list of subscribers hundreds of people whose political views are certainly not "advanced.’ 1 The more Conservative of our readers have not hitherto employed against us the "last argument," to which wo have just alluded, hat it appears that some of these gentlemen cannot forgive the extinction of the'Opposition party in Canterbury. For the sweeping away of the last vestige of Canterbury Conservatism we are. it seems, wholly to blame, and we are to be punished for our misdeeds. Several subscribers have, since the general election, sent notes more curb than courteous, ordering their papers to be ■topped. One of these epistles, written by a veteran Conservative legislator for whom we entertain the highest respect, is so flattering that we reproduce it in full. It is dated Hot. 80, and runs as follows " Sir,—Be good enough to cease sending me the Lyttelton Times. I have subscribed to that journal for about thirty years, but I decline any longer to take in a paper bolding such views as it now does. You may be, and probably are, proud .of what you have done in aid of a Radical Government, bub I think the fume is not far off when some constituencies, at all events, will awake to the shame you have been instrumental in bringing on them.—Your obedient servant, ■■

Comment would spoil this epistolary gem, so we let it stand with the simple addendum of a modest disclaimer of the lull credit of having secured for Canterbury the "shame” of being represented m &Zoc by supporters of a Government that baa shown m, thoiough and honest determination to cope with the evils of land monopoly, and reform a system which has hindered the growth of this provincial district more than all other causes put together.

Some depressed Conservatives have been propounding to themselves during the past Week the question: " What is Liberalism ?” To this problem or conundrum they have also attempted to provide the answer. They have realised, of course, that Liberalism is something that can beat Conservatism in a fair fight, wad they evidently want to learn ■omething of the nature of this conquering force. They can reach no other conclusion than the old one—at variance with fact and insulting to the intelligence of the Democracy—that Liberalism is a wham and a delusion that never did and Sever can do any good to anybody. - They My that Liberalism has never “ provided employment for the people,” or "pub sixpence in their pockets,” whereas ail great political reforms have been granted by the Conservatives of Few Zealand, the open-handed landlords and employers. This is as pretty a sample of Conservative argument as could be found—cne-half unsupported assertion and the ocher half ttudied misrepresentation. It is unnecessary to refute such statements. Men nowadays are not to be deluded by the parrot phrase about the benevolence of capital is iq is finding employment for the mataes. They know that so far from the employer conferring a benefit on them by giving them work, the benefit is mutual, except when the employer Appropriates too large a share of the Irnite of industry. The taunt about Liberalism not putting sixpence into the pocket ia a particularly unfortunate one. It irresistibly • suggests the time when the Conservative Party thought it could command votes by putting sixpence into men’s pockets or pomiug its equivalent ia bser down their throats. Tuo use of inch a phrase goes to prove that some of the bid school, who lag behind in the race of progress, long for the days when the *' sixpence -lu - your - pockets ” argument could secure a large following of that extinct species, the “ Conservative working man.” If the true reply has not yet been found to the query," What is Liberalism ? it may be presumed that it has been established on the beat authority that Conservatism still moans •' sixpence ia your pockets.”

The disastrous floods iu Hawke’s Bay, Which have brought ruin upon many pettier* who were not in affluent oiroumitances, have naturally evoked warm expieesiona o2 sympathy all over the Colony. The people of Now Zealand not only feel in their hearts on each v.n occasion t they also feel in their pookota; jit is hoped that when the extent

of the distress is ascertained the re-

lief will be generous and adequate. From the Timaru Herald wo clip the following interesting remarks concerning the scene of the recent floods;—"The rivers of Hawked Bay, which traverse the Ahuriri or Hastings Plain, drain a large extent of country, a peculiarity of which is the ease with which the soil and sub-soil on hill slopes slip after heavy rains,—and most of the country they drain is composed of hill slopes, high or low. A consequence of this is that the rivers when in flood are rivers of sludge, and when they overflow their banks they deposit sometimes enormous quantities of fine silt. A few years ago a large area of cultivated land was buried under about three feet of this silt. Fortunately the deposit is fertile, and the new surface was soon under cultivation. The Ahuriri plain, especially in its lower or seaward portion, is probably the newest part of New, Zealand, and this in a double Sense, BS the silt of which it is built up consists chiefly Of decomposed pumice or volcanic dust, ejected from the great central volcanoes, long after the surface of the plains and downs of Canterbury was formed and tussooked. It is the incoherence of the phmibeous deposit on the surface of the country, when wet, which causes it to slip so readily, and the rivers, when in flood, to be streams of slndge."