THE NEW CONSERVATIVE LEADER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12158, 23 March 1900, Page 4

THE NEW CONSERVATIVE LEADER.

Remembering how indignantly the Press Association has repudiated the suggestion that it is not altogether free from party bias, it is a little amusing to find its agent at Wyndham telegraphing ail over the country a report of a banquet given in that out-of-the-way village to Mr J. W. Raymond, the defeated Conservative candidate for Mataura at the last general election. There are probably not a score of people on this side of the Waitaki who. know, Mil Raymond even by name, and there are certainly not half that number who care two straws whether he was feasted or neglected by his political friends. The Press Association agent himself, to do him justice, seems to have realised this fact. After explaining the purpose of the gathering, he allows poor Mr Raymond to drop cut of sight alto* gether, and devotes the rest of his report to a (summary of a speech delivered by Mi James Allen. Are we to take this as an indication that the member for Bruce is to be the new leader of the Conservative Party? There are more improbable things. Mr Rolleston and Mr Scobie Mackenzie have been defeated at the pells, Mr Duthie has retired from active political life, and Captain Russel! has signally failed in his efforts to retrieve the fortunes of his party. Mi Allen has scarcely (sustained the fame ha won thirteen years ago- by defeating Sit Robert Stout for one of the Dunedin seats when the present Chief Justice was Premiei of the colony; but he has proved himseli an eminently “ respectable ” representative* and has avoided all the common indiscretions of political youth. His name has heed mentioned before in connection with the party leadership, and the fact that he wait supported at Wyndham by Mr Charie* Lewis, the senior Opposition Whip, gives some colour to the report that he is to. succeed Captain Russell. With this possibility in view, it may be interesting to glance foi a moment at his latest attack upon the Government. We may even pardon the Preisi Association agent for having given unusual prominence to his remarks. The first thing that will strike the reader is that Mr Ailed did not advance a single charge against Ilia opponents that had not been effectually refuted long before the general election. Ml Seddon’s early opposition to the women’s franchise, the increase in the public works expenditure, the growth of the Customs revenue, and the attack upon the freehold,; are all twice-told tales which any particularly scrupulous critic would hesitate tq repeat. But Mr Allen has been too long in the Conservative camp to retain any very nice idea of the ethics of political warfare. He knows perfectly well that Mr Seddon has never posed as the author of the women’; franchise, and yet he cannot resist the temp* tation to accuse the Premier of insincerity and duplicity. He knows, too, that the in* crease in the public works expenditure and the growth in the Customs revenue are 'em tirely due to the extension of settlement and the improvement in the condition oi the people. To attribute them) to somi wicked device on the part of the Governmenl is to pay a very poor compliment to the in' telligence of the electors. As to the ‘‘ attack upon the freehold,” if it pleases Mr Allei and his friends to pretend to believe thaj Mr John M’Kenzie • wants to lay violeni hands upon private property we do no| know that it is worth while to deny then; this little comfort. The maintenance of thi freehold—which no one, by the way, evei sought to disturb—was tue chief plank ii* their platform at the general election, and we all know how well it stood them at thd polls. It may be quite true, as Mr Allen says, that much of the prosperity which the colony is enjoying at the present moment is due to Sir Harry Atkinson’s appeal tc the people to “ put forth every effort,” but we scarcely see how this can lessen the credit that is due to the men,who have encouraged the people to exert themselves. Altogether, the member for Bruce seems tfi have made a very disappointing first appearance in his new role, and unless ha should display more tact and resource outlie floor of the House he will have very little chance of restoring the fallen fortunes of his party*.