MR TAYLOR'S RETURN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12934, 30 September 1902, Page 4

MR TAYLOR'S RETURN.

Theke is a virility about Mr T. E. Taylor's speeches, v and indeed about all his public work that wins him either admiration or enmity, and it is easy to understand the warmth and cordiality of his reception, last night. Neither his supporters nor his opponents are ever lukewarm in their sentiments, and we know of no other public mam in Canterbury who- is so sure a " draw " at a> public meeting. Be set out ostensibly, in his speech at the Art Gallery, to tell theplain story of his travels, but 'he missed no opportunity of forcing home the moral, of giving his observations local application, and it is abundantly clear that he gathered a good deal of ammunition- for future fights in the course of His. holiday trip. Ho is not yet definitely "out" for the city, but whether he stands for Parliament or not lie evidently does not intend to be a mere spectator in the licensing campaign. There is no reason, we think, to deplore the organising of forces on both sides in preparation for the local option poll. For a month, or two, perhaps, the community is divided into opposing' camps, but there caw be no satisfaction in a poll on any great issue fihat does not indicate the real strength of public opinion. There is this to be said, however, that so long as the licensing issue is the only one submitted to tlie referendum! there will almost certainly be a- tendency to make it a dominant one in the Parliamentary elections. The prohibitionists, of course, still cling in theory to the.bare majority principle, but in practice, we suppose, they •will be content to hold! the rights iho public already enjoy, and there is little danger now of any retrogression. l . Mr Doull! .■■aid last night that the Temperance Party had no reason to be grateful to the Government, which gave the people legislation, only as a cow gives down her milk, "but on the whole we cannot read this as a reproach. The Government was put in power to carry nut the wishes of the people, and it has- done that consistently enough from the beginning. It -would be a matter for regret if reformers were content with what satisfies) the general public, because then we should) stand still, but, as Governments go, Mr Doull would be hard put to it to find one more truly entitled to the gratitude of the people than, that at present in power in New Zealand. He is a poor-spirited farmer who gives his best cow only kicks.