THE POOR OPPOSITION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12973, 14 November 1902, Page 4

THE POOR OPPOSITION.

The-Conservative newspapers are naturally very angry with Mr Seddon for having exposed the hollowness of 'their wild slirlc-ks about the Public Revenues Act. They can find no words strong enough in which to express their indignation. The "Timaru Herald," indeed, after accusing the Premier of making " a very grave departure fa-om the truth," and giving "a, lying version)" of Section 4 of the Act, apologises for the inadequacy of its language, and declares that it would be justified: in making ib much stronger. It bases this elegant criticism on its own assertion that Mr Seddom was not speaking t-ho truth when he said) at Por'b Chalmers that Section 4 of .tha Act of 1900 was practically the same as Sections 37 and 40 of the Acts of 187& and 1891. - The older Acts, which were admittedly vague amd unsatisfactory, provided that " any surplus " might be transferred from one" vote to another, wfcilei Ma new Act provides that " the moneys available in respect of any vote " may be transferred. The "Herald" insists that under the former provision "not a farthing could! be diverted from expenditure on the item for which the money hod been voted' until the item had been completed and paid for"; but ib is not necessary to go very fav back oil our' history to show that its contentio'n is utterly wrong. Ia 1897, Mr J. E. Fitzgerald was Controller and Audi-tor-General, «nd even the " Herald" will! admit that he was a. gentleman who understood the duties of his office a.n;d' never

hesitated to perform tihem. B* oerfafcW, had no bias in favour of the present Gom vernanent, and no disposition to assist it). in .any irregularity, and yet we find thaifl in 1897 very considerable transfers- -wer* made from one vote to another. Tinder tba old Acts, with his entire approval. To} tho North Island Main. Trunk Railway, fo» instance, £SOOO were transferred from tih» Helensville North vote, .£I4OO from thai, Eketahuna-Woodville vote,, £2OOO faun th« Blenheim Extension vote), and £SOOO from the Otago Central vote. At the same times between, £12,000 and £13,000 were transferred from the votes for various unfinished lines to the vote, for additions to ope* railways. If there had been anything improper about these transfers, Mr Fit*' gerald, who was always ready to exercis* his authority, would never have allotreif them. The fact that they were made is sufficient proof of the absolute accuracy of Mr Seddon's statement.