MR WARD AND COLONIAL POLITICS.

Marlborough Express, Volume X, Issue 717, 9 June 1875, Page 6

MR WARD AND COLONIAL POLITICS.

Sir,— Mr Ward " has said his says " and what sort of " says has he said for us "? Mr C. Redwood, no doubt a competent authority, asserts that "In returning Mr Ward, the constituency would have a man thoroughly acquainted with the political affairs of the Colony. He (Mr R.) did not know anyone who took so much pains to know all that was going on m the political world. He was a constant reader of Hansard and all the parliamentary papers, and had a knowledge of colonial politics at his fingers-ends." Having read and re-read Mr Ward's utterance s as reported m his own " local print," I find that this " local " genius has kept at his fingers' ends whatever knowledge he has of some of the most important subjects that have recently engaged public attention. Let me enumerate a few :—

1. Protection, a subject Mr Ward had at his tonyues' end on the occasion of his defeat by Mr Seymour. 2. Direct taxation, a subject likely to burn Mr - Ward's fingers, and Mr Ward's tongue, should he meddle with it.

3. Export duties, as a means whereby the rich man ease the poor man's heavy contribution to her Majesty's customs. Whenever it suits Mr Joseph Ward's purpose, he can be very eloquent on the subject of the poor man paying for the rich ; perhaps we might learn something if hia tongues' end went on the other tack. 4. Constitution of the Legislative Council.

5. Kepeal of the export duty on gold. 6. Mr Vogel's South Sea trading scheme. 7. Forest Conservation. Mr Ward's neglect of those subjects looks very much as though he was not thoroughly acquainted with the political affairs of the Colony ; for surely a good deal of political capital, a thing by the way Mr Ward does not possess abundantly, might have been made out of them ; and if m the making he should, as he necessarily must, have to give expression to liberal opinions, how easy a task it would be for so wise a man as Mr Joseph Ward, to plead a change, precedents therefor being liberally scattered throughout his own political career. Seriously, Sir, Is it not monstrous that a shallow pretentious wind-bag should stand m the way of one of our ablest legislators, a man whose assistance to the Yogel Ministry m the unavoidable absence of their chief would be invaluable. Is it likely, is it reasonable that the advocacy of our interests by such a man as Mr Ward will counterbalance the loss those interests must suffer from the disgust the leading men of both parties must feel at the stupidity of the Wairau constituency, should it commit political suicide to serve the factions ends of a party that has been whipped again and again for years past. — Yours, &c, Pro Bono Publico,