Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 1890.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 113, 14 May 1890, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 1890.

In Borne respects Mr Harkness' speech on Monday night was satisfactory, in others disappointing. Those of hie audience who attended simply wifch a desire fco hear a -summarised narrative of the last session and nothing more had no ground for complaint that they did not get all that they wanted; others — probably the majority — who wore hopeful of obtaining some information from theii* representative as to the line of action he purposed taking in future, leffc the Hall with their appetite entirely unappeased. A pre-sessional speech is to our thinking infinitely preferable to a postsessional one. At the end of a session the i;nbl ; c sire for fche time being sated wifch politics ; their u< . SDapuis for fchree or four months have contained little else, and ifc is a relief to have done for j. time with the sayings of members, and the proceedings of Parliament generally.

Whatever excitement may havo been created during the session has died oufc, and a member inviting his constituents to meet him immediately after fche prorogation under ordinary circumstances finds that half the benches aye empty. But ou fcho eve of a session thore is a freshness aboufc politics that is iv itself attractive, and people are once more disposed to take an interest in public affairs. For these reasons we are inclined to favour the custom of representatives meeting tbeir constituents immediately beforo, rather than immediately after the session, and bolieve that ]_L_ Harkness did well in selecting the present time instead of fcho month of October or November for holding his meeting. Ho does not, however, appear to havo clearly understood what a prc-scssional meeting implies. The term is nofc used solely to signify the relation that the date of the meeting* bears to a session, but to a large extent ifc denotes fche live that the speaker will tako ; ifc is usually taken bo mean that he will deal with fche future rather than the past. But thia was just; what Mr Harkness did nofc do; what he did was to deliver a post-ses-sional speech six months too late. Another mistake, too, ho appears to us to have made. He seemed to treat his audience as a hostile one, and from first to last gave his hearers the impression that he was acting on the defensive. _ When ho has had a little more experienco he will probably recognise fchafc this is not the way to carry bis hearers with him or to win thoir confidence. But, whatever may bave been its shortcomings, the speech was by no means devoid of interest. Intelligent as he undoubtedly is, thoroughly honest, and as yet little versed in the trickery and chicanery of political lifo, it was more than interesting, ifc was entertaining, fco hear Mr Harkness describe the dodges resorted to by members who hold the dootrine that fche end justifies the means, _ and to listen to his indignant denunciation of those who care nofc how tortuous are the paths by which they travel^ so that they reach the goal at which they aim. Himself a novice in tho art of politics, these things seem to have _ come to him as a revelation, and that it was so is a clear proof of his own integrity of purpose. The explanation he gave of his vote on Mr Moss' amendment waß entirely satisfactory, and he is entitled to credit for having acted wisely and judiciously in a position of somo diffioulby. How ifc was that Mr Moss obtained bo many supporters on such an issue we have never been able to understand, considering the consequences that fche success ot his amendment would bave entailed. Tho money that is brought in by fche property tax — nearly £400,000— is essential to the carrying on of the government of the colony, and to »Bk the Parliament to condemn the tax— and in so doing to oußt the Ministry — without) in any way indicating fche source of revenue that was to be substituted for ifc, was certainly not the act of a statesman, however consistent it might be wifch the general line of conduct of a scheming politician desirous of embarrassing the Government. There was one good point made i Q the course of his speech for which Mr Harkness deserves commendation. Ifc was whero, whon speaking of fche revenue, a voice from tbe body of the Hall suggested that he sbould endeavour to secure some of it for Nelson. The reply was ready and distinct. He was nofc, after advocating a course of strict economy for fche colony, going fco stultify himself by sponging upon the Government for money for his district merely for the sake of carrying favour with some of his constituents. Tho answer was as bold as ifc was ready, and it was very gratifying to find that it was received with applause as loud as that evoked by any parfc of the speech. "We cannot; but; regard this as a healthy sign, and as being very oreditable to the meeting. From the general tenor of his remarks we gather that Mr Harkness will steadfastly resist all attempts, under whatever guise they may be made, to iucrease the liabilities of the colony, aud in this he will be giving effect; to tho •wishes of his constituents. As to what line he will take in the event- of au effort; being mado to repeal tho Act roduciug the number of mornbers, lie bas leffc us in tbe dark, though it may be presumed that ho would havo enlightened his his hearers on this subject had he any idea of voting with those who may be inclined to set afc defiance fche wishes of the people as expressed afc the last general election. Taking the speech aa a whole ib can scarcely be said of ifc that ifc in any way rose above ordinary deliverances of its kind, but at the same time its chief faults were thoso of omission. One other remark we have to make. We have not had an opportunity of hearing Mr HarkneßS speak since he contested the Waimea-Picton seat in 1887, and were glad to find that in tho interval he has to a large extent shaken himself free of fche pulpit style of oratory, by whioh he w»b then, as a speaker on _ political platform, heavily handicapped.