CONFIDENCE OR NO-CONFIDENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8082, 24 September 1887, Page 3

CONFIDENCE OR NO-CONFIDENCE.

TO THIS EDITOR. Sib, The eleotors of the colony will have to decide the question, confidence or noconfidence in the Stout-Vogel Ministry, at the poll on Monday. If ever the people of this district had saffioient cause, or provocation, to return an unanimous verdict, they have on this occasion. Sentimental and theoretical questions are no doubt important, and at times most; important. But, under existing circumstances, the hard practical question of finance comes to the front in its twofold aspect; firstly, are the men who have run the State ship among quicksands and breakers, all the time asserting that there is no danger, are these men to be trusted to continue in charge of the ship (or another term ? The electors will probably have no difficulty in deciding that question with an emphatic No. The second question is more local, but directly affects every trader, every artisan, and every labourer here. It is, has Auckland been treated fairly, or with justice, during the time the present Ministry have been in office ? When the Premier so far forgot himself as to inform his own constituents that " Auckland had been the one to suffer for the action of its representatives in trying to curb the extravagance of the Government," he was only admitting a fact that is easily proved. Let any tradesman, dealer, artisan, labourer, or holder of house property, ask* himself whether his position is not incomparably worse in 1887 than it was in 1884 ; let him consider also the farther fact that the debt ot the colony has been very largely increased during the past three years, large votes expended, and large concessions granted in Canterbury and Otago, while Auckland has been almost ignored, unless such political jobs as the Dargarille-Kaihu Railway are taken into account; let bim further consider that an attempt was made to intimidate our representatives by a threat of taking away the million to be borrowed for the Trunk Railway, and expending it down South. Many other equally damaging facts might be adduced, but sufficient have been given to induce intelligent men to emphatically reject all the adherents of the Stout-Vogel Ministry.—l am, &0., September 23, 1887. F. C.