THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1893.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9341, 26 October 1893, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1893.

The "Auckland United Liberal Electoral Committee," alias the Auckland Liberal Association, have issued a series of questions to candidates, and to these we give the benefit of an extended publicity in our columns. It might be a matter of speculation as to why the Liberal Association did not simply place in the hands of each candidate a copy of the famous platform, and ask them to say whether or not they were in favour of out-and-out land nationalisation, the finding of work by the State for those who cannot find it for themselves, State ownership, under direct Ministerial control, of land, railways, mines, and coastal marine service, the establishment of a State bank, with a monopoly of paper money, the abolition of the Upper House, etc., etc. It has been judged expedient, it will be seen, to tone things .down to exactly what will be suitable for the present Ministry. The candidates in the first instance are required to "give a loyal support to the present Government." This means that if they were to exercise any will or independence of their own, they would be denounced as traitors and blacklegs. By the second question, they are bound down to the will and

decisions a majority of the Liberal party in thWouse c Representatives. But supposin\that in the next House "the Liberal^a r is split into two sections. The Wjority can only be found by a div% and perhaps the member in this ca\ may make one side or the other a maWity or minority. But the candidate is\reviously pledged to support Mr. Seddohyhatever lie may do or propose, and although Sir Robert Stout may have a majot\y of the Liberal party, those who obeythe Auckland United Liberal Electoral Committee will not be at liberty to consider anything which they may bring forward. They will simply have to follow 3fir. Seddon into the lobby. The third question is so vague as to mean very littleVnd we have no doubt that every good 'Conservative in the country would assen\ to it. The fourth question is very different, and pledges the candidate to support three Bills as they were brought in by the Government. The unfortunate candidate is to say aye to these; he is not at liberty to propose any amendment. It will be noticed that the Shipping and Seamen's Bill is not bracketed with these other Bills, but is put as the last question, in this form i " Will you support such amendments to the Shipping and Seamen's Act as will secure justice to the seamen employed, and safety to the public 1" The answer of every man to this question will be, " Yes, by all means." There is no man in the world who will not claim to be eager to make any change in the law if it can be shown that that change is necessary to secure justice to the seamen employed and safety to the public. But the Government brought down a Bill on this subject, which we showed was not necessary on any question of public safety, and which would have ruined the shipping interest of this port and of the colony, Ministers will bring in that Bill again, and of course members who are pledged to give them a "loyal" (which means a slavish) support will have to vote for it. In the sixth question the cloven hoof is shown. Upon it the whole business turns. It is, "Are you in favour of giving the Alcoholic Liquor Sale Control Bill a fair trial 1" Hitherto, Liberal Associations have been reckoned somewhat antagonistic to the liquor interest, and in favour of a strict form of local option. But it is quite clear from this question that the Auckland Liberal Electoral Committee have sold themselves to the other side, and are above all things anxious that no attempt should be made to disturb the Act passed last session. This question might have been taken to be involved in the first —that of "loyal support to the present Government"but those who pulled the strings in the committee were anxious that there should be no mistake in the matter, and that every member put in by the Liberal party should be pledged to maintain the Act. The candidate is then to be sworn to preserve and extend the system of co-operative works, and this is followed by a couple of questions, merely put in as "stuffing," about military land claimants, and the Main Trunk Railway. All the questions are vague, except the fourth, fifth, sixtti, and seventh. The committee profess to be anxious to get the Liberal party to act together, and yet they introduce the sixth question. They know quite well that Sir Robert Stout, who has been a leading Liberal for many years, who was asked to lead the party by the late Mr. Ballance, is strongly opposed to the Alcoholic Liquors Act of last session, aad is determined to endeavour to amend it next session. He will be followed by several of the most ardent Liberals in the House. Here is a division in the Liberal camp at once, and the section led by Sir Robert Stout may prove to be a majority, whose "decisions and will" the candidates are pledged to uphold. Sir Robert Stout is the chosen of the Liberal party in Wellington. There can be no such question as this sixth one on the programme there. It is now a house divided against itself. The manifesto is, it will be admitted, very vague as a whole. It foreshadows no policy or measure for the future. It merely mentions a few Bills brought up last session. It deals with no grand subject such as land nationalisation or State ownership of everything, or even any reasonable reform. The pledge which it emphatically exacts is that every Liberal shall resist all attempts to amend the liquor law, which is quite satisfactory to the Licensed Victuallers' Association. Why should this sixth question have been intruded at all in a programme meant to guide the future of Liberal legislation and of the Liberal party It was placed where it stands because the Auckland Liberal Electoral Committee are a sham so far as Liberalism is concerned. They are the Licensed Victuallers' Association in disguise.