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New Zealand Mail, Issue 426, 10 April 1880, Page 24

Mb. Levin" has lost nothing by meeting the electors this week, for, if not a brilliant oratorical effort, his address was straightforward and to the point, and pervaded unmistakeably by honesty of purpose. It was a speech to be accepted by both sides of the House, for there was nothing expressed in it to which serious exception could be taken by anyone not entertaining extreme political views. The member for Wellington is amongst the moderates, and may be congratulated upon the position he has taken up. It is in moderate legislation that the safety of the colony lies. Extremes, or attempts at extremes, have wrought much mischief by unsettling men's minds and exciting aspirations that will not stand the test of common sense. But on all main points of policy the speaker last night was unmistakeably sound. Especially was this apparent in his remarks upon the financial position, . Mr. Levin spoke out, and urged the only course leading to safety —economy and retrenchment in private as well as public affairs. We are thoroughly with him in this, for the time, long since prognosticated, when the colony would have to sustain the reaction of lavish expenditure, has arrived, aud the difficult problem of how to make two ends meet has to be solved. How to do this, however, was not indicated by the speaker; he simply dealt with the generalities of the question, until he touched upon the .Royal Commissions, and then, referring to the Civil Service, was more definite. To us the tone of his remarks implied doubts as to the efficiency of the Civil Service Commission; as to whether it would recommend sweeping reductions and the thorough reorganisation essential to place the service on a proper footing. And we are inclined to share those doubts with him, for the task is about on a par with one of the labors of Hercules. Mr. Levin, however, gave the right cue in recommending consolidation of offices and the employment only of thoroughly competent men at good salaries. His definition of the character of the Civil Service was, if severe, not unwarranted, and the public generally will concur with his alternative, that in the event of the Commission failing to provide a remedy and instruction how to apply it, upon the Ministry would devolve the duty, which, however disagreeable, must be performed. His arguments in support of the appointment of the several Commissions were, on the whole, cogent; for even those who are most opposed to the Commissions, must admit that the shortness of the recess and the importance of the issues involved, warranted exceptional action to meet the emergency. At the same time it is but an emergency, and the use of Commissions in the present instance is not by any means to be adopted as a precedent. Nothing could be fairer to the people than Mr. Levin's exposition of the land question, but we do not quite see how any Government would be justified or even likely to be thanked for exer- , cising the paternal control recom-

mended by him. The most exacting in land settlement could scarcely demand more than free competition in selecting and purchasing lands thrown open to the people. If hona -fide agriculturists were permitted to settle on the best of the land only, the colony we fear would be saddled with a great deal of dead stock, and serious injury would be inflicted upon the public exchequer. The line of demarkation between the agricultural and pastoral interests would be too distinctly defined thereby to their sundering, instead of—what should be aimed at—their blending. As in other countries, the good, bad and indifferent must be taken in fair proportions, and thus the public estate will be utilised to the best advantage. But on the general question of the disposal of the land Mr. Levin is sound. Settlement must be promoted by every legitimate means, and the acquisition of large estates discouraged. "We think Mr. Levin dealt very fairly by the present Ministry, and was not one whit too harsh in his strictures upon the GrEEv administration. Occupying, as we do, an independent political position, unfettered by any consideration outside the public welfare, we are yet constrained to admit that, so far, the Hall administration has been governed by the soundest policy, whilst too much praise cannot be accorded for the manner it is conducting native affairs. No Ministry ever more exactly guaged the financial position, or more resolutely undertook the difficult and thankless task of retrenchment. That, however, they are not flawless was indicated by Mr. Levin, when he referred to the propositions relative to the purchase of certain district railways. But one term—iniquitous —can be applied to those propositions. Still, we can agree with Mr. Levin that the position was peculiar, and we may add that worse might have ensued if the G-eev administration had not been ousted. Time and space oblige us to abstain from following Mr. Levin further in this article. We think the city has every reason to be satisfied with him as one of its representatives. "We should, however, have liked, to have heard his opinion as to the West Coast railway $ and to the justice Wellington has received in the matter of other public works. A great deal might have been said about the wretched isolation of the position, one railway leading to nowhere at present, and another long promised, but barely commenced, and as nearly as far as ever from completion. These are subjects never to be lost sight of by public men who profess to have at heart the interests of the city and dis-

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