POLITICAL POWDER AND SHOT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1262, 7 May 1896, Page 13

POLITICAL POWDER AND SHOT.

BY IGNOTUS.

" The small body of members who style themselves the Opposition, and who at the beginning of the session went through the form of electing Captain Russell as leader, do not deserve the name of a Parly, They are united by no stronger ties than "-eve the denixem of the Cave of Adullam—discontent with things as they are and antipathy to those in power. They are simply a fortuitous concourse of political atoms, without cohesion in policy or principle. Lei no such men be trusted," — Wellington Evening Post. # # * #

Opposition journalism in Auckland is about as honest as it is elsewhere, which is not saying much. In his Auckland speech Captain Russell expressed an opinion that Wellington and not Auckland ought to be the port of call for the Frisco mail boats. A 3 might bo imagined, even the most stalwart of Auckland Oppositionists didn't like this and so, thinking no doubt that the Captain's remarks would prejudice the Conservative interest, the New Zealand Herald's report of the meeting contained not a word of the unfortunate slip. The Opposition press policy is one of suppression—of anything that may hurt their side. # # # *

Tho Auckland Slur takes Captain Russell's declaration, that if ho and his friends got into power they wouldn't alter theLiheral taxation, strictly cumgrano salis. The public memory may be short, says the Star, but it is not so very defective ns to forgot tho ten long years of weary struggle against Captain Russell's friends to seouro tho abolition of tho property tax, which penalised thrift, and stood asabulwark to the land monopolists. Remembering this, the people can feel no assurance that if the same men were in power again the fruits of their victories would not be filched from them. We venture to predict that the graduated land tax would not last through a singlo Parliament under a Conservative administration. # # * '*

Tho Star also points out " what happened in tho case of Sir George Grey's mild tax of l d in tho pound only upon the unimproved value of land, with an exemption up to .£SOO. The people still remember the storm of denunciation which greeted it, and the outcries of' robbery and confiscation' from the horde of landgrabbers whoso estates had been enormously increased in value by loan expenditure. They also recollect that one of the first acts of the flail Government was to repeal this tax, although the total amount which it took from land-owners was about JBOO.OOO a year, while the Customs revenue amounted to ,£1,307,034." * * * *

After all Captain Russell needn't trouble his mind as to what ho and his friends will or will not do with respect to the land and income tax and other Liberal measures. They are not likely to have the chance of altering them, even did they so dare. # * * *

At a meeting of delegates of various temperance bodies held at Marton the other day, it was determined, so 1 read in tho Advocate, to ask Mr A. R. Atkinson, of Wellington, to contest tho Kangitikei seat in tho interests of the temperance party. Mr Atkinson has a " gude conceit " of himself, as all Wellingtoniaiis know full well, but I question whether he would tackle the Kangitikoi electorate. Contesting a country electorate is a very different matter to addressing stump orations to a crowd of fellow prohibitionists at the foot of Cuba street.

Tho WoArarapa Daily Times' idea of reporting a political speech (of an opponent) is to pick out bits litre and thoro without their context, and "then flagrantly misinterpret their meaning, filling in other spaco with insults and untruths. Tins was the process adopted by the Daily with regard to tho Premier's speech at Greytown, and yet the Daily editor recently claimed with unctuous conceit (o be the personification of " righteous " journalism ! Raugh! * * * *

As an example of the Mastorton "Ass." organ's methods,! quote a sample "par." as stupidly inaccurate as it is transparently vicious:—"Tho remaining portion of the meeting was taken up in cozening and cajoling tho working man, the temperance reformer, and hut but not least, tho Maori into supporting the present Government. Mr Seddon resumed his seat after a three hours' speech with an appearance of hope blighted and aims defeated, no duubt feeling that this visit was to bear tho same dry, bitter fruit as tho visit of throe years ago did when he came with cajolery and bamboozling to allure the electors of Wairarapa into supporting the then quasiliberal wooer of their suffrages." And this sort of " hogwash " passes as " criticism " with the Conservatives. Well, well, they're easily pleased. * # % %

The Wairaropu, Star thus smartly exposes tho Masterton " Ass." organ's report of the Premier's Greytown meeting:— " Our local contemporary, in reporting tho Premier's speech at Greytown, says the answers to the charges made against tho Government wero 'fat and flabby, like the evergreens that adorned the room.' We have heard (says tho Star) of fat and flabby reporters, but never of such a description of evergreens. Perhaps the reporter considered himself an adornment to tho room." . * r< ■» * Says the Southland Daily New*:— "The Hon Mr Laraaeh estimates tho Otago Central Railway League at its true value—viz., a political engine." ,

The Dunedin branch of the National Association for the reduction of wages has appointed a secretary at a salary of «£1 a week up to the date of the elections, with a bonus of £SO afterwards. If the bonus is to be paid on "results" I'm afraid MiBrown will look rather blue when tho numbers are all up. * * # *

The Otago Daily Times having declared, in a recent issue, that " a fair rent law- for tho inn-pose of upsetting building leases is simply ridiculous," the LyllcUon Times asks why, and points out that tho Conservative view of the case amounts to approval of the system of unrestricted competition, which in the industrial sphere produces "sweating " and other abominations, and in tho commercial leads to adulteration, rack-renting and other forms of disguised robbery. If it is proper and right that laws should regulate the rapacity of traders and manufacturers, why should it be thought " ridiculous" to similarly curb the greed of landlords? It can only be so on tho assumption that the land-owner is a sacred being, whose sacredness is enhanced, presumably, when he happens to bo a body corporate applying his rents to the dissemination of Christian truths.

The English Liberals and Radicals are picking up heart again alter the terrible "facer" they experienced at the last genetal election. They will try and educate the people m the necessity for domestic reforms and rely upon a strong social reform policy to put them back into power. Here is one of the numerous programmes which are being discussed by the Radical papers. It is not so bud as far as it goes :—The land for the people ; local self government for the people ; eight hours work for the people; technical education for the people; public markets for the people 1 , and the public service for the people. * * * *

It is not so generally known as it oucrht to be that one of tho foremost secret planks in the National Conservative Association's platform is a reduction of the Government rate of wages for manual work to 5s Odor us per day. This of course, if it came into force, would mean that the rate of wages would come down all round the country. [ wonder what the country storekeepers and others with whom the workers deal will think of the project?

As for tho Conservatives, a certain section of them would bo only too happy to see the country working men brought down to the samo miserable state of existence which is found in the Old Country. What is the condition of the, poor old worn out country worker in England can be guessed from tho following accouut of an interview with tho chairman of a rural Board of Guardians, lie was asked: What rent do you pay? Old Man: llalf-a-crown. Chairman: What! a man paying half-a-crown a week rent, and coming here for relief. You ought to live in a house at Is or Is Od. Old Man : 1 can't get one. Chairman: I Could. I would recommend him to do so, says a writer in an English paper, and let his own property go in relief of the deserving poor. This is the Christian injunction, and if this chairman be a Christian surely he will obey it.

Captain Russell and his friends, the supporters of the Atkinson Government which, when people wero leaving the Colony by thousands, being unable to find work-, callously said, " Oh, let them art; no v weeping crocodile tears over the unemployed."' Hays the Wangnnui Herald:—

" Are the working men so forgetful as not to remember the fact that it was the borrow and squander policy of the Conservatives that gave rise to the unemployed difficulty in the first place, and that it was to their locking up of the public lands, building up of enormous estates in the second, which accentuated that difficulty and drove thousands of the flower of the Colony's manhood across the T.tsmau Sea to seek t heir living. Would Captain Russell and his land monopolist supporters do any better for the working classes than they did when in oilice before ? We doubt it. They would abolish the co-operative system of public works are! start relief works on winch men might earn from 3s to ■I i pnr diem when the weather allowed them to work". l'hey would uo nothing to place the people on the land, the only eilYe'ual method of dealing with the unemployed difficulty, and would, as in the past, discourage Small farm Settlement by every means in their power." A correspondent of the LytlcUmi Times saysthat"XationalCuckoo"oughttobc the name of tho Conservative Association for tho ejection of the Liberals from oflicu and for the reduction of wages. The cuckoo's cry, points out the correspondent in question, is not unpleasant to listen t", but the cuckoo's tactics are odious. " You foolish small bird, you are going to be made to hatch my ege; and minister to my offspring, though your own young perish and you yourself are unduly harassed."

That brightly-written paper, the Waikato Advocate, neatly exposes the very transparent humbug of the loud protestations of " true Liberalism" now being made by the Conservatives. Tho Conservatives, says the Advocate, have subscribed freely to the policy of the present Government so far as it has gone, and affect to shy only at the instalments yet to come. When these new instalments have received the approval of the people, as of course they will, the Conservatives will swallow tho extra dose, without making a grimace over it.

Mr C. Hall, M.11.R., had a good meeting at Danevirko last week, and denied the report that ho would not stand for the Waipawa seat at the general election. In the course of a long and able speech Mr Hall exposed the foolish and vicious attacks made upon tho Premier by the Auckland

paper (National Ass. organ), Liberty. Mr Hall remarked that in its issue of April Pith the so-called Liberty said that apparently the fashionable New Liberalism headed by the Hon R. J. Seddon was determined to initiate now forms of slavery and caste distinctions. The Premier proposed to found, at public expense, workmen's suburbs, the occupiers to bo carried on workmen's trains, and Liberty said the Premier surely did not recognise the character of the electors (workmen or otherwise) to suppose they could be bribed by such a contemptible sop. But, said Mr Hall, suppose that Captain Russell was agreeable to tho same thing. In his speech at Hastings on March 11th, Captain Rus-

sell said he fully agreed with the principle of municipal councils making provision (under tiio eye of the ratepayers) for workmen in the towns by providing them with land and houses in the country on tho deferred payment system. What was th 3 difference between municipal councils and tho Government giving thorn homes ? He believed in fair play,and if (he Premier was in the wrong, Captain Russell was also in the wrong.

The Manawafu Fanner, a smart little country paper, published at Shannon, wants to know " What has become of tho National Association?'' and adds:—"lt

came before the public with blowing of trumpets and a great parade, but now all is quiet. liven those weak-minded electors who went afraid that tin: Ass. was going to trample over everything and go romping to tie winning post are plucking up courage and do not see much to fear after all. As time goes on the electors will settle down to stern facts, and claptrap from either Liberal or Conservative candidates will meet with ridicule. The Premier has dealt with facts in his speech at Greytown and made clear what his Government have been doing. It was a nasty knock to tie', Conservatives, who have been prating about the cost of his trip to tho Urewcra country, to be informed that the lion Captain bus.ell's trip up that way with two or three friends lasted fourteen days and cost close upon £.M a day; and the total sum, .I'll!), modestly charged to the North Island Trunk Railway vote. Tho results of that trip were nil.

Some of the Opposition papers have been endeavouring to make a little capital out of the fact that the Premier had joined •in alleged Gorman mining syndicate. The Wellington correspondent of the Sov.lhl.aud Daily Times grows wildly indignant over Mr Sudden's alleged wickedness, and is foolish enough to say that the Premier's connection with the syndicate " had brought him into more disfavour with the. workers here than anything he has previously done." I.»ut the Southland News promptly kimcks all this Opposition cackle and venom on the head with the following sensible explanation of the position:— The "German baud of mining speculators " referred to is the Anglo-Colonial Gold Syndicate, Limited. It is an English Company registered in London, and is composed of Englishmen holding the best financial positions in the world's Metropolis. Wo are informed on the best authority that credentials were sent, and that the Company was recommended by Lord Sudleigh to his Excellency tho Governor—in other words, to the favourable consideration of the Government in respect to the important mining enterprises they are disposed to embark on in this colony. Asa, matter of fact known to every reader in the colony the most frequently reiterated charge against the, Ministry has been that their policy has "frightened away" capital. We have been so often told that it has caused the investor to

" button up his pockets" that the efforts of the Opposition to make the public, believe the story only provoke a .smile. There have be> n many proofs of the utter fallacy of the cry, but fin; present activity in the mining world, unexampled in its last twenty years' history, is absolutely the most convincing ye.t afforded. It. is the wave of energy in this direction extending itself to New Zealand that has oxcited the ire of the Conservatives. They realise that they are being met with a practical contradiction, and that their efforts at misrepresentation on tho platform are being answered by incontrovertible facts.

Tho other .lay, says the Bulletin, Lady Stout, wife of Robert, K.C.M.G., put a dreadful spoke in her husband's wheel for next election by expressing, at :i public mo..fiic: and in tie' in- l di tinel term \ her approval of Chinese immigration and her admiration of tho nice, clean, civil, industrious, thrifty Chinaman. Stout has been an unsatisfactory Democrat for a long time past, lie has been trying for a number of years to make people forget his alliance with Vogel and his awful Midland Railway. lie trio.l hard to succeed Ballanco in the Premiership, and if he had ..lone so he was quite willing to be an advanced Liberal and follow in the dead leader's footsteps. He didn't get there, however,

so ho has been the candid and disagreeable friend of the Democratic Seddon Ministry ever since. He has carefully avoided showing any signs of Toryism while he was awake, in public at all events,but probably ho has made wild remarks in his sleep about his inclination to join Russell, and upset the whole Government apple-cart, and bring in Chinamen and land-grant railways, and stoiish Seddon in one act. Probably, also, he has made similar observations over tho mutton at dinner, when he was unusually grumpy, and his wife, thinking it was all real, has given Robert away in public—the private Robert who was never intended for publication—and created an impression which he won't get over for another 10 years, at least. No one will believe that Mrs Stout wasi 't voicing the hidden sentiments of Roberl, K.C.M.G., even though that lady protests in sackcloth and ashes and tears, on the platform of the Town Hall 5 and tho Premiership of a

Liberal Ministry, which Stout has been waiting for so patiently, looks as if it was gone for ever. The moral is that no man should accept a titlo, and by making his wife a "Lady" cause her to be niched after for platform-oratory purposes, bocause every man's wife knows him as something quite different from what ho wants the public to think ho is, and she sees so much of the domestic Robert that she is apt to forget the other one. No public man would last long if his wife took to explaining him as she sees him.