THE PROPHET SELF-CONVICTED.

New Zealand Times, Volume LIV, Issue 9880, 11 April 1893, Page 3

THE PROPHET SELF-CONVICTED.

TO THIS EDITOR. Sin, —That most oracular organ tho Wellington Post lays down the law bo positively upou all mutters of local, colonial or foreign concern, and employs such a wealth of superlative adjectives in tho enforcement of ita cock-sure views that I would oravo space for the plain statement of one of the numerous instances in which the stern compulsion of facts baa obliged it to oat Its own words. Its le'.e noire has of course been and still is the BalUnca Ministry and a very augges ive confession of the splendid rooord made by tho Ballauoe Ministry lies in the fact that so bitter ami uncompromising an enemy as the Post is constrained to sing ita praises. Take, as an illustration of the press Balaam who was ©tat out to curse remaining to bless, the two following extracts from the ediioiiai columns of your contemporary, which have ja*t been published iu parallel columns by tn© Napier News Wellington Post, .Tan- Wellington Post, uaiy llth, 1892. April Ist, 1893,

The principal Lsue Yeaterdayclosed the is whether the people financial year, and the of the Colony approve figures so far available of a financial policy must be extremely which will drive for- gratifying to tho eign capital away and Premier-Treasurer, to injure the public ere- whom we can tender dic.'which will hamper our hearty congmtuindustry, cripple en- Lilians, The surplus terprise, stop settle- will be considerably ment, brim? ruin and more than Mr Balshame on the heads lance anticipated in of thousands of indus- his Financial Stafctrious settlers, to ment. The Customs whom tho withdrawal revenue shows a sur* of capital will be fatal, plus over estimates of swell the ranks of the 65,700; Lind and unemployed, etubar- Income Tax, L15,0C0 rais trade, reduce the (the estimate was employment of labour L 350,000, the amount in every grade, aod re ali se d L 365.000), increase taxation on stain; s, L 35,000. . « all who remain in New The surplus of Zealand. These are L 330,000 estimated in the disastrous effects the Financial Statewhich must result ment will therefore be from and closely fob very considerably low persistence In the exceeded, policy which Ministers ask the electors of Wellington to endorse, but of whica we are confident they will emphatically express their disapproval at the ballot box. As tho News remarks The PremierTreasurer has not to exclaim “Ob that mine enemy would write a book !” He has in the columns of the Post enough to till half a dozen book*, and, should be oaro to do so, could smite bis enemy hip aud thigh. The 1892 quotation v/ai given *n the House of Hepresentatives ao a•' pill' for the Govern meat; let us hope that somo member will take both as we have given them and read tbsm to a joyful House la the coming session.’— I am, &o. v Touchstone.