The N.Z. Times (PUBLISHED DAILY). SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1905. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5737, 4 November 1905, Page 4

The N.Z. Times

(PUBLISHED DAILY). SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1905. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE.

WITH WHICH IS IaCOHPOHATED Tire "WELUMGTOa INDEPENDENT, ’* ESTABLISHED 184S*

Ministers have shown commendable promptitude in coming before the public and reviewing the work of the Parliamentary session just closed. The people of Wellington, on their part, marked their appreciation of Ministerial action by turning out in such numbers that the largest building available was unable to accommodate them. This lively interest in political matters is a healthy sign, and the audience of yestei day evening, despite a few stupid interjections, proved itself to have an intelligent grasp of public affairs, coupled with a desire to acquire fuller knowledge. The addresses were limited to two of about an hour each, and beyond a doubt there was compressed into these two speeches a vast amount of information, argument, and forecast. The meeting did not —nor do we—agree with all that was said by the Premier and his lieutenant, or with the manner in which some of it was said; hut, taken altogether, the gathering was the occasion of an able justification of the past policy of the Government, a brief but promising exposition of the policy of the future, and an emphatic expression of popular confidence in the Administration.

In hia review of the session, the Premier took a pardonably optimistic tone. Ho might well, however, if he had not felt that he was in some measure “particeps criminis,” have condemned the four months’ sitting as being largely a waste of time and money. Of that waste, the “voucher” expenditure of £2544 forms but an inconsiderable item. That some of the measures passed are beneficial we have freely admitted, but at least half the time was absolutely trifled away on personalities, futile debates, and needless “stonewalls.” Again, while the two Ministers dealt very fully and satisfactorily with most of the questions before the public, they were altogether silent on the subject of land tenures, upon which the people had surely a right to expect some authoritative statement. Apart from these omissions, which may be supplied at a later stage, the addresses of the Premier and Sir Joseph Ward were in the

best fighting form of these gentlemen, and were admirably suited to serve the purpose for which they were designed—the sounding of the hattlo cries of tho Liberal party in the electoral campaign that will rage for the nest tour or five weeks.

Sir Joseph Ward, in opening, took tho strong ground that not one of tho accusations brought against tho Liberal Government during the past fourteen years has boon established. Ho dovoted a good deal of attention to the criticisms levelled against tho railway policy, and made out a very good case indeed, in tho face of a running fire of comment from a few persons in tho audience. Sir Joseph has seldom hcon hoard to better advantage on the platform, and tho hearty applause which frequently greeted him was a gratifying testimony of tho secure place ho occupies in tho public esteem, despite tho persistent attempts that are made to discredit him in connection with events of ten or twelve years ago. Tho Premier covered much moro ground in his rather longer address, and carried tho approval of the largo audience with oven greater success. He was particularly happy when dealing with tho apportionment of public expenditure and exposing the falseness of tho charge that the present Government has done nothing in tho interests of Wellington city and district. The statistics which ho quoted under this head ought to silence those who indulge in that lino of criticism. The elasticity of the revenue, as shown by tho large increase during tho seven months of the present financial' year, as compared with the corresponding period of last year, enabled Mr Scddon to promise various taxation and other reforms, to which wo refer separately. In contrasting the Government’s policy with that propounded by tho lender of tho Opposition at Pnkckoho, tho Premier made some very effective points. The only proposal put forward by Mr Massey which, to oun mind, is at all deserving of serious consideration is that for tho appointment of a Civil Service Board, and wo may on another occasion examine the idea in some detail. Mr Scddon’s appeal for fairness in criticising financial questions, and his protest against attempts to stir up jealousy between North and South, or between town and country, were in tho best spirit of statesmanship, and we trust they will bear good fruit. His references to . Imperial subjects, though necessarily brief, were most enthusiastically received. In short, Ministers have opened the electoral campaign by striking popular chords and appealing to the higher sentiments of the people as well as to the lower emotions on the material plane.