The Patea County Press, (With which is incorporated The Patea Mail.) "Be Just and Fear Not.” WEDNESDAY, 31st MAY, 1899. MR SEDDON.

Patea Mail, Volume XII, Issue 53, 31 May 1899, Page 2

The Patea County Press, (With which is incorporated The Patea Mail.) "Be Just and Fear Not.” WEDNESDAY, 31st MAY, 1899. MR SEDDON.

+ It is not often, wo think, that a Premier of a colony occupies an audience for over three hours to impart so little information as was the case with the Premier when ho spoke in the Harmonic Hall on tiie 19th instant. Pressure of other local matter prevented an curlier reference to the address; hut this is possibly an advantage, as it lots the salient points (if there were any) simmer down to such a state of consistency as to enable all readers thereof to be masters of the situation. It is, on looking through it, not so much a political address as many anticipated. All the information obtainable (with a liberal support of padding) from the three hours’ talk being readily condensed into three columns, or equal ton column an hour; whereas everyone knows that to take an hour to give a column of information is a rate of instruction far too slow' for local appreciation. It seems a pity that a man holding the high and honourable position of Premier should not be able to keep within reasonable grounds when speaking to the people. Wo cannot help agreeing with the people who say that the Premier’s place is at the head of the Government in Wellington, more especially now that ho has added the

portfolio of “Lands” to his already large list of portfolios, and that if Mr Seddon. can givo las whole time, as lie undoubtedly has done of late, to travelling about the colony, abusing tiro Opposition, and cajoling the electors, then it is an indisputable fact that the country can do very well without the Premier; and, if during the absence of the Minister for Lands the work of his department can be efficiently performed by the departmental staff, with the “nominal” supervision of the Premier, then also, can the Minister for Lands bo dispensed with, and a numerically small elected executive could very well do all the necessary supervision at one tenth the cost to the colony, and to the immense advantage of the people. That, however, is, by-the-way, if the Piemier can so thoroughly “ trust the people,” as he endeavours to make them believe, then is it doubly unnecessary for him to be so constantly on the move. If his works are so prominently beneficial to the country as his words proclaim, thou too, nothing short of universal idiotcy. could possibly lead to his defeat; but Mr Seddon is far too astute to belivo anything of the sort. He knows—no one knows better—that his addresses are invariably made for the benefit of that portion of a community who think little, .and perhaps care less, about the actual position of the colony and its future, so long as the purse strings of the colony are held loosely when their hands are extended for their mede of the tax plunder; and just so long as such a policy is continued will the support at present secured be obtained. Mr Seddon’s defence of the Marine Scandal was about as weak an attempt at extrication as wo ever heard, and it is not easy to understand how any man of oi’diuary intelligence could bring such a one forward with any hope of receiving credence. The stock phrase of Mr Seddon, “ nigger landlords ” was played for all it was worth, and when in conjunction with that and the use made of it when addressing the natives at Pareroa, it was not easy to assimilate that statement with Mr Seddon’s avowed statement, “ I will not, I cannot, strike below the belt,” unless it be understood that Mr Seddon’s opponents wear ankle straps instead of belts. Then again, what could be more childishly absurd than Mr Sod don’s remark, after quotingstatistics as to the present value of lands in this district, that the people here had grand prospects before them, and these bright hopes would be realised prodded ihetj kepi in power the prerent admrnix > at ion. What more unutterable rubbish could be uttered than that ? Then Mr iSoddon’s idea of readjusting the Customs tariff, to put the load on the shoulders that could best boar, it Avas awfully funny—but it took simply because ho avus playing to tho gallery of nontliinlrera. Jf lea saw a man who sent Home to a-West End tailor for a suit of clothes, he stepped in and asked for “forty per cent please,” and tho same Avith the lady Avho sent away for her bonnet, “ forty per cent please.” Nothing more childish could have been conceived, for Avhile on these items of luxury Avanted, so far as the man is concerned, probably not more than tAvico or thrice a year, Mr Seddon Avants forty per cent; that man can reason, can think, can Avork out his oAvn problem of cost [and duty, and duty is of little consequence to him, but Avhen it comes to tho Avorking man who listens, Avithout thinking, to Avhat Mr Seddon has to say, ho, Avithout mentioning it, asks for a hundred per cent on his currants of daily use; a hundred per cent —and more—on his kerosene of daily use, eighty per cent on his candles of daily use—not two or three times a year—and yet talks to those nonthiukors about tho Avay in Avay in which ho is loading their brothers, and is cheered to the echo; i verilly education has not yet finished its task. Then Mr Seddon challenged Mr Hutchison’s statement as to tho expenditure per capita in Westland, and endeavoured to throAv his audience olf the scent by stating that 'Westland Provincial district included two electorates, but on this head avo may as avoll call attention to tho votes as taken from the Public Works appropriation for the last financial year asfolloAVS ; Class ITT, vote 82, Midland Hallway (£50,000) nearly all in Westland, but say £IB,OOO Class IY, vote 91, road and bridges . . . . £15,823 Class IY, A r oto 02, roads and goldfields . . . . £10,838 Class Y, vote 93, development of goldfields for colony £ 15,000, alloAving say, one third for Westland .. .. £15,000

Gives a total for Westland Provincial district of £89,156 As the population of tlio Westland electoral district, according 1 to tho last census, is 9,468, and if wo give everything; in favour of Mr Soddon and say tlio Westland cluioral district lias not more than half the population of the Westland Provincial district wo come to the following position; half tho quoted expenditure £41,578, on a population of 9,468, and this it will bo soon gives £4 14s per head instead of tlio £4 quoted by Sir Hutchison, and which Mr Soddon wished and told his readers to divide by two. Mr Scddon must try on some loss astute member than Mr Hutchison if ho wishes to trip him in his figures. Then referring to the expenditure in tho Pa tea electorate, we think Mr Soddon did not only descend to the lowest ring of tho political ladder but stopped oil' it altogether, and deep into,the tilth of corruption, when ho stated that he never punished districts for their political opinions, but ho would not say it was impossible that their (Patea) district could have had more money had they been represented by a <jood staunch Government siip/rrrter. Is it possible for tho Premier of a colony to sink lower than that ?