Rounders.

Southland Times, Issue 12767, 28 November 1893, Page 3

Rounders.

My first set has had the distinction of being denounced by Mr Hatch in his Theatre Royal address. The head and front of the offending appears to have been the imputation that Mr H. is prone to indulge in personalities. This soft impeachment he most strenuously denied ; but the denial was received with such ironical laughter, that it was plain the big audience considered the impeachment to be fully sustained. Mr Hatch’s meeting would have had a happier termination, had he kept free from his besetting sin, for it was evident enough that he had with him in his candidature a large section of his audience. The address, too, was in several respects a meritorious effort. Mr Hatch can take a shrewd statesmanlike view of important questions, and can express himself very forcibly. He has many qualifications for public life, and most of these he enumerated at his meeting. It will be enough for me to epitomise. Imprimis, he is an arithmetician. He asserted early in his address that he was good at figures, and he demonstrated the truth of his assertion by performing several calculations with accuracy and despatch. He is, secondly, a man of enterprise. That was conclusivelyproved by a reference to the important industries he has promoted in Invercargill and Southland. He is, moreover, a man of adventurous enterprise. This was exemplified by his daring exploitation of the islands in the far South. He is an advocate of temperance and total abstinence. This his life and actions attested. He was one of those who did good by stealth and did not blush to find it fame. In illustration he recited how he had cured a drunkard and brought happiness to the drunkard’s family by inducing a constable to lock the whiskeybibber up. He is a champion of the fair sex. Did he not, in that Parliament, of which he was not the least loquacious member, advocate the extension of the franchise to women ? But I need not proceed further in an enumeration of his merits. He is, in point of speaking and of general ability, head and shoulders above his opponent. Is it not rumoured indeed—but L hope for the sake of Invercargill the rumour has no solid foundation—that of all the poor sticks in the last Parliament Mr Kelly was the poorest ? This certainly could not have been said of Mr Hatch, whose ability no one would think of denying. There is one respect in which Mr Kelly surpasses Mr Hatch, and probably any'other politician in New Zealand. It is in the art of canvassing; chat is a department in which much can be done to influence the poll, and to his skill in that department Mr Kelly has no doubt owed in largest measure his success.

Mr Hatch wag indignant that none of the candidates for the Invercargill electorate should have been deemed likely to attain a position in the Ministry; and he instanced the case of Mr Ward. But this instance could have nothing to do with the statement in question, as Mr Ward was not a candidate for the constituency. Moreover it was predicted by the present writer when first “ the pride of the Bluff” entered Parliament that he would secure a prominent position. That prediction was based on the observation that Mr Ward possessed two of the qualifications essential to rapid success in a politician. These qualifications may be expressed alliteratively as “ brains and brass.” But, able and pushing as Mr Ward is, he would not occupy his present position but for an extraneous qualification that has distinguished his career almost from the outset. He has been notably lucky. The old proverb says that it is better to be born lucky than to be born rich. M r Ward’s political life affords a striking illustration of the proverb. Theclown in Twelfth Night says—“ Someare born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrown upon them.” Mr Ward belongs partly to the second class and partly to the third ; for while his present position is due, in great measure, to his established ability, it is also due very materially to his good luck. When a vacancy occurred in the Postmaster-Generalship, Mr Ward was naturally thought of, because of the capital speech he had made on the question of mail routes. There his ability c itne into play. It happened that there was no distinct assurance which side Mr Ward would take in Parliament, and it was advisable to secure him for the “ right colour ” party. There his luck stood him in good stead. When the portfolio of Colonial Treasurer became vacant, it was remembered that he had spoken on financial questions with much vigour and perspicacity. There his ability held him up. It chanced also that of the other members of the Cabinet none were good at figures. There his familiar luck bore him along triumphantly. The position of Cabinet Minister is not a diliicult one to fill, provided the occupant has a ready tongue and a fair modicum of tact. All information about his department he can get cut and dried from the permanent head. Thus Mr Ward can have all his figures ready to hand. Tact comes in in recognising which to blazon forth at once 'and which to keep for a more fitting opportunity. This kind of tact the Colonial Treasurer has shown himself to be possessed of in abundance. On some quet> tions he does not represent anything like a majority of his constituents. Thus he would give a subsidy to Roman Catholic schools. But he shrewdly treats the education question as being at pt esent out of practical politics, and in this way evades the difficulty. In some respects Mr Ward is not so astute as in a Minister of the Crown is desirable ; but he will mend as experience comes to him. Thus at Winton he urged the desirableness of all the Southern electorates sending members to suppot t the Government, because in that way they would be sure of getting boons for the district. Surely such a reason would not have been given by an astute Statesmau. He might cause others to give it, but would himself observe a politic reticence. True he did no more than older colonial statesmen have done, but unfortunately the colonies afford some notably bad examples. Bribery and corruption are unpleasant words, and suggest very unpleasant things; but they arc not unknown in New Zealand polities. We are fast becoming Americanised, and the watchword in many’ Camps at the present moment is “ The spoils to the victors.” Mr Ward will do well to keep his hands clean. Southland is proud of his achieve-

ments so far. Let him steer clear of all the rocks that stud the sea of politics, and he may yet occupy a higher position. The so-called Liberal party is fated to split into two, one of which, as time rolls on, will hold the place that the socalled Conservatives hold now. Then whichever of these parties is in power Mr Ward will be sure of office. Like the worthy in the song who under all dispensations remained Vicar of Bray, Mr Ward may be Colonial Treasurer for more than one Administration.

The great Swedish statesman, Oxenstiern, in a letter to his son once wrote, IVescis, mi fili, qmntilla pntdenlia, homines regantur; a famous sentence of which the literal translation is : “ Yon know not, my son, with how little wisdom men are governed; ” but which may be more freely rendered : “ You see, my boy, with what flimsy devices the masses are gulled.” This free rendering is suggested by a consideration of the methods by which the present New Zealand Cabinet is essaying to carry on the Government of the colony. The members have been termed a band of political spielers. The language is strong, but in viow of the tricky expedients that some Ministers resort to, one has to confess that the name is not inappropriate. Consistency and magnanimity are words of which by their conduct these administrators would appear not to know the meaning. To be sure the training of most of them has been bad, and much will always depend upon training. One does not expect a Bengalee to speak the truth nor a kanaka to be scrupulously honest; and our political atmosphere has of late been such that truthfulness and honesty have had difficulty in maintaining an existence. Neither precept nor example has been toward the inculcation of the higher virtues. The Premier in his public utterances shows himself quite unworthy of his high office. Thus at Gore, in speaking of railway matters he did not hesitate to say, according to report, that personally he and the Railway Commissioners were on friendly terms; yet a few minutes afterwards he bitterly exclaimed that whether Commissioners were again appointed or not, the present men would not be appointed. One does not expect from Mr Seddon refined courtesy or suavity of manner, but one has a right to expect some consistency. He should be able to make a speech without glaringly contradicting himself. Volubility is in its way not a gift to be despised ; but it is a gift that is very readily abused, and no one is more prone to such abuse than he who by a series of fortuitous circumstances is at present Prime Minister of New Zealand. Most folks read from time to time of the bosses of American towns, for example of New York and Chicago. They are men notoriously unscrupulous, who have managed to secure the control of city government and who maintain the control by a system of espionage and terrorism over officials, a system to equal which one must go to countries where political and civic freedom is unknown. Is not one tempted to ask, Are we not approaching this system in New Zealand? Just consider how in the last Parliament members were forced against their convictions to record their votes according to the behests of the Premier. If they hesitated, were they not bullied and threatened ? Party government as exhibited in the last session of Parliament was government worthy only of a Boss Croker. Did not the Invercargill representative vote against his publicly expressed opinions ? He could not help himself, he had to do as he was told. Was not that the only reason practically that he could assign for his delinouencv? What a wretched state of

political Hie is thereby revealed I mere is but one way in which it can be remedied. Let men be returned who will have manhood enough not to be led by the nose by any one, however bullying and abusive and vindicative he may be, men who will think out questions for themselves, and be actuated not by a desire for spoils for themselves or their constituencies, but by a desire for the real welfare of the country, men who have brains enough to grasp each situation, and resolution .’enough under all conditions to carry out the right. B.