The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1884. THE HON. THE PREMIER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1269, 25 November 1884, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1884. THE HON. THE PREMIER.

A few months ago Uio i«uical element of tins colony looked up to Mr Robert Soout as their high priest. He was opposed to bribery and corruption ; to the alienation of lands ; to the property tax ; and, in fact, he adopted the most advanced idea of all : the nationalisation of the lannd. There was not a man in all New Zealand so widely trusted in democratic circles, and when he asi-umed charge of the Ship of State the hopes of the radicals in New Zealand were raised high. No one ever dreamt that for the sake of office he would sacrifice his principles. He was in a position that rendered it unnecessary tor him to seek office for the sake of the emoluments attached to it ; he could undoubtedly make more out of his profession than out of politic?, and it was generally thought that be at least would not accept office unless his views were given effect to. He has, however, disappointed everyone who put confidence in him. He has not advocated one single idea of his own ; he is the mere echo of Sir Julius Yogel, and has even gone to the extent of taking a fit of the gout, probably to convince the latter gentleman that physically as well as mentally he is desirous of appearing alike unto him. It is not probably within the region of practical politics to blame Mr Stout for having caught the gout from Sir Julius, and we are prepared to overlook his conduct so far, but when we find him catching every idea that falls from his adventurous colleague and hanging to them like " grim death," we may fairly conclude that he is not the man we took him for. We took him for a man of great ability—a man who was sincere and honest in his convictions, and above seeking office for office' sake—and now when we find him without an idea to bless himself with except such as he borrows from the great Sir Julius, we cannot come to any other conclusion than that he is what is vulgarly called a " blather-skite." From the thoughtful statesman, which we, in common with a great many others, took him for, he has fallen to the level of a parrot which only imitates the sounds produced by its teßcher, He has lost hiß individuality; he is now only the rouseabout that runs the messages for his gouty chief. It is as uuiurtunate for the colony, as it is unfortunate for Mr Stout-himself, that he has allowed himself to be nduced to the level of a puppet : but thai; he has done so cannot be doubted. As an instance, we may point out that in a speech which he delivered at the commencement of the campaign he denounced the Wellington-Manawatu railway as a " monstrous j'»b." Now the Company which is carrying out this line gets from the Government land to the value of 30 per cent, of the cost of construction : that is, for every £IOO t\s Company contributes to the railway, the Government will give them £3O worth of land along the line, and when the railway is constructed the Company wiil b"ve both the railway and the land. The people of New Zealand will have no more right to either the railway or the land than they have to the possessions of the Sultan of Turkey. This is what Mr Stout characterised as a "monstrous job," and we quite agree with him so far, but mark his action in relation to the railway from Christchurch to the West Coast. Sir Julius Vogel h»d promised the people of Christchurch this railway, and a Bill was introduced giving to any Company which would undertake it 50 per ceDt. of land : that is, for every ±,IOO the Company would contribute the Government would give £SO worth of the Crown lands along the proposed line. Mr Robert Stout the very man who characUrised the 30 per ceat. of land given to the Wullington-Manawatu Company as a " monstrous job"—was the Premier of the Government which brought forward the Bill to give J>o per cent, of laud to the Christchurch and West Coast line. Why did he not oppose it. If it was a " monstrous job" to give 30 per cent. of land to the Company constructing the Wellington-Manawatu line it must be regarded as doubly monstrous to give 50 per cent, of ; land to the East and West Coast Railway Company ; yet Mr Stout condemns the first because it was done during the time of the previous Government, and upholds the latter (which is by far the worst of the two) because it was done by his own Government, What charming consistency is here displayed by the Hon Robert Stout. Surely such tergiversation was not known since the days of the Vicar of Bray, Ueie is the man who has fought on the O.tago Land Board with extraordinary pertinacity to prevent the acquisition of land in large areas, and to secure the administration of t ne Land Act in its purity. Here is the blatant lecturer wjio gushed forth the arguments, ot Henry tieorge and Wallace with -°*ard to land nationalisation and denounced £: Redness of alienating the public estate ! And the first thing he sanctions fffoen he gets into power is the giving away of tlip to a proposed syndicate of foreigners, and thus create the worst kind of monopoly it would be possible to think of! This is only one instance of the contemptible level to which Mr Stout h»s allowed himself to iall, but it is sufficient to show that he is not the stuff of winch radical leaders are made. It is sidd that a serpent exercises such a fascinating influence over birds that they cannot keep away Irom it, and thus becoms its prey, Perhapg it i? B°me (

similar influence that is possessed by f?ir Julius, which enables him to subjugate weaker minds to his will, and, perhaps it is this irresistable influence which has dragged Mr Stout to the level of playing the miserable part he does. At any rate, he has fallen fearfully low ; he has lost Hot only the confidence but the respect of the thinking portion ot bis former admirers, and, though Premier, he was never less thought of since the first day he entered politics.