ANCIENT HISTORY.

Observer, Volume XVIII, Issue 1017, 25 June 1898, Page 2

ANCIENT HISTORY.

Some Overlooked Points.

The Hon. Thos. Thompson's address to the electors last week was a mess of cold hash With the exception of his references to Mr Scobie Mackenzie's recent speech in the Choral Hall, it was the same' old dish which the Premier served up smoking hot in . the Opera House a couple of months ago. And, when Mr Thompson had finished with the versatile Scobie, He might have saved his breath and the electors' time by summarising the rest of his remarks into the brief and terse statement, ' I cay ditto to Mr Seddon.' All the rest of his matter had been dealt with far more ably and effectively by his worthy chief, and it received no additional point oriorce from Mr Thompson.

The Minister of Justice indulged in a great deal of ancient history for the parpose of making capital against his political opponents. He even went so far aa to introduce that Hoary-headed yarn about the exodus of working men from this colony dnring the Atkinson regime, and about Sir Harry Atkinson having said with cheerful indifference, ' Let them go.' It has had no rest since it was first trotted out over ten years ago. No Liberal Minister ever thinks of making a party speech on the stump withont dragging it in by the ears. It is the very oldeßt and the most threadbare gag in- their repertoire. And no reference to the ' pore working man ' is complete without it. " "We really tremble to think what Ministers would do for want of it.

But is it not time that the great Liberal party, in relating this story, told the whole truth about it ? A half truth is often worse than an absolute lie, and this is a case exactly in point. When Sir Harry Atkinson, in alluding to the exodus of ten or eleven years ago, made his memorable statement, ' Let them go,' or uttered words to that effect, he did not stop there. He deplored deeply the depression which had induced that exoduß, and, in Baying ' Let them go,' he hastened to add that he felt sure they would return again bringing ampler means with them, and with a stronger attachment than ever to their New Zealand home. He did not think it was an unmixed evil that young men should go abroad and acquire experience and learn by comparison with other countries that their native land offered superior attractions and possessed more liberal institutions. That is why he felt sure the wanderers would return in brighter times and bring others with them. We have never been on Sir Harry Atkinson's side in politics, but bare justice impels us to expose the aspersion that is cast upon the memory of a dead statesman who loved his country and spent his life and talents in its service. Atkinson, though at the head of a Conservative administration, was imbued with many advanced Liberal ideas, and was animated in his public and private career by a spirit of patriotism. He fought for his country in the field, and he served it faithfully in the forum. And the charge that he viewed with stolid satisfaction or smug indifference the ebbing of its tide of population during a time of intense depression is as base as it ia untrue.

He strove to stem that tide, and he reflected that, at any rate, the exodus would relieve a terribly congested labour market at home, and that when times improved, as they were bound to do, we would recover again those who had left us in days of gloom, and that they would in the meantime advertise the colony abroad, and return eventually, bringing others back with them. Possibly Mr Bal lance or Mr Seddon or.'Mr John McKenzie, had they been in office at the time, might have adopted measures tending to more quickly arrest the exodus. More probable still, it would have gone on all the same until trade and commercejfelt the inevitable revival which follows, at longer or shorter intervals,?a period of dirtiness and stagnation.

Mr Thompson, however, is one of the very last men who should fling.mud at the political escutcheon of the deceased statesman. Does he really imagine that the

people of Auckland forget that he was one of Sir Harry Atkinson's most faithful and submissive followers so long as that gentleman held office? . Does he think the people are not perfectly well aware that it was his own party chief who made the statement of which he is now giving such a very garbled version ? And if Mr Thompson . - now regards it in such an odious light, how is it that he* never thought of taking the slightest exception to it at the time it was uttered ? -He made no remonstrance and gave no sign of dissent. On the contrary, he remained in allegiance to Sir Harry Atkinson until bis Ministry were thrown out of office. Under the circumstances, Mr Thompson would be more discreet to hold his tongue on the subject of that played-oat old gag. Or, if he must tako notice of it, let him at least tell the whole truth about it.