The Star. MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 1887. CLASS INTERESTS, OR THOSE OF THE PEOPLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5994, 1 August 1887, Page 3

The Star. MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 1887. CLASS INTERESTS, OR THOSE OF THE PEOPLE.

i First of all, it is reasonable to ask what has brought Sir John Hall back into the arena of active politics just now ? The answer is easily given. For a long time past it has been felt by the Opposition j that their ranks had become so diaorgauiaed, and their leaders so played out, that it wa3 absolutely necessary j to find a new commander -in - chief j for the coming campaign. Active but secret step 3 were taken, months ago, in this direction; aud at last, for want of better material, it was decided to trot out ; that old and somewhat worn political hack, j the present Opposition candidate for the Selwyn. Ot course, part of the arrange- : ment included the withdrawal of the late . member, Mr E. Wakefield. That usually not very complaisant individual appears to I have been squared without much difficulty. ' Sir John Hall, it must be understood, ; comes forward, whether avowedly or not, I as the recognised future leader of a large j part of—probably the whole of the Opposi- ! tion party. If he is elected, the Selwyn constituency will have done more to break up the present Government than any or all of the other constituencies of Canterbury who may return members opposed to the Stout- Vogel Government. We showed on Saturday what the Colony, and especially this part of it, owea to the present Government, and why they should support it in the future. Those reasons should press with peculiar weight on the electors of Selwyn. Mr M'Lachlan, we understand, is a supporter of the present Government. For that reason alone, if for no other, the electors should vote as one man for the local man.

But there are other and equally good reasons why they should not return Sir John Hall. A great question connected with, the settlement of the people on tho land in this part of the Colony will have to he decidod during the coming session. The agreements under which the pastoral lands of Canterbury are held, terminate shortly. The question will arise, how these lands are to be treated. Whether the present owners are to be allowed to keep possession, or whether the runs will be utilised for the agricultural and pastoral settlement of larger numbera on smaller holdings, will bo the crucial question. It ia a most significant fact that Sir John Hall, though he descanted at great length on the sins and omissions at tho I find regulations of Mr Ballanee, and the v\ rtues of those of Mr Kolleston, said not a single word about the fate of the runs. Th o " shrewd and subtle " politician knew belter. The people may depend upon whveh way he will go when the question dops turn up. If he is in power, those rims will .not be cut up for another ten or twenty years'; and many of those who are supporting hi 3 candidature, and looking to his advent! to office, know this as well as we do.

Those » who hava watched Sir John Hall's political career with attention, can come to no other conclusion than that he has been one of tl ie mosb selfisk politicians to be found in t be history of New Zealand. With plenty of . id minis trativa ability and great powers of work, he haa always devoted those powen? to the interests of a class, and has always i^ken good care to be personally well rewarded for. his services. There is no puUMc man who haa less claim on the electors or the public for past service 3, because he has always taken care that he got his reward. In the ProvinciaV Council he generally managed to bo a paid member of the Executive, whilo he always took the greatest care to lo*ok after the interests of the runholders, among whom he held a prominent place. When out of ' office, he held forsomeyears tie paid post of Resident Magistrate. He has : frequently been a member of the Executive in the Assembly, and i he wound up liis eari.^r with obtaining the highest honour opMt to the ambitions j Colonist at the bands of the CoI lonial office — a Knighthood. The leopard carnot change hva spots. The electors of Selwyn may rely on this : If Sir John Hall geta into tho Assembly and leads the Opposition, he "will, as heretofore, look after, first, the interests of the property-holders, and next his own. He will certainly pr.efer CLASS INTERESTS TO THOSE OP THE PEOPLE.

Sir John Ha&l has spoken to the electors of Selwyn. The. morning papers are full of hia speech. ."Each report contains Borne thirteen tha.usand words. The speaker touc&ed on every conceivable subject now before the public. The ton© of the speech v/as quite in accord with the political character of the speaker. He/ is jjtill the same "shrewd and subtle Jot.nny Orltork " as the one immortalisod by the late Crosbie

Wntd in thei parody on Hiawatha live and twenty years a/«> or more. It is impossible fnrtmto find aim™ to ndt m,., for vi to fin a space to wade through the epeech for the purpose of minute criticism, and if it wei:e, possible, it would be a mis take. We c ta,n use such space as we can spans for remarks upon Sir John Hall's utterances,, to far better purpose in the „.«, . / „. „ , -„* . " publhc interest than by following each paragrap? xof tho speech.