The Star. THUSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1887. THE THREATENED EARTHQUAKE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6033, 15 September 1887, Page 2

The Star. THUSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1887. THE THREATENED EARTHQUAKE.

Little bt little, the intention's of the Opposition in regard to their Retrenchment proposals are being laid bare. We have had Mr Scobie Mackenzie's upheaval process described by himself, and we have seen his utterances eulogised by the organ of the Political Reform Association as the embodiment of all that is desirable. The Retrenchment scheme really contemplated by the Grain Agency — Chamber of Commerce ring, and at last openly applauded by them, is to be of such a drastic nature as will produce .a scrambling for the bare necessaries of life. They have men who, wh ether or not they are bold enough to make public acknowledgement of the fact, will help them ; one of Mr Scobie Mackenzie's special allies being — as their organ has 1 claimed — Mr Garrick, one of the candidates for St' Albans. • Still more light has , been thrown on the intentions of these Drastic Retrenchment advocates, by Mr Alfred Saunders, who, in reply to questions put to him at Kirwee, on Tuesday night, blurted out things which he would scarcely have given a place in one of his prepared speeches. Mr Saunders, who is also "one of the pet candidates of the Political Reform Association, shows plainly enough that the tender concern expressed for the lower grades of Civil servants,andfor the artizan and labouring classes generally, is a cruel sham. He will pledge himself, he has now admitted, to " no limit in reducing salaries or wages." He "willnot treat railway employees better than any other class." "It was not his business to say what a poor man should live on." No, not his business, nor that of his moneyed friends. The coming scramble for bare necessaries would be huge amusement to them. Let the galled jades wince never so much, their withers would be un wrung. Mr Garrick, when speaking at Fendalton last night, in the course of a speech distinguished by more execrably bad taste than any other candidate has shown, wa3 careful not to refer to his connection with Mr Scobie Mackenzie, although he worked, with more subtlety, in the same direction, and although, with the artfulness which has characterised his utterances, he had a bait prepared for the artizans. All tho reduction that was wanted, so he intimated, could bo made "in the huge expenditure at Wellington, and not merely the sacking of a few men." Considering that Mr Garrick had previously intimated his real desire, such a bait was inexpressibly silly. He must be returned perfectly " Independent," to say what may subsequently suit him, and to vote as may best answer his purpose. He must also be returned with the implied instructions of the constituency to "inßißt upon, tho fullest retrenchment." What the " fullest retrenchment" really means, his friends Mr Scobie Mackenzie and Mr Saunders have told us; and the implied "instructions " to be subsequently flourished by Mr Garrick, would be an all-Bufficient answer to inconvenient protestations.