The Star. THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1893. Three Speeches.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4671, 15 June 1893, Page 2

The Star. THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1893. Three Speeches.

Three political addresses, deserving of special consideration by the Liberals of 'Canterbury, have been given this week. The first to be noted was that of the Premier at Auokland, where—after sensibly telling the framers of the over-ambitiouß platform of the Auckland Liberal Association that they had better direct their efforts towards the attainment of such reforms as are in the region of practical politics — he ably expounded the policy and position of the Liberals of New Zealand, and won a vote of confidence in his Government. Much of his epeech is too familiar to our readers for reference to it here to be necessary. He made an excellent point when he showed that the proposed Bill to enable the Government to take, on fair compensation, land rr quired for settlement, is similar to an Act passed by the Conservative Ministry at Home, a fact which, however, will probably not prevent New Zealand Conservatives from opposing it tooth and nail. Notable, also, was the Hon R. J. Seddon's remark that, in regard to the Native land question, the Maoris must be dealt with fairly, and that were it not for them there would have been tho same land monopoly in the north as in the south. Whatever trouble the Maori may have given us in the past we owe him a debt of gratitude for having, unknowingly perhaps, but none the less effectually, barred the way of the land shark. The speech made by Mr Joyce at Lyttelton was a plain, straight-forward review of the political situation, and was not wanting in keen and shrewd remarks. For instance, the speaker nicely exposed the humbug of some of the Tories when he showed how the Government supported by the men who are now crying out that the Liberal Ministry is neglecting the interests of education, tried hard to reduce the standards and tho ages at which children should be permitted to remain at school. Mr Joyce has found that tbe small farmers of Banks Peninsula, like thcsß of other parts of the Colony, pay Isbs under the Land and Income tax than under the Property tax; and he threwdly remarked that the Ministry was entitled to the thanks of the Colony when fair-minded opponents like Mr Valentine and Captain Russell could not withhold their approbation from portions of its policy. He very neatly showed the weakness of tho case for the maintenance of the present irresponsible—though not by any means nonpolitical—control of the railways, by pointing cut how other great departments, such as the pfct office, telegraphs, public trust and life assurance offices, in which the people have as much direct interest as they have in the railways, are successfully managed by Ministers. On the great question of granting the franchise to women the speaker was " sound," but cautious, and ifc is certainly '. right that such a mighty change as that j question involves should not be introduced i without very careful consideration. All of "■ our readers wil>, probably, agree with him ] that the licensing question is -a burning j >ne, sad most of them will also coincide in ] lis opinion; that tho number of publio houses i

should be reduced. Of course, notwith- i standing the prohibitionists, the people ( will not agree to the closing of all the ' hotels in the Colony, but the gradual \ diminution, at a fixed rate, of their number ] ia probable. Mr Joyce's idea that a law should be passed forbidding the granting of any more licenses would require modification if adopted 5 as settlement extenda mto new country, a demand for hotels will follow it, and that demand will have to be met. -- Mr E. G. Wright has many excellent qualities. He has also a Toryism which is hard and bitter. In his Ashburton speech be showed himself actuated by some of the prejudices which animate the most narrowminded of hia party. He affirmed that the cry of tho unemployed waß heard from one end of the Colony to the other, but he did not Bay that there has not been a winter for the last dozen years or more wherein that cry has not been heard, and has often been far more loud than to-day. According to Mr Wright the fact that many good men are out of work is " due to the vindictive legislation of the Government in its taxation of improvements, its i graduated Land tax, and threats of destruction against the class who had made New Zealand what it was." Considering that there have been many good men out of work in New Zealand at any time during the last score of yean, or even more, and that the present Government haß been in power for only three years, this theory does not appear to be a very sound one. We freely, admit, however, that a certain class, much beloved of Mr Wright and others of his way of thinking, has " made New Zealand what it is." Nay, we will go farther and say that that class has made every civilised country in the world what it is 5 and every man who has the good of his fellow men at heart, is almost at his wit's end to find a way of undoing the work of that class, so dire and deep-rooted are the evils which it has produced. Mr Wright's assertion that the late Premier had bo 1 timed his last Financial Statement that the electors of Eangitikei, where an election ; was pending, could read it, but could not read the Parliamentary criticism thereon, . is merely an utterly contemptible imputa- > tion .of unworthy motives to one who is past being able to defend himself. The remainder of his speech does not call for comment.