The Star. MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1893. A Conservative Programme.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4763, 2 October 1893, Page 2

The Star. MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1893. A Conservative Programme.

Some of the Tories of New Zealand assert that they do not want political programmes ; they prefer "steady progress and steady Government," by which they mean the state of things which caused the people of the Colony to rise en masse iv 1890 and kick the Conservative Ministry out of office. Others, however, not content with simply abusing the measures proposed by the Liberals, endeavour to formulate some sort of a programme; if only as a screen for their real object — the maintenance and enhancement of the power and possessions of those who already have the larger share of the good things of thia life. A programme has been issued by the Auckland Tory organisation which modestly arrogates to itself the title of the National Association. , The majority of the " planks " of this platform do not call for special mention ; they have evidently been inserted for the sake of adding to the appearance of the structure. Such, for instance, is the final one — " The Imperial connection to be maintained and cultivated." As no one in the Colony has any idea of severing our connection with the Mother Country, this plank is simple surplusage. Two or three of the others, however, call for notice as embodying the real purposes of the Association. A sub-Ejection of the first one— these planks are tolerably wide, if not broad in the sense of being liberal— readß : " The freehold tenure of land tp bo preserved and encouraged," which means that no other tenure is to be encouraged. The use, or rather the abuse, of the freehold tenure in the past is a reason why Tories should be anxious to maintain it, and why Liberals should not regard it with the same eye 3. Again, the franchiee is to be restricted to oonA fide Colonists, whatever that may mean. The Association vouchsafes to explain to a certain extent by demanding that criminals, lunatics and paupers shall have no vote. Criminals and lunatics being effectually disfranchised by our present electoral laws, twothirds *of this clause is pure humbug, and is evidently inserted to cover, as jit were, tha sting which lies in the remaining third. "Paupers" are not to ba allowed to vote. As there are no

_ \ paupers, in the English sense of the word, \in New Zealand, this evidently mlans that the poor elector whose family may be > compelled to accept a few rations from a 1 Charitable Aid Bjgird, or who may be em- .' ployed on a Government relief work, is to ; ba struck off the roll. It is the thin edge of j the wedge for splitting off from the body | politic the poor voters. Then again, State j interference with industrial and comj mercial enterprises is to be limited to the | prevention o. abuses. Here we are inj clined to agree with the National Associat tion ; though not, perhaps, in a way j which would quite suit its members. j When abuses have ceased from " industrial and commercial enterprises " we j shall be glad to put a stop to State inter- | ference. They have not ceased yet by any means, and a good deal more State interI ference will be required ere they do.