OPPOSITION DISAPPOINTMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5667, 11 September 1896, Page 6 (Supplement)

OPPOSITION DISAPPOINTMENT.

(JPanganui Herald..) It would no doubt suit the Conservatives to see the expenditure on public works, land settlement, and goldfields development starved until they obtained possession of the keys of the Treasury, as that would give them an opportunity of coining out with a five million loan for the same purposes, the expenditure of which would place in their hands a vast amount of political patronage by which they might gain adherents and hold office until the Treasury was again empty and our credit pledged to the utmost possible extent. However, they have been baulked in this direction, and must rest content to occxipy the cold shades of opposition yet a little longer, as it is certain the country is not yet ready to entrust them with the .management of its affairs, having too vivid a recollection of the bungle that they made, of them when previously in cffice, during which time land monopoly, political railways and Ministerial patronage were potent instruments in the hands of these highsouled patriots, who arrogate to themselves rights and privileges they deny to the vast majority of the electors. The latter will do well to remember this and see that their names are on an electoral roll, and that they exercise the franchise wisely when the general elections take place in Decemiber next, on which occasion we predict a substantial victory will again be won by the people.