THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1913. SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 23 February 1914, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1913. SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Tlio Press Association has done a kindness to Sir Joseph Ward, and, incidentally to the community, in condensing the speech of the Leader of the Opposition, delivered ft Winton on I'r.day evening last, to one single column. Sir Joseph took the precaution ttj furnish the New Zealand Tunes with an advance copy of what lie proposed saying, and this occupies twelve, columns of space in the Opposition organ. We are thus enabled to gather what the member for Awarna intended saying, if he did not aetuallw say : t. First, let u.s observe that the country was expecting Mmiething in the nature of a policy from the ex-Premier, so netbing that would have enabled the electors to form comparisons. A perusal ""of the speech 'does net disclose a shred of policy, not a <mggesiioti for all improvement in the administration of tlio affa ; rs of tlv Dominion. Krom beginning to end the deliverance was a clumsy attempt to vindicate the me'iibei for Awn nisi and to lmneach the party thai e- '-n. p-es tli,' Government benches; AlT«r rrtntirg in wearisome deta-'l the circumstances which led up to his 'lUishing office, Sir Joseph Ward ivoceeded to argue that the Mii«s»y (Joveniinent did not represent n majority <*f- the electors, and Ird t"4 a mardat" from the peonle. H<> did not e.vi»l"in wliv lie had voted for the retention of office by the St'-'i-Gap Min'stry, which-'wai* in a minot'ifcy compared with the Reform Parity; nor did he Suggest a means by which any Government could represent tlio the majority of the pnople. His critioisri? of the financial operations of the prrwnt Government would Itave been unit* ef-

fectivo had it been made "by any I other than a politician whose finan- ! cinl plunging and reckless administration had impoverished the country. '"When lje returned from England last year, Sir Joseph urged that tho question of tho country's finance, like that of defence, should bo removed entirely from the realm of party politics. And yet, on the first available opportunity, lie bitterly assails tho Government on account of its financial methods. What can be thought of a politician, an alleged statesman, who displays such deplorable inconsistency ? Let us take just one line of his argument to show how grossly unfair are his comparisons. He took tho December quarter's returns from the Gazette, and emphasised the drop that had taken place in tho Customs and railways revenue, compared with tho previous year. He had not the manliness to tell his hearers that tho revenue was seriously affected by a labour disturbance in which ho did not himself cut too patroitic a figure. Nor did ho say a word about the dislocation of the railways through the small-pox epidemic. No; ho left it to bo inferred that tho Government was solely responsible for the falling-off in revenue in the December quarter. Then, after expending quite a lot of his eloquence upon the Hon James Allen, he electrified his audience by telling them that the taxation of the people had risen by 10s 3d per head since the present Government took office. Why did he not display a littlo candour, and tell tho Wintonites that the increase in taxation per head was only natural and thai it was largely duo to the development of tho resources of the country and to the imposition of the graduated land tax that Sir Joseph Ward himself has consistently advocated ? "The question of taxation is one of great importance," said Sir Joseph. "The whole scheme of taxation needs revision, and the burden should, as far as is practicable, be placed upon community-created values, but so that existing interests should have duo consideration.'' This is a very fine, though quite impracticable, piece of vote-catching theory. Why, may wo ask, did Sir Joseph Ward make no attempt to revise the scheme of taxation during the period that he held the reins of office? And how, if you please, does lie propose shifting the taxation on to commun-ity-created values, while at tho same time giving due consideration to existing interests? Was it not Sir Joseph Ward who stated from his place in the House a year or two back that tho community had practically no interest ill the increment placed upon Crown lands? What, then, does he mean by communitycreated values ? In reference to the naval question, tho Leader of the Opposition was disingenuous and unhappy in his remarks. He endeavoured to create tho impression that unless the people of New Zealand continued their contribution to the Admiralty they would have no protection for their trade routes. He failed to show, however, what greater protection than is now assured would be forthcoming if the £IOO,OOO contribution. were continued. Sir Joseph Ward's allusions to tho operations of the Advances to Settlers Department wero particularly unfortunate. While ho'took credit to himself for having made greater advances in tho election year than the law allowed, ho omitted to state that he reduced tho limit to £SOO, and that in 1908, a period when struggling settlers were clamouring for relief, tho. doors of tTio Department were practically closed to tho public. The Jess tho Leader of the Opposition has to say about this Department, the better will it be for the prospects of himself and his discredited following. Tho remainder of the speech was devoted •to a more or less egotistical assumption of virtue, and a wild and irrational criticism of those who occupy the Treasury benches. There was not a semblance of policy in the whole thing. Sir Joseph certainly promised to disclose at a future date a .'chome which would make for the speedy settlement of the laud. But it is only a promise, and when his previous efforts in this direction are considered, when the absolute absurdity <;|' his past land proposals is remembered one m:iv be pardoned l'r r treating his promise with incredulity. Taking the uhole speech "as it was delivered, or as it appears in tli: 1 Neiv Zealand Time*,'one cannot but feel disappointment that all that is reveuled is an unconvincing criticism of those, who are in power, Tho eorntrv will require a litt.lt- more than, this before it places its d'*st'iiies again in the Irmds of a party of opportunism and of political patronage.