THE POLITICAL POSITION

West Coast Times, Issue 10537, 22 July 1897, Page 4

THE POLITICAL POSITION

In a recent interview with a representative of the New' Zealand Herald, Mr John Duthie spoke plainly and to the point about the political situation hereSuchjf rank and shrewd utterancesas those reported by our Auckland contemporary make Mr Duthie's absence from public life the more regrettable, and we can only hope that he will soon return to take his share iv the work of legislation. •The first tepics touched upoa in theinterAiew were the the result of the election in Wellington and the prospects of the Government for next session. As far as the change in the Wellington representation wasjeoncerned, Mr Duthie'attributed I it m a large measure to the aggressive and independent action of the Prohibitionists, which crippled the Opposition, while the Government Party was backed^up by the Radical and Trades Unionist sections, the full strength of the Roman Catholic vote, and the undivided support of the liquor interest. la spite !of the increased strength of the Opposition, hejjid not think there was any hope during the present Parliament of upsetting the Government. " Scan the names of the Gverument supporters, said he, " and ask yourself if auything that could happen iv the House could change them. It's hopeless to think of it. One is aghast at the exposures of maladministration from month to month. But nothing apparently will move the people until such time as the finances of the country get into such disorder that a change becomes imperative. That change must take place."

With regard to the present state of the finances, Mr Dufchie was equally outspoken, and criticised severely the condition of the Post Office Savings ' Bank,

which has £3,000,000 at call, and which he quoted as an instance (of the dangerens system of finance that the tGovernment had adopted. "So long as money is as plentiful as it is, and interest lowers, there is no immediate danger. The finances are, however, so spread out, that in the event of any financial crisis in the Old World, we should be iv grave danger.

For instance, I have repeatedly drawn at-

tention to .the enormous amount of money . the Post Office Savings Bank has at call. It is somewhere about £3,000,000. One never knows when a tightness in money may take place, and when those deposits may be demanded. As far as that money is concerned, and as things havf become, there should be legislation that takes time to prevent a sudden demand. And by lowering the rates of interest money should be diverted ,to industrial channels. The Post Office Savings Bank was intended for the savings of working men; it is now becoming far different to that, rates of interest being given higher than trading banks can give. The bank has been a source of supply for what the Government calls its 'self-reliant' finance. There is nogimmediate cause to fear;] the crisis may not come for years, but it may come any day. It is all ithe difference

between prudent and dangerous finance."

This is the sort of plain talk that the country needs to hear, and suggests how lacking is the Opposition in platform speakers. The Premier is the one man' in the country who knows how to turn

that dower to account. We note that the Hon. John M'Kenzie, Acfcing-Pr v ernier, is to be asked to visit the Wyndham ' district and deliver a political address there. Who will reply to him ? If the Opposition shows the enterprise tnat has characterised the Party since the general election >he will go unanswered. And yet the opponents of the Ministers profess wonderment at their continuance in office. ■—Post.