STRANGE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 5, 6 November 1891, Page 17

STRANGE.

« _ HE leaders of the Liberals and of the Conservat tives are at it hammer and tongs. A wordy warfare is being "waged , and our ears are nearly split. ; A flood of eloquence has been let loose, and there J is no knowing when it may subside. This loud, > and serious, and angry talking has also its ridiculous side. One party attributes to the other all real and imaginary evils. The Liberals say that the present lamentable state of this country is due to the misgove nment of the continuous Ministry and the Conservative party, whilst on the other side the Conservatives affirm that it is the Ministry of the labour associations that has brought about the exodus of both people and capital and the consequent stagnation and dearth of employment . A plague on both their houses ; most people, we imagine, will say that both are bad, that it is hard to apportion the exact amount of guilt of each, and that the best thing that could happen to New Zealand would be a suspension of Parliament for half-a-dozen years at least. It is pretty generally felt that we are slowly verging to utter ruin in consequence of over-legislation, and the perpetual meddling and muddling of our political parties. The country wants rest and protection from the fussy and irrational interference of Parliament in all things under the Bun. It is said : Let the country alone, permit the people to pareuej their avocations in peace, and the resources of the country are so abounding that it must recover in a short time from the mischief which the wrangles of parties have inflicted upon it. We must say there appears to be much truth in all

this. But it is to be feared that no such blessing is in store for us as the cessation of Parliamentary action for a season. What are caUed the Conservatives are very loud in their denunciation of the present Ministry, and fearlessly attribute to their policy the present state of the country, quite oblivious of the fact that they have had, with little interruption, the entire management of our destinies for the last twenty years, and that it is evidently much more likely, on the face of the matter, that our depression is due to the almost unbroken reign of Conservatism for so long a period, than to a Ministry that has been in existence for the short space of a year, or a year and a half. This is what strikes an unprejudiced observer, and necessarily strikes him on even short reflection. But the spirit of self blinds them and shuts out from their mental view the plainest conclusions. The public, however, which is made to pay the piper, are not so easily deluded, and will not be slow to saddle the right horse. Said public is wide awake and its vision clear in reference to the wordy warfare that is now progressing so earnestly and zealously in the cause of paity. The time appears to be coming when the people, as such, will take the management of their affairs into its own hands and dismiss parties, consigning them to the inaction and oblivion which they have so richly deserved. Parties, were they wise, would howl less and observe a discreet silence which would prevent people from fully seeing their motives and objects. It appears to us that if politicians aired their eloquence less and were less bitter on their opponents, the people would have more respect for them and more confidence in them. .Now the univt rsal opinion is that it is self-seeking and not the public good that is at the bottom of all these public dinners and meetings, and that their object is not the welfare of the masses of the population, but the triumph of party and coterie through throwing dust into people's eyes. And ■whilst all this by-play is going on there is no evidence that either party as such cares one straw about justice. Fad and party are everything, but the doing of justice is not thought of. How is it that in this war of words and this strife of party not one syllable is uttered in reference to the education question, the greatest and most important of all, on which the greatest injustice and most unmitigated tyranny is exercised over the Catholic minority of the country ? Delenda est Carthago.