The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, MAY 17, 1892. LIBERAL ORGANISATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIII, Issue 2671, 17 May 1892, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, MAY 17, 1892. LIBERAL ORGANISATION.

One of the most inexplicable parts of Sir George Grey's recent remarks to an Auckland interviewer is that m which he apparently condemns the National Liberal Federation. He thinks that " the Government have done wrong m trying to enrol the labouring classes m a partly secret society of private members who wish their names to be kept secret," and more particularly he objects to what ■he describes as an effort which is being made m that part of the colony to form "a 'fighting fund* for the purpose of contesting elections, of defending seats against petitions, etc." We have yet to learn that there is anything secret m the operations of the National Liberal Association, any more than there is m any other political organisation ; and as for the proposed election fund, everybody knows that without money the best efforts of the people to gain due representation have been and will again be futile, and the money can only be raised by means of the small periodical contributions of those who are anxious to return members of their own class to serve them m Parliament. Sir George Grey looks upon this as " compelling capital to go into a contest m which it would hare great chance of succeeding." Why, capital is the force that sways the result of too many elections now, simply because it cannot be met by capital, and there are few non-capitalist candidates who can contest an election without the financial assistance of their fellows. Sir George's opinion " that every voter should use only the two implements, his vote and his conscience, without any money or any indirect jobbery m the matter," entirely begs the question. He previously contradicts himself by his statement that he "cannot see that any single step has yet been taken to consolidate the position gained by the people when they obtained the right of the single vote.'' How can the people consolidate their position without organisation^ He goes on to say-—" I firmly believe that the intention of the great majority of the people of New Zealand now is that an end shall be put to any attempt to obtain by indirect means, funds, either of constituencies or members, and that we are all for the future tc deal thoroughly openly with oneanother, like true men, having a deep interest m our country, doing nothing wrong, opposing any unjust measure | submitted merely to obtain some tern ■ porarjr advantage, and doing oui utmost to attain great and beneficent results. Air Ballance will have no firmer friend than myself m helping ; him to attain things of that kind.' 1 The " funds " are evidently a strong antipathy of Sir George Grey—lie looks upon them as something corrupt and leading to the corruption of the people, i and condemns their accumulation accordingly; but those who have had to take part m an election contest know the necessity for being prepared with the needful to meet an emergency, and that without any infringement of the electoral Jaws, The National Liberal Fsderation has the pure and simple object of consolidating the Liberal forces m order that they may the more readily oppose any attempt to take away from them the advantages they have gained, or to repeal any of the measures which they have had passed. How Sir George Grey can consider this as anything but honest, frank and open we cannot understand.