THE POLITICA SITUATION.

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1407, 30 May 1884, Page 2

THE POLITICA SITUATION.

(Otago Daily Times.) It is probable that the Governmentwould never have become so much out of tune with the country as they are now if there had been an Opposition worthy of the name. Their faults have hfton largely begotten of over-e-nfid micp. With no one who could criticis } their actions efficiently, and a strong Parliamentary majority at their bai'k, they have gone their own way without troubling themselves whether the country liked it or not. Happily, £hore are abundant pi^n.s that they will not be able, to do this any longer. Even it' they manage to keep their seats next session, their actions will meet with severe criticism. Whether the Opposition consolidates or not, it is likely to keep the Government to their bearings, ' and put the brake upon their wilfulness. And no man is likely to prove more useful in this respect than the new member for Selwyn. We regret that we are unable to reproduce at length Mr WakeftoH's speech at Loeston last week. It is a most effective criticism upon the political situation, full of sound sense clearly expressed, and based on welldefined principles which command our respect even when we differ from them. There is no attempt to enunciate a policy. It would have been almost impertinent in Mr Wakefield to make any such attempt. He is not an ; . aspirant for the Premiership. He ; giv>s reasons, for the faith that j is in him which will commend them- [ selves to the common sense of the j community, lint is civreful not to commit himself to any definite party. In j the existing disorganisation of parties! it would be foo'ish of him to do so, j Although ho may vote with Mr Montgomery in Opposition, M. 1 Wakefield is scarcely likely to be found in a Ministry guided by his principles; nor, indeed, is it likely that the country would allow such a Ministry to come into existence. Mr Wakefield begins by taking credit to himself for the promotion of the change in public feeling with regard to borrowing. And here we differ from him in degree, though not in principle. To stop borrowing absolutely, without consideration of the effect upon works in course of construction, is a policy which will not commend itself to the Golouy any more than the intention to borrow right and left again which is attributed to Sir Julius Yogel. Sir Julius, like Major Atkinson, is beautifully Vague on the subject, but we are confident that he wili find himself mistaken if he thinks the country will support him in another five million loan. Certainly we should be altogether opposed to any borrowing policy. On the other hand, the. works in course of construction ought to be finished as speedily as possible, and Avhatever amount may be wanted for that purpose must he borrowed. If there was one thing which irritated people more than another in Major Atkinson's speeches it was his attempt to lay his blunders on to the shoulders of the electors, and ask us to to provide a remedy for them. Tht consideration of ways. and means, as Mr Wakefield clearly puts it, is a mat- ' ter for the Treasurer, and not for the [ '• people of New Zealand to give serious ' consideration, to." It is his duty to ' devise a way of meeting (he defiict, not ours. Ou tlu> other hand, it would bti

absurd to expect him to announce any changes in the tariff until the Budget spGech. Mr Wakefield catches the Premier up very neatly again upon the railway tariff. The Premier, if, may be remembered, said that the railway rates were not raised to make up for the deticif iicy m the general revenue, but in the railway revenue. It comes out, however, that like many of the statements the Premier lias made recently, this is not quite the whole truth He forget to mention that the gross receipts from the railways had come up to the estimate, and that the deficiency had arisen soiely from an increase iv the expenditure on railway management. Mr Wakeh'eld, with some force, argues that "iv regard to the customs and other sources of revenue, it is the gross receipts which are calculated, and that the railway revenue should not be made an exception to the rub 1 1 oWiVji- positively the Premier might deny the fact, the railway rates wore iaised to make up the deficiency in revenue. The power given to theGovernment to raise or lower the railway rates was never intended to l»e ; used for the purpose of taxation." I Vnother point which Mr Waken" eld ; :H;ik( j s against the Government is their !'. • ici<*!ib wish to- save their seats by : rai iig up ill-blood between the two | Islands. Ie is impossible to censure j this mischievous attempt too severely* j As to Civil Service reform, we agree with Mr Waketield that what is wanted : is to put the Service under a board, ' a. id that the new bill as outlined does I not meet the main point of shutting the Sjibuk door to the Service j but uui loss the Opposition are prepared to I) ing i'j a. bill on these lines, it must iie adhuLtcd that the Government bill ; would seem likely to make some improvement upon the existing state of things. On Sir George Grey Mr Wake field is very amusing. He tears to shreds all the nonsense about the " unearned increment," and exposes the eflects of Mr Montgomery's " progressive land tax" and tax on absentees ! dearly and forcibly. On Sir Julius V gel s candidature he speaks word* of warning which are perhaps needed, and ceru.'.inly natural from one holding /is strong views; but the generesity .vith which he welcomes the return to political life of an old opponent is a very plesant contrast to the Ministerial wish to keep him out. On edncation Mr Wakefield announces his agreement with Sir Julius Vogel's views, and he rightly points out that it is not easy to see what substitute he can give us for the property tax. Altogether, the member for Sel wyn. is to be complimented upon a userul and instructive Bpeech — one which shows that he has profited by the lesson, of his rejection at the general election, * 'and learnt that discretion is a necessary aid to ability. He has sound political principles, considerable experience of politics, manners, education ability, eloquence — all the qualities which should lead to his occupying, the higest position in the Colony if he will show himself more discreet and conciliatory than when he was last in Parliament. We have great hopes from his recent speeches that he is going, to be more practicable then iv the past, and that the Colony will before long be able to avail itself of his abilities in a Ministerial position.