THE PREMIER'S SPEECH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1467, 27 January 1887, Page 3

THE PREMIER'S SPEECH.

Those who were looking for something sensational m the speech of Sir Robert Stout at Dunedin on Tuesday, will doubtless be disappointed at the absence of anything of the kind. But the public generally will, we imagine, be altogether satisfied to find that the Government has no startling proposals to make, but ct.ntemplates a sound, 1 safe, and sensible policy. The rebuke j administered to those ill birds who are always fou'ing their own nest— those colonists who are continually decrying the colony, was well deserved, and it was shown that even the falling off m the revenue returns, which has been such a god-send for the croakers, does not justify their croaking, inasmuch to a large extent this is caused by the veiy pleasing fact of a decreased consumption of intoxicants, and, to a still greater, by the fact that the goods we have to import from abroad cost less money and therefore yield a smaller percentage of Customs duty than used to be the case. At the same time the necessity for careful administration, and of economy m the public departments, was freely admitted, and it was satisfactorily shown that not only would retrenchment to the extent of the promised last session, be effected, but that the savings would reach to nearly double that amount This is a complete justification of the confidence of the House m Ministers shown last session m refusing to carry an adverse vote on this very ground of retrenchment — indeed, it is now apparent that while the other side of the House has always, when out of office, talked of economy, and when m office failed to practice it, the present Administration is able to show performance m excess of its promises. Tbe Premier was also fairly entitled to claim credit for successful legislation and administration m regard to native affairs, and we cordial'y concur m his congratulations on the progress made by the native schools, especially m the fact that the Maori children are now being taught the English language. It is impossible to doubt the truth of his conclusion that had this been done forty years ago we should have avoided much of the trouble which has been experienced m New Zealand. As regards the chief question of the day, that of the general Lands Administration, the Government is undoubtedly entitled to the credit of having done more m the cause of settlement than any which has occupied the Ministerial benches, and it is to be hoped that they will proceed iurlher m this good work which is the ' very essence of the duty of a Colonial Government, and that they will net rest till they have entirely removed all the hindrances which, m this Island especially, still continue to exist. Concurrently with the extension of settlement, it is, however, equally necessary that there should be the expansion and development of manufacturing industries, and that this is fully recognised by the Premier the following passages clearly show j — " Whilst he recognised that New Zealand, con- [ Bidering its position, climate, and soil, must for a long time remain eminently an agricultural and pastoral country, he was not blind to l\\g fact that no country could be great were it to depend on one or two industries alone. The advantages of a diversity of industries, even looked at from an J educational- point of view, could not be exaggerated. Without manufactures our [ agricultural and pastoral country would be lowered. While, therefore, this country for years to come must remain a pastoral and agricultural country, [ they must not allow other industries to be neglected ; and he claimed that, as a Government, his administration bad used both energy and industry m the promotion of other industries. They had accepted tenders m this colony ipt work formerly invited from home, and had tried to give an impetqs to our local industries, and if there was to he true prosperity' m tfois country, much more would have tp he done. He admitted that the tariff required revision, but m its revision it would not do to ignore local industries if they were to have

a chance of surviving m our midst." These are eminently sound and satisfactory utterances, and not less so are those on the subject of borrowing. It is pleasing to find the Premier distinctly affirming that there must be a new departure m New Zealand finance, that borrowing from the loreign moneylender must cease, and that we must learn to depend upon ourselves. The policy announced is thus one of the active pushing on of the true work of colonisation, the development of our industries and manufactures, a careful control of the expenditure, and a selfreliant dependence upon our own energies and resources— in a word, a policy which must commend itself to every dispassionate, sound-thinking man as one of safety and full of the certain promise of future prosperity. The words and ideas are those of a strong, courageous statesman, whose utterances are a national cordial, and the people of New Zealand may, we think, safely accept Sir Robert's conclusion that if they will only be a saving people (instead of a spendthrift), and " have faith m themselves and the colony there is no place m the world that has a brighter future before it than has New Zealand."