MR BRYCE'S SPEECH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1492, 25 February 1887, Page 3

MR BRYCE'S SPEECH.

After a long period of profound silence the Opposition has vouchsafed to take the country into its confidence, and by the mouth of the Hon John Bryce has essayed to declare the opinion of the party upon— the conduct of the Government, and the recent speech of the Premier— -this and nothing more. When some weeks ago it was announced, with a flourish of trumpets, that there was about to be fa great Opposition deliverance by one of tbe two great guns of the party, expectation was on the gui vive that there would be something worth hearing, but, at least so far as the telegraphed resume of Mr Bryce's speech is concerned, expectation has been egregiously disappointed, for the big gun has been fired, and there has been nothing but an almost invisible flash and a nearly inaudible report. It was evidently loaded with nothing more dangerous than blank cartridge, and that with mighty little powder m it. A while ago, when the Premier had delivered his speech m Dunedin, Opposition critics complained that there was " very little m it," and it was hinted that when the other side took the boards we should have something altogether different. The prophecy has indeed been fulfilled, but not m the sense intended by the prophets, for the difference is simply that as regards the Opposition deliverance there is absoluiely nothing m it. Declaration oi policy there was none, but that may be excused on the well-known principle " no prescription unless called m professionally," which is another way of saying •' no pay no cure," but as a criticism of those whose admitted business it is to propound a policy — viz., the Government for the time being — it was also a lamentable failure. It was admitted at the outset that it would be so, but the excuse made was that the Government had no policy to criticise. Anything more utterly lame we never heard, for if there was nothing to criticise why attempt a criticism? The redistribution of the representation was the first question touched upon, Mr Bryce correctly informing his audience that under the new Bill the North Island would obtain three more members, and the. South Island would lose three ; but m telling them that this was why the Bill was not allowed to pass last session, he altogether reckoned without his host. His view ot the matter is only another instance of the many of the insular prejudices of some of our leading public men, and is ludicrously erroneous. We claim to have had as fair opportunities of judging as to the facts of the case as Mr Bryce, and we are firmly convinced that this was not at all the reason why the Government parly (admittediy containing though it did a majority of South Island members) refused to pass the Bill last session. The fact is that the Opposition as nearly as possible outflanked the Government on this very question, and would have done it completely but that the videttes of the Ministerial party were more vigilant than its chiefs. Had the Bill been passed, a vote of want of confidence, or some other hostile motion would, we feel sure, have been attempted, and possibly successfully attempted, and an election would then have been precipitated twelve months earlier than it can now occur. Those who desired that the prbsent Government should have another year of administration undisturbed did not choose to fall into the ttap so carefully and astutely laid, and thus the manauvre failed. Him ilia lachrymal on the part of the hon. member for Waitotara. Next, the legislation of the session was condemned as «• slipshod," the head and front of the offending being evidently the Native Lands Administration Act which, Mr Bryce notwithstanding, will we venture to think prove the most valuable of all measures ever passed by the New Zealand Parliament m connection with Native affairs. It is on its trial, and if, as no doubt it will, it receive a fair one, we are content ta abide the issue of results. Mr Bryce m effect admitted that the Government had done well m acquiring Native lands, but claimed a share of the credit attaching to them therefor. The claim is doubtless a sound one," and may be cheerfully and freely conceded. Mr Bryce did mnch to pave the way for Mr Balance's success, but Mr Balance's success is a fact for all that, no matter how much of the credit may attach to his predeceseor. As to that portion of the speech which dealt with the colonial indebtedness there was not a single thing stated that everybody was not fully acquainted with before, except perhaps the assertion that the allocation, cr, as it is termed, " seizure," of the Sinking Fund was one of the causes of the depression — Jiow Mr Bryce did not condescend" to explain, though it seems to us that an explanation was sorely needed. Ministers were blamed for having from time to time made abortive proposals, that is to say, proposals which were not persisted with, the reply to which obviously is that the same thing may be said of every Ministry that ever occupied the Benches — notably that or those of which Major Atkinson was the head and Mr Biyce the first lieutenant — for example, the Compulsory Insurance against Poverty scheme— and it is a somewhat fatuous temerity which ventures to throw stones from beneath so very thin a glass roof as the speaker was m this instance sheltered under. Lastly, on the question of Free Trade v. Protection, remembering that Major Atkinson is himself a Protectionist, it is not surprising perhaps that after talking of the differences of opinion among Ministers, Mr Bryce should hesitatingly declare himself a Freetrader, that is, with the saving clause that " he was not prepared to go to the extent (as a Freetrader) that some had gone." What is this but to say that he is a Freetrader with mental reservations, and what difference is there between this and declaring himself a Protectionist with limitations? Altogether we fail to see that there is a single clear-cut expression of opinion on any great question of the day, and the' rank and file of the Opposition party may well exclaim, " When the trumpet gtveth so uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself for the battle ?"