"QUIEN SABE" AND THE PREMIER'S SERVICES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 866, 12 July 1910, Page 6

"QUIEN SABE" AND THE PREMIER'S SERVICES.

Sir,— "Quien Sabe" issues a challenge and asks for a reply. I will give it to him promptly. He asks where could we find a better helmsman to guide the ship of state than Sir Joseph Ward. My reply is, men like Messrs. Jlassoy, Herdman, or Allan, men whom the colony want, and would place implicit faith in and trust to run straight politically. "Quieji Sabe" refers to the cry of the unemployed. Who refused to assist the unemployed in tho stress of last winter? Why the Prime Minister did; first, by Sotting bis supporters to vote two millions of the country's money for a Dreadnought, and then taking hini6elf, family and staff, off to the Naval Conference out of the Treasury funds. Why' did not the Prime Minister let the Higli Commissioner represent tho colony at the conference, and ask the House, instead of going Home, lo »oto tho allowance r.ne) , purposed giving him for tho trip, to a fund to be- raised by citizens to relieve unemployment in the four main centres., "Quien Sabe" wants mi answer to the following:—

Who formulated the penny postage aiul All-lied table service? -Mr. Hennikcr Heaton ami Sir Wilfred Laurier. AYho raised a 3 per cent, loan for the colony? Money was as cheap at the time as it has ever been, and the Agent-General could have raised the loan at the saiuo price as the l'rirue Minister did amongst the financial men in England. Who created New Zealand as a Dominion? Doe-j "Quien Sube" call a email <\olony with a million population, a Dominion. The thing is farcical. Who created the superannuation scheme for the Civil Scrrice? The Civil Servants get good salaries, and ought to be allowed lo do their own insurance, and provide for themselves without becoming a drone on the taxpayers. Who introduced universal franchise? Sir George Grey and Sir John Hall, whose ideas wero appropriated by Keddoit-Wardism, us many other intelligent ideas have been appropriated by the same coterie. "Quien Sabe", also wants to know all about compulsory industrial arbitration. He will find his answer by ardent supporters of the present Government, like Messrs. Luke and others, pulling the Act .to pieces, and the workeis themselves beginning to cry out for its repeal. The fame writer asks who introduced State Fire Insurance and State ownership of mines? He will find his answer iu that neither of these concerns have paid since tliey were inaugurated, and have had to bp provided fui bv the country's money. Sir, why did ' Quien Sabe" not refer to the bungling over the High Commissioner's Office, while he w.as on the,job? Perhaps it is news to him that the Government had to appoint Mr. Reeves as its financial adviser at a good salary, because the man they sent Home was not competent to conduct the financial operations of this colony. What has Mr. HallJones done since lie was appointed? Nothing but rnbU mit of Hia felony's expense that he has been attending dinners —and getting better after he had eaten them. Where are his and his officers' reports with regard to trade openings for this colony's products? Are we ever going to get any, eo that we can increase our trading opportunities with the Mother Country. Tho same thing applies to the cablegram from the Government's Trade Commissioner in the Argentine, which appeared in to-day's press telling us what the Argentine was shipping to the Okl Country. What good is this news to tho producers and merchants here? Why does he not j*ive us his reports with regard to what the Argentine is doing, and the likelihood of a market over thei'C for New Zealand products? In conclusion, sir, I refrain from commenting on what "Quien Sabe" calls "carping criticism," etc., as his writing trends towards servility, which is distasteful to thinking citizens.—l am, etc., CITIZEN. Wellington, sth July, 1910.