SIR W. FOX'S INACCURACY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3113, 20 June 1881, Page 4

SIR W. FOX'S INACCURACY.

The Otago Daily Times devotes an article to dissecting Sir W. Fox's speech at Turakina, and commences with : —" We can only find apace to notice two points in Sir William Fox's address to bis constituents, both of them singularly illustrative of his habitual license and inaccuracy of speech." [The first point touched upon was the reference to the Civil Service Commission, and Bir William's remarks were described as "an absurd misstatement of the actual truth." The comment on the second point we give in full] :—" The second instance of remarkable inaccuracy to which we shall refer is that relating to the altered state of the finances produced by the action of the present Government. That the financial reforms effected have been great we have freely acknowledged, but Major Atkinson himself will be as much surprised as we are to see the following statement: — 'In reality he (Major Atkinson) had to borrow another £1,000,000, in addition to the „ ( i,000,000 loan—of course, with the consent of the House—to meet the necessity of the case. Major Atkinson had not exaggerated things by half a farthing. The Government devoted themselves to retrenchment, some of which, however necessary, seemed a little cruel. He hoped that by the end of the next session they would have worked off the whole £1,000,000 deficit." Everyone who has studied the state of our finances for half an hour knows perfectly well that there is not the slightest probability of that million being worked off by the end of next session, or for many sessions to come. It is added to our debt, and will remain in the shape of Treasury bills to be hereafter negotiated, or take a more permanent form. Such inacuracy from a man of Sir William's Fox's high character and position is marvellous. We should almost he disposed to suspect an error in the telegram if the summary in other respects did not appear to bo so excellent. It seems to us that Sir William should confine himself to quiet and useful work, such as he is now engaged in as Native Commissioner, and not speak at all ; for, to use a well-known Hibernicism, " he never opens his mouth without putting his foot it it'" '