POLITICAL NOTES BY "QUIZ."

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3935, 29 February 1884, Page 4

POLITICAL NOTES BY "QUIZ."

I havo carefully read and studied Mr Sutton's speech at Hastings last Saturday. I have heard tho gentlemen named make many speeches before, but this one I have only read, and I confess that the speech was a better one than I expected. Throughout the address there is a rich vein of common Bense, and sound common sense in those days of unlimited fads, rash assertions, and unlimited demands, is the one thing needed to steady the state coach. I find much to agree with, and but little with which to quarrel. I confess at once that but one politician could ever satisfy my demands. Many hold the same views but do not make the samo confession, while I confess that I never yet found but one individual—myself—who satisfied mo on all points, lam reasonable enough to support a man who mtets my views on most points, even though he does not satisfy mo on certain things, which are probably my personal fads. As I anticipated in my last I have now another voto which to Ministers is not reliable. Now Ido not see in that fact any "trimming." Those who have objects in view, who dare not say what they mean, of course are welcome to believe there is trimming. My view is—unfortunately a leader in your columns has taken tho wind out of my sails-- not that the member for Hawko's Buy has left the Ministry, but that the Ministry have pulled away from Mr. Sutton. Tho Ministry of Sir John Hall was considerably slowerin its views, putting it mildly, than that led by Mr Whitaker, and when the latter resigned and Major Atkinson reigned supreme, what I conceived to bo the ablest man in the Gov. rumcut retired aud the men of fads had no break to arrest their downward progress. Major_ Atkinson, we know, has more than one fad, which he would force on the people of tho colony if he ever got a chance, and tho .second in command in the 'Major's Ministry is certainty Mr Rollestou, who is the "boss"_c.f probably tho worst fad of all, because, like a good many other things, it is beautiful in theory but practically unworkable now. I rel'ei' to nationalisation of the land. If thut were tried in Now Zealand, with New Smith Wales and Queensland competing at Home for immigrants with land going begging, would Mew Zealand not receive a check tl.at would throw its progress back for years? Mr Sutton, while condemning tho fad, is al-o severe on the land tax, and pertinently asks to see a practical scheme put on paper, which is-assuredly not asking much of Ihe advocates of that system. Mr Sutton is as thoroughly sound on tho question of free trade as he is on tho advantages of a harbor to Napier and tho surrounding country. To the absence of that harbor ho attributes tho high prices of Hawke's Bay, every article being dearer than in any other portion of the colony. Mrs " Quiz," suggests that he is thoroughly correct on that point, and as she is a better authority than 1 am, I will simply Allow Mr Sutton's and her opinion to coincide The speech all through shows evidence of having been carefully thought out, and, while the spoaker did not advocate the stopping of borrowing, he urged that the railways should be governed ou commercial principle by a non-political board as in Victoria, showing conclusively that Mr Su ton is willingito follow any good lead given by any other colony. That lying jade Humor has beon very still this week. I have scarcely an item of what I might term fresh news to place before my re ders, if I except the statement authoritatively made that the present membur for Napior will once more fight for the Heat at the next election. Before the Houso meets I think Mr Buchanan should address his constituents. Perhaps ho too may have changed his leader. At any rate, the public wish to hear his views in face of the fact that increased taxation is likely in the near future.