The Evening Star SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2469, 14 January 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 1871.

We cannot but compliment Mr Reid on the tact ho displayccl in his speech at the Masonic Hall on Thursday evening. If lie did not succeed in clearing himself of the suspicion of having been obstructive, he at any rate shewed that he entirely agreed with almost every measure proposed by his Honor the Superintendent; and the candidate Mr Reid condemned the action of the Mr Reid the member for the Taieri, and Mr Reid the Minister for Land and Works, The great pressure upon onr time and space, consequent upon the numerous election meetings, prevents our giving proofs of his adverse action in the General Assembly and Provincial Council to the measures he now claims the merit of originating, prosecuting, and advocating ; but his captions opposition to them must be fresh in the memory of every one who has paid attention to passing events. In his speech on Thursday the public are gravely asked to believe that his opposition was not opposition, and that instead of Lis thwarting Mr Macandrew in every possible way, he was really a more progressive man than Mr Mao Andrew himself. We do not object to change of opinion in any man. It is one of the conditions of humanity that knowledge is of slow growth, and that which at first sight seems chimerical—nay, even ridiculous —on further examination may prove •to be based on soundest truth. The project of steaming across the Atlantic, of a locomotive running twelve miles an hour on a railway, and of telegraphic communication between Britain and America, were pronounced wild theories, although they are nowsober realities. We are therefore always glad when those who once ■opposed measures based on sound knowledge, discover their error and acknowledge it. But we cannot commend them when they are uncandid enough to try to persuade men they have never changed, or claim for themselves the honor that of right belongs to another. Could Mr Reid have been kept out of sight, and imitated Mr Macandrew’s voice and diction, liis speech on Thursday might have passed veiy "well in most particulars for that gentleman’s. Ho enunciated the same desire for the construction of a system of railways ; the same anxiety for the prosperity of the goldfields ; the same desire for settling the people ■on the soil ; the same regrets that Otago had not obtained a loan. He claimed for himself that which Mr Macandrew may fairly lay claim to—the merit of having striven to the uttermost for the construction of the Clutha line ; he expressed the same fear lest a suitable class of immigrants should not reach Otago; ho claimed the origination of the loan refused by the General Government; and repeated the same desire, expressed so frequently by his Honor, of fostering Colonial industry. Had Mr Reid been one of Mr Macandrew’s firmest supporters, he could not more effectually have advocated his cause. In his present advocacy, then, with trifling exceptions on disputable points, the two are agreed; but it must lie patent that either Mr Reid, the candidate for the Superintendency, is wrong, or Mr Reid, the leader of the Provincial Council, was wrong. bather one or the other stands condemned. If ho is right now, what are we to say about Ids opposition to what he now acknowledges to be necessary to our prosperity'? If he can see dearly the utter uselessness of refusing to submit to an Act of the General Assembly, why did he on two occasions commit the grievous blunder of useless opposition ? We have, however, a grave charge to deal with in regard to him. We set aside the inconsistency of his present professions with his past course—but that is no excuse for his claiming for himself and followers merit to which they have no right. Ho asserted that the Ministries that preceded his had done little or nothing towards developing the goldfields, nothing towards the construction of railways, and nothing towards opening up the country—and he insinuated that Ids Government in one year and eight months had done moi’e than any other. We are prepared to give these statements a flat contradiction. The Government that preceded Mr Reid’s had done all that could be done. They had done the preparatory work. Acts had been

passed authorising the works ; surveys had been made for carrying them out. Tiiosc Governments had worked in the face of difficulties that were removed when Mr Reid was installed Secretary. They had difficulties with the General Government to overcome —difficulties through the Native war ; difficulties in the money market at Home. They sent an agent, who would have succeeded could he have offered Colonial instead of Provincial security ; and had they remained in office, instead of giving place to Mr Reid, the railway to the Clutha would now have been in course of construction. The same with Water Supply to the Goldfields : surveys had been made and estimates prepared, but they were allowed to lie unused ; and even a most efficient Secretary, who was able to do what-Mr Reid says is necessary—visit, report upon, and advise concerning Goldfields measures—was removed, in order to satisfy the cheeseparing retrenchments of Mr Reid and his party. As Mr Reid lias challenged the Etenuvj Star to the proof, it shall not be wanting when space permits.