The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST, 19, 1903.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 972, 19 August 1903, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST, 19, 1903.

' federal; politics. The cablegrams from Australia indicate that the Federal electioneering. campaign has begun in real earliest. Recently it was stated that a very large sum was b eing raised with which to combat the laibor clement, and now it ap; pears that Mr Reid, who is -a chamj lion at inconsistency- in politics, is to lead the attack on the Gove rn-ment. In Australia they are not as polite in their language: as we ■ are in .New Zealand, and therefore it is nothing out of the way to r ead of the Barton Government be ?ing accused of subservient crawl .ing” to the •Labor party. “ I eha rge the Government with being n dishonorable tool in the hands of the Labor party,” -declares Mr Reid, the man Who, more than any. ot her, has pandered to the memb'ers of the’ Labor party while seeking the support of the working clas.ses. The positi on at present appears to be that the Labor party, if it plays its carl Is properly is in the position of t- he gambler with ■whom, it is “ heads I win, tails you lose.” They have a n able leader in Mr "Watson, whose po - licy is to steadily wring privilege! ! from the Government in power, and what Mr Reid describes as “crawling ”. is simply tine Government diplomatically yielding to save defeat, .- in case the Labo.v party were to [ •ally itself with the Opposition led by, the changeable Mr Reid. The resignation of Mr Kington would be a very serious blow to the Bar-', ton Government if he gave any support to the other side, but his strength is nod likely, to he against Mr Barton,- even if it is not actively with him, and by his vigor in prosecuting wealthy Customs swindlers he has gained kudos for the Government. At present the advantages of the election light are very much in favor of Mr Barton. Were some other leader than Mr Reid to come to the front, the position would he very -different. There is no telling how Mr Reid may. change his policy from day to day to suit the varying bjreezes that blow. It would soon be of the pro-Labor description if that meant .security of tenure of office. There shoubd be no time for such leaders as Mr Reid in the political world, '

BOMBASTIC AMERICANS. ! The dispute between the American fishermen ’and the Canadian Customs authorities is beginning to have the flavor oI a comedy. The Canadian gunboat Petrel took decisive action against the American poachers, and now the poachers, in their turn, state that they intend, to arm their boats with quick-firing guns, so as to resist any attempt on the part of the Canadian gunboat to prevent them having liberty, to cruise where they like in quest of fish. The developments will be anticipated with interest; but at present the whole thing can apparently be summed up as “ blow.” If the Canadians are doing anything that is not strictly Within their rights, the Americans .would ere this have made so much noise about the ma.tter that the modest fishermen specially, concerned would not have had to worry themselves to seek a remedy, with ,tbe aid of quick-firers, or by, any, other turbulent means.