The Globe. SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1258, 30 March 1878, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1878.

The organs of tho self-styled " liberal " party are never tired of assuming to themselves a monoply of public spirit. If we were to believe them, they alone have the interests of the people of the colony at heart, and all who do not accept the leadership of the present Government are necessarily opposed to every measure which has the welfare of the colony for its object. Fortunately the people are not in the habit of taking either our public men, or the profossed guides of public opinion at their own estimate. Were such the case, it would always be easy to gain a temporary popularity at the expense of truth and principle. But an honest adherance to enlightened conviction always in the long run gains respect and confidence. Those of our public men who cannot accept the leadership of the present Government contain amongst them many who have a sincere and honest desire to reform abuses, and to place' our institutions upon a sure and satisfactory basis. The cry of an extension of the franchise, a change in the incidence of taxation and the necessity for liberal land laws was heard of before the Grey party was organised. As regards one of these questions at any rate, the House of Representatives has already affirmed its desirableness. The conviction that a change in +,he incidence of taxation is necessary, is not by any means confined to the followers of Sir G. Grey, and they have no right to claim a monopoly of the proposal. Yet, jf we were to believe the Ministerial organs here, we are to consider ourselves indebted to tho Premier alone for the enunciation of that amongst other measures. To show, however, how much some of the "liberal" organs care for popular rights, except as a moans to an end, we may quote the following passages from a leader in the JjytteMQn Times, published in August last. Mr, Woolcock's motion as to the necessity of change in the incidence of taxation was the subje&v .discussed in the article, and this is what our contemporary had to ga y .—« The importance of the debate on Mr. "Woolcock's motion, is on account of its result, tremendous. That result is the acceptance by the House of Representatives of a p' oposal to introduce a change in the fiscal policy of the colony, which can only bo described as sweeping. It is • change by which the indirect principle hitherto - u vo g ue * 8 *° ke reversed in jtavm* of a system" of direct taxation, which must seriously affect &e iateres a of the colony in its external as well a 3 its internal relations/' Again o; ¥ contemporary goes on to say, it; " rai&6S the question of the relation betwc; a capital ? a d labour. It does more. It will nltfcß fin* Poloivy in tho position of being

the only one of all the British colonies in which property in land and incomes are taxed. It then is not only that under tho new order of things tho capital already in the country may ho threatened with restrictions disastrous to the labouring interests, but that the introduction of fresh capital for the development of the resources of tho country may be checked. . . It really raises the question of protection and free trade, and decides in favour of the latter. There are various industries throughout tho colony which at present are prosperous. Clothing factories, boot factories, woollen factories, and others which might bo mentioned, employ between them many hundreds of artisans. It is a grave question whether all these would not bo closed by the proposed remission of certain duties, and the hands they employ, thrown in distress on the labor market Thus it will

bo seen that tho consequences of the proposed fiscal changes reach the foreign capitalist, the employer of labor, tho labourer, the artisan, and through them every interest in the colony." "Wo ask our readers to carefully and calmly study the above extracts, remembering at the same time that they appeared in tho columns, not of a " Conservative " organ, but in thoso of the now blind supporter of the Ministerial policy, and then let them estimate the value to be set upon the "liberal" opinions of such a journal. It amounts to this that the Lyttelton Times is now advocating a policy, ono of tho great measures of which, in tho opinion of our contemporary, may havo a most disastrous effect upon the labourer and the artisian —may in fact result in throwing hundreds of men in distress on the labor market, and injuriously affect every interest in the colony.

The Graphic of a recent date contains some particulars of the work done by the "Liverpool British. Workman Public House Company." Its object is to establish, in Liverpool and neighbourhood, places where working men can find the warmth, advantages, and attractions of a public-house without intoxicating drinks being sold; but where tea, coffee, &c, could bo obtained at a small charge. Tho first house was opened in 1875, and now there are no less than twenty-eight in good working order. An illustration is given of one of those buildings, just erected at a cost of £4,500. It is two storeys in height, and can accommodate 1000 people at the same time. All the braidings belonging to the company are most comfortably fitted, and are largely patronised. Their beneficial effects wore referred to by several speakers. One of the stipendiary magistrates " honestly believed" that the establishment of these places had something to do with last year's decrease in drunkenness. Tho head of the constabulary force, also, declared his opinion that the company had established a valuable institution in the town, the good results of which he had been glad to testify before the House of Lords' Committee on Intemperance. The undertaking is also financially a success. We have referred to tho work of the Liverpool company, to show what is being done by some energetic men at home. We hope their success will act as an encouragement to those who may be contemplating tho establishment of a Working Men's Club in Christchurch.