THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1881. MR. WHITE AT SYDENHAM.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2385, 24 November 1881, Page 3

THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1881. MR. WHITE AT SYDENHAM.

Me. White would evidently be a very wise man if some of hia ideas wore not so extremely foolish. One is at once favorably impressed by his speech of last evening, when at the commencement of it he disclaims all intentions of setting up for being such a financier as is Mr. Treadwell, and with considerable gusto declares that, as far as he himself is concerned, he will be perfectly satisfied if the burden of taxation be borne by the people in proportion to their means. It is evidently the part of a wise man not to wish to compete with Mr. Treadwell, as it is also judicious to cling to a generally admitted theory and to avoid details which are always vexations. But Mr. White, although he had already confessed that finance was not his strong point, soon commenced to lay down the law about the relative values of the property, income, and land taxes, and, as he had disclaimed all desire to be thought learned in such matters, it is more than possible that his views were more or less those of the gentleman whom he evidently admires so much, and whose finance he thinks is so remarkably sound—namely, Mr. J. W. Treadwell. However, he hardly appears to have learnt his lesson thoroughly. For instance, he seems struck with the necessity of property in general paying heavily for the protection of the State, and yet he objects to the property tax, and favors a land and income tax. Again—" Why should land," he asks, "be represented more than other property ? " Why, indeed ? If the right of property to be represented at all be once admitted it is evident that property and land should both share in it. But if they are on the same footing with regard to representation why not with regard to taxation ? We rather fancy Mr. White has taken up the parrot-cry of "np with the land and income taxes and down with the property tax" without having worked out the subject at all. Passing to Mr. White's views on the educational question, we quite agree with what he says about the method of electing school committees and the too great centralising tendencies of the Board of Education; but when he had gone so far Mr. White immediately shows the peculiar manner in which he mixes np very foolish ideas with very sensible ones. He thinks that High Schools are for the children of the rich only, apparently meaning that they should be thrown open without fee to any child that could pass an examination of a certain standard. Now it is very certain that the High Schools have no balance after tho year's transactions, notwithstanding that they are assisted by the income from their land reserves, and yet they are managed economically. Small fees are necessary to keep the institutions going, unless a large increase is to be made to the EJucation vote. For boys of unusual talent there are scholarships which make education free for them. In point of fact Mr. White is evidently under the impression that the High Sshools are supported by grants from tho Consolidated Fund. We would recommend to him a study of the Estimates. Then again, as to the Agricultural College. Here, again, Mr. White is afflicted by the terrible thought that the son of the rich man is gaining undue advantages. If Mr. White thinks that it is the part of the State to give all boys an agricultural education, he is a remarkably sanguine individual, but it is evident that he is quite right in mistrusting his own powers of adding two and two together. The enormous expense of such a proceeding would be very evident tq. anyone but a pupil of Mr. J. W. Treadwell. But why not send boys to farmers to learn tho trade, asks Mr. White. He apparently has not grasped in any way the advantages of an institution like the Agricultural College. Docs he seriously think that farmers generally have either the knowledge or the time necessary to educate the youth of the colony up to the high standard now so necessary for advanced and successful agricultural operations. The idea is absolutely ridiculous. Mr. White thinks he will curry favor among a certain class by running down any institution where fees are paid. The only alternative open to him, unless he wishes hopelessly to degrade the higher education of the colony, is to recommend that the State pay for everything out of the Consolidated Fund. To be true to his colours, he should advocate this measure. But the sensible side of Mr. White's mind would probably prevent the foolish side from running away with hiin in this particular.

With the greater portion of Mr. White's speech we have no timo to deal; suffice it to say that a good deal of good sound common sense is to be found in it, mixed with a good deal of what is very much tho contrary. Ho appears to bo a decided opponent of tho Hall Government, and tho Hall party must endeavour to get over tho shock as bost it may. His views on the Native question are decidedly hazy. His ideas on the West Coast railway are equally so. He says : " If the West Coast railway would pay, the Government should make it; if it would not pay, the Government should not get a company into a mess." This is the very funniest line of argument we have seen for many a long day. Tho Railway Construction and Land Act can bo taken advantage of by any company, and has nothing specially to do with our West Coast Railway. If any company formed gets itself into a mess it certainly cannot

blame the Government. According to Mr. "White the Government should never leave anything to private enterprise, for fear of getting the promoters " into a mess." Although we quite agree with Mr. White that an elected Upper House is preferable to a nominated one, we altogether fail to see why the latter, as long as it exists, should not be paid. Mr. White thinks the nominated Chamber gets paid for doing nothing. But if they do nothing, Low is it proposed that the elected Chamber pass their time ? In point of fact, Mr. White appears to be a sensible man, bit with a longing to catch stray votes on an ultra-radical ticket. When he follows the dictates of his own common sense he shows what stuff is really in him, but he runs altogether off the tracks when he tries to caper about in the honnet rouge. Then he at once commences to contradict himself and talk rank nonsense.