The Hastings Standard Published Daily TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1897. POLITICAL POINTS.

Hastings Standard, Issue 383, 27 July 1897, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily

TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1897. POLITICAL POINTS.

For the cause that lacks assistance. For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

Now that tlie glamour of the Jubilee is over and the Colonial Premiers are returning to their homes, thoughts are once more turned towards politics. In New Zealand we have had a tolerably long spell from political turmoil, due to the extraordinary demands made by Mr Seddon before his departure to Loudon and the impotence of the Opposition. The postponing of the usual Parliamentary session to enable Mr Seddon to visit England has, we are afraid, established a very bad precedent, and reflects with discredit to a very large extent upon Mr Seddon's colleagues in the Cabinet, but much more so upon the Opposition in permitting it. Mr Seddon was the first colonial Premier to reach London, and he appears to be the last to leave it—not that he is to be grudged his holiday, but merely as indicating that Mr Seddon knows full well that even if he does not call Parliament together by the day agreed upon he can ride roughshod over any objections that a weak Opposition may raise. He is therefore talcing his time about returning to New Zealand, and until he does come back we may safely assume that politics will remain dull. There are, however, some slight discussions on affairs politic. The Minister for Public Works, Mr HallJones, in a speech at New Plymouth, touched upon certain matters, and his utterances clearly indicate the trend of the Ministerial policy. Mr HallJones is the Ministerial telescope—he can be drawn out, seen through, and shut up, and he is the last one we should expect to see told off to develop the Ministerial policy. Still, whatever may be his shortcomings, he is a Minister of the Crown, and his speeches are entitled to consideration. If there is any deduction to be drawn from the New Plymouth speech it is that another loan is in prospect. Last year Mr Seddon boldly asked for a million and got it ; this ye.ir if be asks for five aaiilioas, aotuwith-

standing an alleged strong Opposition, we believe he will get the money. The colony cannot get on without borrowed money, and as a matter of fact has never ceased borrowing at any time, although the borrowings have not been done opeuly. This year the excuse for exploiting the British capitalist can be found in half a dozen directions. Old age pensions, workmen's villages, socialistic labor settlements, aids to fowl farmers, aids to political screechers, agitators and billet-hunters, industrial developmant, defence aud public-works are all matters that stand as pegs for borrowing, and borrowing we musthave. Mr Hall-Jones, may, however, have been merely throwing up straw to observe the direction of the wind, and if the public are not anxious for any more borrowed money well that part of the contemplated programme can be very easily dropped, or the pill can be heavily sugar-coated so as to make it quite easy to swallow. In some quarters there is an impres-. sion that this session will witness a dissolution. The deadbeats and the disaffected have, it appears, formed a third party —the Left Wing—and the dexterity of this party they hope will cause the Ministerial fall. We are not quite sure of the members that compose this Left Wing ; but whoever they may be it would be no exaggeration to say that the honorarium paid monthly and the free railway passes are of more pressing importance to them than the welfare of the country. We cannot collect sufficient evidence to warrant us in believing that a dissolution would be constitutional. We are inclined to the belief that Mr Seddon will pull through the session, and we will go further and say that he can keep himself in power for just as long as he pleases. His only danger lies in the disaffection of his party; but this has never been absent, and so far he has shown himself capable of dealing with it. The fact that the Hon. John M'Kenzie has announced his intention of taking a prolonged holiday is interpreted by some as signifying the break-up of the Ministry, but is it so ? Mr Seddon, as we ail know, is as it were the lock, stock and barrel of the Cabinet gun, and he could if necessary " run the whole show" by himself; at any rate the Cabinet cannot get on without Mr Seddon, but Mr Seddon can do without the Cabinet. If Mr M'Kenzie docs leave for England he need not resign his Ministerial rank, but he could very safely hand over his departments to the management of Mr Seddon. There is no prospect whatever of Mr Seddon's Ministry tumbling, though we doubt not many would like to see the end of the Seddon Government. There is no necessity to speculate upon what the Opposition can do for the simple reason that the Opposition are incapable of doing anything worth considering. Their highest conception of the duties and responsibilities of on opposition seem to" be to let the other side " stew in their own juice." The Opposition appear to have no policy, no cohesion, and no courage, and how are they to influence the electors or bring about a change of Government ? We must, however, wait a week or Wo, when the members indulge their constituencies with pre-sessional speeches, to get a more accurate idea of the trend of party politics.