PLANKS OF THE DISJOINTED PLATFORM.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5399, 17 July 1878, Page 3

PLANKS OF THE DISJOINTED PLATFORM.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sin, —Ministers have again spoken in the person of the Hon. Mr. Stout, who is' beyond doubt by far the most able man of the present administration; and although his speech falls short, in many respects of what might have been expected from a Minister of the Crown, so close on the session, it is far in advance, iu point of definiteness, of anything yet given to the public as to the line of policy the Govern* ment intend pursuing, Mr. Ballance's great speech, which he thought fit to widely circulate throughout the colony, included. ■ No one, however,, can fail to observe the remarkable difference in Mr. Stout’s speech in Dunedin, as Attorney-General, and Mr. Stout’s speeches in the House when in opposition. We no' longer find him the extreme Kadicil, verging on revolutionism, but the cautious, astute politician, prepared to do or accept anything or nothing rather than take up a bold and independent position that would in any way endanger their removal from the Minis-' terial benches, asrigniug, as his reason that the public are not at present educated up to their' standard, which must be regarded, certainly,as highly complimentary to the intelligence df the people of this colony. There is, however, one thing which he wishes and expects the -people to understand, viz., that there is, and* must continue to be, two great parties in this country, known as Liberals and Conservatives. But what there is in our purely democratic state of society to conserve, where no State Church,* or aristocracy, or other privileged persons . exist, but where all men are equal both at law aud in fact—Jack being as good as his master, and in many instances very much better—must remain a sore puzzle to the most intelligent, as Mr. Stout gives us no information on the matter beyond R Bimple statement.

I warn the people in this country against this party cry which is being raised and so industriously advocated by the present Ministry and that portion of the Pre?s which is ever ready to do their bidding, lest they ere long • find themselves crushed and deprived of their rights .by an oligarchy, or, what is still worse, an autocracy. One of the foulest blots which now so deeply stain American politics is the extensive development of that species of partyism which is.now being so zealously advocated in this colony, by which men are elected whom the people had never chosen, and measures adopted which they had never desired, and they themselves made the’sport of party, which cajoles arid flatter, and at the-same time robs them of their rights as free citizens. Notwithstanding the great divergency and general confusion conveyed by ministerial utterances during the recess, onq principle of their programme appears quite clear, which is that they intend increasing the burden of taxation on an already too heavily taxed people, the necessity for which, under a just and prudent administration of our present Consolidated Revenue, I unhesitatingly aud most positively deny. However, this is one of the bles dogs in store for the’ people of this colony from our present most liberal, just, and • economical Government, while the free breakfast-table, so' eloquently , shadowed forth again and again by the Premier, proves-tobea delusion, and any reduction in the tariff on the necessaries of life more than problematical. On the latter point Mr. Stout tells his hearers that he should nob disclose the intentions of the Government on the question of the tariff, for fear of inducing speculation’ amongst merchants, as if there are mercantile men in this colony who are so insane as to on’gage in extensive speculations on the utterances of* gentlemen who are so prepared ;to drift with the tide as are our present Ministers of the Crown. I fully agree with Mr. as to'the necessity of a new and far mcjre stringent Bribery BUI, hoping at the same tiipe he'will nob make it retrospective, as it might then be the means (if rumor be true) of placing a near relation of the Premier’s in a very unpleasant situation, which would not harmonise well with the superlative virtues of our great leader.—l am, &c., Observer.