POLITICAL AMENITIES IN THE SOUTH. Dunedin, July 5.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 58, 12 July 1884, Page 3

POLITICAL AMENITIES IN THE SOUTH. Dunedin, July 5.

Tue "Otago Daily Times" strongly supports Mr Green's candidature for Dunedin East, but the "Star" regards him coldly. The latter says:— "His deliverance was that of a keen partisan, and in order to blacken his opponents and fix opprobrium and contempt on their principles and conduct, he stuck at nothing in the way of stqjpressio veri, if he did not actually lend himself to an invznii falsi. His tone was that of an unscrupulous advocate, notwithstanding his ingenious special pleading and distortion of accredited facts. We maintain, and more is the pity, there are no broad party lines in New Zealand, but there does exist a clique of ambitious politicians who, under pretence of extending the powers of the democracy, would establish the very worst form of oligarchy; who, under the pseudonym of Liberals, have worked and are working hard to deLiberalise oar institutions ; who would subvert representation Government by the mischievous organisation of the caucus, and reform the constitution by establishing the absolute tyranny of majorities. He certainly excelled himself in disingenuous treatment of facts and inconsequent conclusions ; and if he had a cause to plead, or if the party in whose interest ho affects to contest the seat has an existence and a cause, he would have done better by elucidating the principles in accordance with which himself and that party propose to base their policy than by following the old forensic maxim in a bad case, and abusing incontinently the other side. " The " Herald " has a surprising article, its violent abuse of Mr Stout being wholly unexpected. It says :— " We have seldom seen such vehement, nay, such fierce, par- i tieanship, while his 'egotism and selfassurance arc almost beyond belief. If Mr Stout aspires to be leader, he must turn over a new leaf. The narrowness and intense personalism of his politics alone incapacitate him for such a position, to say nothing of his seemingly irrepressible vanity and self-importance, than which there is nothing more offensive. He has no particle of originality, and has never shown any striking aptitude for practical politics. With Liberalism and progress always in his mouth, he is the most unprogressive of politicians ; is hard, narrow, ungenerous, and arrogant in his judgment of men and things." It finds fault because he has annunciated no policy ; reminds him that the Liberal party do not require to elect a leader, as Mr Montgomery occupies that position ; refers to the singular omission of Sir Julius Vogel's name j and asks how he, a professed Liberal, comes to take such an active part in bringing out a Tory of the Tories. There can be no more communion between Vogelism and Grey Liberalism, of which Mr Stout is supposed to be the champion, than is between night and day. His silence is highly significant. Allegiance to Vogel means abjuration of Grey and the Liberal party ; and unless he clears up this suspicious-looking business his position in regard to the Liberals is exceedingly vocalLater. In consequence of the "Herald's" attack on Mr Stout, Mr Bracken has resigned the managership of that paper.