The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 4. MR DOCKRILL'S CANDIDATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 4 May 1907, Page 2

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 4. MR DOCKRILL'S CANDIDATURE.

It is always much easier to pull down (1 tJian to construct, to delaine rather than |, 10 defend, and tlu> irutli Of the precept ,■ is truer to nothing in a greater degree |, than polities. ll is very easy to erlli- ,-, eiiie—for none is perfect—and fur lliat i lv won tlie platform task of a political v Oppositionist is,nt least, more entertain- ji ing than that of ihe ordinary sii|iporter of the (.'overumeiit policy. Mr Dockrill a makes no pretence at oraiory. and n '• was tlie cause lie represented tint leiii ' importance to his speech at New t'iv- !1 liioulli on Thursday. Jlr Dockrill d'e- ' fended the past work and adniinistra- ' lion of the lioveriiineiit, and showed ' Unit whatever ils faults the conditions ! of classes and masses alike had lieen ' improved by the Administration tha. has held the reins of (iovcrnnicm for Ihe term of years it has. He argued tint nothing has transpired since, tlie last ; general election to induce the electors of this portion of Xew Zealand to wish lo depart from the poli.ical views they have held in the past. A strung ell'ort is being made to make the Land Hill the issue of this election. As we have previously poin.e.l out. the Land Mill does not enter largely int., the question at all for the simple reason Ilia, all ihe cindidates are op.ional tenure advocates. We admit, however, thai there is one of tlie proposals of the Laud Bill at stake in the election, and ihat is ihe que-dion of endowments. Mr Dockrill, the Government candidate, advocates the setting asitle of a certain portion of unsold Crown lands to create endowments for old age pensions, education and the care of the sick and unfortunate, and is in favor oi' disposing 0 f the remainder of the (.fwn estate under the optional system. Mr Jlassey, as the Leader of the Opposition, opposes cudowmeuts. if the result of the election is to be read as having been decided on the land question, then it may only he said to Lave been an expression of the electors' opinion with regard to the wisdom of setting aside endowments. Until the Land Bill is an accepted plank of the Liberal platform, there is nothing illogical in fhe position taken up by Jlr Dockrill, that he will oppose Jlr JlcX'ab's proposals. As we said yesterday. Mr McXab's leasing proposals have not. and never will be, accepted by his Party, nor do we believe any serious attempt, will be made to put them on the .Statute Book. Even Jlr Jlassey does not balieve there is any likelihood of the Bill being brought forward, for at his recent New Plymouth meeting he warned his hearers that even if the more unpopular proposals of the Bill were withdrawn lor the present, they would assuredly he brought forward again. He spoke of a power behind the throne, of which, as he expressed it, Jlr JleXab and Jlr Fowlds were the mouthpieces. That spectral power —presumably a secret combination of the forces of advanced Socialists, land nationalisers and single-taxers —Jlr Jlassey persuades himself to dread as an unrighteous alliance banded together for Xew Zealand's hurt. We. however, ! are not apprehensive of this threatened I danger, nor do we think the electors lof Taranaki need he. Jt is a bogey, 'I used to frighten the timid or the uiiI thmking. Jlr Jlassey himself admits I that the Opposition Party, if returned to power, would not repeal' any of the" policy measures of the Government now in operation, and the fact is not to be forgotten that the passing of many of these measures was vigorously opposed by the Party Jlr Jlassey represents. So his position is somewhat irreconcilable. Jlr Dockrill is a staunch advocate of the Liberal side of polities, and that there i there are many of his way of thinking 'was evident liy the coijlial reception acorded him.