CURRENT OPINION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 198, 25 September 1909, Page 1

CURRENT OPINION.

THE NEW CONSERVATIVES. It is not so long ago that the Leader of the Opposition and his friends were declaring to a heedless country that the old-age pensions scheme would fall to pieces by reason of its own unwieldiness, that the acquisition of private • states was simply robbery and confiscition, and that the cheap money proposals would inevitably lead the State into a discreditable pawnbroking business. The position is just the same now as it was then from the Conservative point of view, and yet Mr. Hockley ml -Mr. Hutchison find" it necessary to tel the electors that they approve of nil this Socialism, and that they are ready to give tlie country more. All they want is to jlace the administration of the Liberal measures in the hands of a Conservative Government. No wonder the electors are looking upon their el fusivo sympathy with progressive legislation with a good deal of suspicion.— fjyttelton Times.

THE LEGALISING OF THE BOOKMAKERS. If the profession of the bookmaker hadn't been legalised by Act of Parliament, it is axiomatic that Tattersall's Club wouldn't oust. Section 1 of clause 35 of the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1 Amendment says: "Every racing club which is authorised to use the toUlisator SHALL (the capitals arc our6> from time to time, on the application of any person -who is, in the opinion of the committee or other managing body of such club a fit and proper person to be licensed, grant a license to such person to enter on any racecourse used or occupied by suck club, and there to carry on business as a bookmaker. 1 ' This clause was passed in the concluding hours of th« 1907 session by a Parliament that was pledged to suppress gambling. Furthermore, the clause in question was passed, as we pointed out at the time, with the aid of some of the most pious and 1 highly moral members. Since it is plain, therefore, that some of the anti-gamblers are to a great extent responsible for the legalisatlou of the bookmaking profession, they are also to a great extent responsible for t.lio existence of Tattersall's Cluo. Therefore, they sliould have been among the last people to cavil at the recent action of Messrs. Carroll and Millar.— Auckland Observer.

PREFERENTIAL TRADE. Our boasted independence and freedom is a mere mockery if we dare not organise our own toado for fear that some foreign Power will take us to task and proceed to "break down our preferential tariff with, battleships. If this is what Free Trade has brought us to, then the sooner we unite to deny it and to lest our standing among the nations the butter for everybody. The time has long gone by when any economic dogaia could he advanced with intelligent con lidencc. There arc several roads to London, where we may arrive from New Zealand whether we sail east or sail west; and similarly there are several roads to commercial prosperity which, may conceivably be reached either by Free Trade or Protection. If we admit that sixty years ago Free Trade was the easiest road to prosperity for tlic United Kingdom, it by no mean's follows that Free Trade is 'the easiest road to-day. Every indication tends to show that it has become a difficult and even an impassable road, because all rival nations are protectionists and prefercntialists, and are gaining commercial ground at the expense of Britain. Germany imports much food—and taxes it; imports large quantities of raw material—and- taxes much of it; imports some manufactured goods—and taxes all. Yet we are asked to think that Britain with its immense colonial areas could not afford to tax food, would not be able to tax any raw materials, and would be foolish to lax the manufactured articles which are closing her workshops, mining her industries, and pauperising her workpeople. Considering all the circumstances, it is as well that no fiscal compromise appears possible, for what is evidently i needed in British politics is a vigorous and whole-hearted reaction against inI compromising Free Trade. Then we may expect to have a practical aid beneficial scheme of preferential trade. —Auckland Herald.

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE. One of the reforms which will have to be accomplished by the Reform Parly is to ensure that each electorate shall receive its fair share of public expenditure, and that moneys voted by Parliament shall be spent as it directs, and their expenditure shall no longer bo dependent on the will of a Minister or retarded or advanced according to the needs of a political party., The system favored by Ministers converts the public purse, into an instrument for political Wi'oery, lending, of course, to political corruption. The. only way to destroy that system is to return to the House independent men, who will at once lcevp check on political party schemes and create a healthy public feeling -which will result in the displacing of the political adventurers and incompetent party slaves. ■—Eangitikci Advocate.