The Temuka Leader. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1879.

Temuka Leader, Issue 170, 20 August 1879, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1879.

The speech of the member for Geraldine, delivered in the Volunteer Hall on Friday last, demands more than a passing notice. Quite aware as he was of the great dissatisfaction which his disregard of the interests of this district had produced in the minds of the electors, it was not to be v.-ondcrcd at that he was a little shaky when he confronted them, and that he was ill at .case throughout. As wo stated before, the speech was mainly a repetition of what has over and over again appeared in the public prints. There was one or two points, however, which served as a diversion, on which wo would now comment. First lie made the statement that

Siv Geoi-ge Grey is not the working man’s triend, and (lint he is not a Liberal. As fo the first statement, no one knows better than Mr. Wakefield that Sir George Grey's highest ambition is to see the workingman settled upon lands of the Crown. It was tor this that he so sternly resisted the measure which would lock up the land in this province for oyer ton years. Mr. Wakefield, if he be consistent in anything, it is in that he has ever advocated the interests of the squatters and large landholders. The absurd statement that the proceedings of the present Government had driven capital from the colony is truly laughable; and only shows that, if he gets into the Trersurerkhip of the colony, his Financial Statement would be an amusing document. The other charge that a reduction of duty on necessaries of life has lead to a reduction of. wages is also absurd. No one knows better than the member for Geraldine that the present depression in the colony was brought about by causes which the Government were not in the least responsible for. Indeed more than one of his editorials on the question—the commerce of the country —show plainly that he was not ignorant of the fact that over-speculation in land, encouraged by capitalists* was the principal, if not the sole, cause of the present collapse. Dealing in land became such a lucrative business that nothing else was thought of for a time, even by commercial men. How the member for Geraldine can connect this with measures of the Government is indeed a mystery to us. But by tins manoeuvre lie was able to attract the attention of the working classes, and, as every mob orator knows, only get their ear at a meeting, and you can carry almost any resolution you like. The working men and small tradesmen, however, show plainly when the effect of this claptrap is past, that “ A man convinced against his will, Is of the same opinion still.” If Mr. Wakefield had to confront a respectable opponent, he would very soon see that not one in ten of the electors would record their votes in his favor; even our Roman Catholic friends do not believe in him, and it is a question if they will vote at all, if another candidate is in not in the field. They do not believe him to be a true friend, and they are, wo feel sure, not prepared to vote Sir Geo. Grey a, bore. Unfo7 innately the Liberals, who are the barge majority in the Geraldine electorate, are not able to bring the men forward that they wish. One lias one reason, one another. While the* present is a time that makes all men watch over their private affairs with such vigilance as leaves no time for engaging in political warfare, consequently, unless a last appeal to a trustworthy gentleman now on the boards is successful, the present member may have a walk over. Mr. Wakefield will therefore be saved the humiliating exposure of a most disastrous defeat. But this gentleman is not very particular how he gets elected if he only gets in. Mr, Wakefield talk about the Oxford-Temuka Railway is perfect bunkum. He asked what would be the use of a bridge with the line being surveyed. We wonder that Mr, Wakefield did not inform himself on this matter before he made such sweeping charges against the Minister for Works. Had be done so he would have found that the line was surveyed before tenders were called for the bridge, although not the line that he and his friend from Geraldine planned out fo7' taking the line past Temuka on to Timaru. Supposing, oowever, that the line was not surveyed further than the bridge, surely Mr. Wakefield knows full welLtbat there would belittle use forming a mile or two of the line which would not take long, and then have to wait six or nine months for the bridge being built before they could got any further. Mr. Wakefield is also aware that only £15,000 could be placed on the estimates. Did he ever propose that this sum be increased ? There is no evidence that be did. Mi’. Macandrew, like Sir George, only cares for his own province, if we are to believe this gentleman’s word. Just the same, we may say, as be caves for Timaru in preference to the Geraldine district, only with this difference, that in the former the evidence to the contrary is abundant, while in the latter case it is all the other way. Mr. Wakefield docs not favor this line, or rather the way it terminates, nor does he see .any good in anything Sir George Grey or Mr. Macandrew does. Careful enough he is to let all know that Mr. Eolleston is “ my friend.”

Next session of Parliament will show some strange friendships contracted between hitherto bitter opponents. The leaguing of the opponents of progress togetheris not for the good of the colony. Time will bring them out in tbeir true colors. One thing is now plainly to be seen, that the Liberal party will bo strong in the coming Parliament, and that some of the would-be Ministers will be woefully disappointed when they find they have not been able to hoodwink the electors to that degree they expected, and that the demand of the people is that the lands of the Crown be opened for settlement, and that there shall be equitable taxation and Triennial Parliaments. Mr Wakefield made no disclosure of the policy to bo followed by the Conservatives. This is the tactics of the Opposition everywhere. They, knowing full well that they must adopt the same policy that the present Government have laid before the country, being fully assured in their minds that to propose any other would at once place them in a diminutive minority. It is much to he regretted that Mr Wrkefield is to have no opponent. Tirnaru, of course, is the coveted seat, but there he lias not the ghost of a chance, and being determined to be in Parliament, he pockets the affront' and goes boldly forward. At Ills meeting in Geraldine he will doubtless expatiate upon the evils of borrowing, the mischievous results which would follow the adoption of the County Council Act, and the efforts ho has made to keep the Temuka people from having the Oxford and Temuka railway centred in Temuka ; the evils of a land tax, and the democratic tendencies of Sir George Grey in his attempting to open np for sale the lands of the Crown, and the inio]nitons system of selling land on deferred payment, and the injustice of taxing absentees who are owners of large tracts of land. He will doubtless, by using these tactics in squatter Geraldine, be able to get an almost unanimous vote of confidence. It must not be forgotten, however, that the Temuka district possesses the largest number of electors, and that only fifteen voted for him at a meeting of some two hundred to two .hundred and fifty. The effect of this small support afforded to Mr Wakefield at Friday’s meeting was quite appar n and the

amount of grumbling at his extravagant statements in bis organ the ‘ Herald’ as to the way he was received by the meeting has almost determined the Liberals to have an opponent brought forward wher-ever-he comes from. There is plenty of time yet. and plenty of good men in the field, although not local men. It may turn out that Mr Wakefield wil get his eyes opened to the determined opposition to his return that exists amongst the electors.

Temuka Races. —At a committee meeting held at the Crown Hotel on Monday evening last, the following- resolutions were passed : -That the course be the same as last year, with alterations as suggested by the sub-committee. That Mr Williamson and Mr Storey bo respectfully requested to lay off the same, and that the following alterations be made in the programme. That the words “ over hurdles” be inserted after the words “ open to all horses that have never won over £lO of public money,” in the County Hurdle Race Handicap. The meeting then adjourned til! Monday next, the 25th inst., at 8. p.m.