The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 1887. MR RHODES' ADDRESS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1615, 6 August 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 1887. MR RHODES' ADDRESS.

We do not wish to be severe on Mr Khodes. He is young; he is inexperienced ; he is rich; and he is the darling of the rich men of the district, as witnessed by the way in which they swelled his meeting. We have great respect for rich men—even when they condescend to explain their absence from the meeting of one on whom fortune has not showered its favors—and we would not say a word to hurt their feelings. But notwithstanding all this it may not be out of place to refer mildly to Mr Rhodes' address. The Chairman made a great point of the fact that he was a New Zealander born, and he, himself, laid tremendous emphasis on the fact that he was not in the slightest degree connected with squatters. It was his brother who was the squatter, and he managed his brother's business, and he had no connection with squatters. That was his explanation in reply to a question. But let it pass. He is a New Zealander born, but he prefers importing goods to making them in the colony. He would rather employ the starving workmen of Europe at cheap wages than give a fair day's wage for a fair day's work to his own fellow colonists. He would not be in favor of importing Kaffirs, but if the Kaffirs did the work in Kaffir-land he would import the goods made by them, because they would be cheaper than they could be produced here. Mr Ehodes is a highly patriotic young gentleman. He told the meeting the amount sent out of this colony annually for interest was 4£ millions, and the amount for buying goods 7 millions, making in all 11| millions, and the value of our exports was only £6,700,000. According to this calculation the colony is going to the bad at the rate of 4f millions a year, and when a ked the question as to how he would prevent baukruptcy he said if elected he would spend the next three years in studying the question. Is there no danger of the bankruptcy Cuming on before Mr Rhodes has found out how to prevent it? Mr,

Twomey has said the way to prevent bankruptcy is to import less and export more. Sir John Hall repeated the exact same words at Leeston. Major Atkinson, the present Government, Dr Fitchet, of Dunedin (one of the best authorities .on political economy in New Zealand), all agree on the question of Protection. Mr Ehodes agrees with the Political Reform Association, which originated with the importers, monopolists, and money-rings of Christchurch. The way Mr Rhodes would save the colony is by increasing her indebtedness. Mr Rhodes is very much against further borrowing, because every million borrowed means that £30,000 or £40,000 must leave the colony for interest on it, but he does not scruple to send away out of the colony annually 3 millions or 4 millions for buying goods which could be made here. If it is true that the colony is going to the bad at the rate of 4f millions a year, must not we be increasing our indebtedness at that rate? Is it not better to make an effort to put matters right as soon as possible ? Mr Rhodes is very much in favor of land settlement, but he denounced the Government for spending money on settling people on bad Crown lands, and also for proposing to buy from large landowners good lands on which to settle the people. It is necessary for Mr Rhodes to say where he would settle them. He would settle them he said in a neighborhood where there was work, but he 'could not tell where the work was. If he became a member of the Labor Bureau he would try to find out for them. No doubt people desirous of Battling on good land where there is work will be perfectly satisfied with this answer. He told the audience that he desired to see the Crown and Native Lands Rating Act repealed, so as to effect retrenchment, but he did not tell them that the passing of that Act was a corrupt disgraceful piece of jobbery of the Hall-Atkinson party, and that, it was passed specially in order to save their Government from defeat. He was totally opposed to Government Loans to Local Bodies, because it meant further borrowing. The Government can borrow at 4 per cent; the Timaru Borough Council pays 7 per cent, for its loan. "Would it not have saved the colony 3 per cent, if the Government had borrowed the money, and lent it to the Timaru Borough Council? If the Government had borrowed for, and lent to, the Local Bodies from the beginning, the advantage to tht colony would have been more thar any retrenchment can effect. He saic Mr Twomey did not know what he was talking about, when he said thej were paying interest out of loan Perhaps he was right, but it is verj remarkable that_ in 1885 Sir Juliuf Yogel thought it worth bis while tc defend the system, and that he wai roundly abused for it. Let M Rhodes ask his guide, philosopher and friend, Mr Postlethwaite, whethei the question of paying interest out o: loan has not been the cause of mucl uneasiness to him. As regards hi reference to Sir George Grey, Si; Robert Stout and Mr Ballance wen members of the Grey Ministry whicl passed the Liberal measures. Are Si: Robert Stout and Mr Ballance lesi Liberal because Sir George Grej thinks fit to attack them on acconn of associating with Sir Julius Vogel! Aw regards the National Bank, was i not the paper money proposed to b< issued under Mr J. H. Newlyn's Lane Association Bi'l that Sir Robert Stou condemned ? Does he not know tha Mr Twomey condemned that far mor< severely than Sir Robert Stout hai done? It was fortunate for Mi Rhodes that he had Mr Twomey'i speech as a text, for if he had not il looked very much as if he would hav< broken down too soon. There is on< little bit of advice we feel disposed tc give him, and it is this: Before h< undertakes to criticise Mr Twomey'i speech again let him take it to som( experienced politician and find out iti weak points. There was never t speech that could not be criticised but if attempted it should be done well. If he does not follow this course he ought to. adopt the onlj other one open to him. He said Mi Twomey had treated him with greal kindness and courtesy, and the besi thing he could do is to reciprocate bj letting Mr Twomey alone. We are afraid Mr Rhodes is not the man tc save the colonv.