THE COMING ELECTION AND THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1616, 9 August 1887, Page 3

THE COMING ELECTION AND THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT.

On this subject “Observer" writes as follows in the Nelson Mail;— Sir,— Under the above heading, I most respectfully crave space in your valuable columns, believing, as I do, that the present period is a most momentous one for the colonists of New Zealand. We are on the eve of a general election, an election that I believe has bad no equal in the history of the colony, in so far that there are a large number of the people who believe in the present Government, but who also are not quite in aooord with their proposals. Then again, we have a certain party, supporters of the Continuous Ministry, led by Major Atkinson, who are again desirous of regaining power, after a lapse of time. As briefly as possible, I shall dwell on these two factions. Sir John Hall’s manifesto is before us, in whiob he says the real issue in the coming struggle will be whether we shall have speculative finance, lavish expenditure, and incessant borrowing—or produce, economy, and thrift. Now, sir, in answer to this, I think he has shot a shaft at himself, or at any rate at his friends the Continuous Ministry, as all the appellatives apply to them. For the three years this Government has been in power where can Sir John show “speculative finance, lavish expenditure, or incessant borrowing f” Why, the present Colonial Treasurer is the first for a very long time who has dared to stop borrowing, and in the expenditure, the principal has been in completing what the Continuous Ministry (no doubt for a cause) began. Then with the words prudence, economy, and thrift, I certainly think Sir John is simply copying the platform of the Premier, for take the various speeches delivered by Sir Robert Stout at different places, end you will find that I am correct. In fact, take our Premier’s history, and then tell me if he is not built up of '• economy, prudence, and thrift,” Why, it is the watchword of the land from whence he came; and more, whioh he has practised and proclaimed, Again bir John Hall says " tTNSPABiKG ” retrenchment. Yes, Sir John, your last retrenchment was very unsparing. The poor old women who cleaned out the offices, the message boys, and others (say at £SO per ; annum with a 10 per cent, reduction) felt it a little more than an official receiving from £soo—up to a Minister with £I2OO per annum. I ask was that just legislation flf so, then I say keep this party out. Again, I would ask what did he do, while In office, for the good of the people or the colony P He may have done good for himself, but for the colony in a different matter. Now I come to Major Atkinson and the Continuous Ministry. All the years they were in office what did they do P Well, I know some things they did t they commenced a railway here, a railway there; a bridge here, and one there; roads, &0., were all commenced, but not finished. This was done for purposes which I think the country by this time must know. They spent something like £10,000.000 (ten millions) of money, and left the Government benches leaving something like £862 000 as a deficiency. Yet this man has the effrontery (or cheek) to rise in the House and propose a vote of No Confidence in a Government who have worked hard and honestly for the colony; who have retrenched, and are still retrenching, in a legitimate way; but who unhappily since the time they took office have had a run (to use a common expression) of bad luck, but who I maintain, if kept in power, will bring this colony through its present trial. In the present Government we have men of great ability, honesty of purpose, and whose ambition is to see this Colony great (including of course the people); and here I have no hesitation, in saying that the coming statesmen of New Zealand will be found in Sir Robert Stout and the Hon. John Ballanoe. But, Sir, lam forgetting a great man and statesman, via,, Sir Julius Vogel—a man who has been most bitterly maligned, hut without whose Public Works policy what would New Zealand be to-day P or what would the majority of those who now so bitterly oppose him be f They have feathered their nests by the same policy. Has Sir Julins P No. It is said by some he makes a profession of poli* tics. Suppose he does (for argument lake), it is a good profession, especially when you find so good a professor as Sir Julius, It has been said, that in Finance Sir Julius is the Gladstone of the Southern Hemisphere. I am one of those that believe that different men are meant for different purposes, _ If Sir Jnlius is therefore destined for politics and finance, the more proud ought we to be in New Zealand to have his master brain. Again, it is said that he is a Jew, and has no stake in the country, Now this is a very poor argument, as the same thing might apply to an Englishman, Scotchman, Irishmad, German, or any other nation who makes this his adopted home. We find that Lady Yogel is a Wellington native, and blood is thicker than water, I think that Sir Julius will be found to be Something like Lord Boaoonsfield, a Jew, whose only ambition was to see Great Britain a mighty Empire. So in like manner, whatever others may think, 1 honestly believe that Sir Julius Vogel’s heart and soul are centred in New Zealand, for the advancement of its people and Colony. What is the cause of the present opposition to the present Government P Simply because they are honest of purpose ; they intend that the poor shall have the same privileges as the rich; and that taxation shall affect all alike. It therefore comes to this: are we who have made this our adopted country, including of course those who have been born hero, to be governed by a number of large squatters, or large property owners; or are we to be governed by the present Government, who in their tenure of office have borrowed less, spent less, and done more good for the masses, the working class especially, than any previous Government P We reside in a fine country, with a splendid climate, and full of mineral wealth (and it must be borne in mind this is the first Government who has taken this in hand.) Now is the time for the electors to use the vote, and vote for the right party. Do not let them pay attention to hustings’ speeches, or members who eit upon a rail, The simple question before them is—Stout or Atkinson. I repeat we lire in a fine country, abounding in wealth, yet heavily in debt, but with good Government it would soon be all right This country,! must say, has been heavily bled, and those who have bled the country so much are those who are now trying to put the Government out. Well may X exclaim in the language of Wallace, of Scotland—" My poor bleeding country, what more can I do P” Let my poor brother electors weigh these matters carefully before recording their votes, If they do so I am fully convinced that there is but one opinion—that for good administrative Government, the welfare of the Colony, the rights of the masses (the working classes) who are the bone and sinew of the country, they will vote for the present Government.