THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1891. THE SESSION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2260, 29 September 1891, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1891. THE SESSION.

The Session has come to an end, and we fully agree with Mr Rolleston that the country will feel disappointed regarding its results. The disappointment will be ■ of a different nature to that which Mr I Rolleston meant however. The country j expected a Liberal Land Act, under which settlement would progress and dummyism would be impossible. That measure was passed , by .the Lower House, and the Legislative Council destroyed it, but the Government could not help it. Then the great majority of the people looked forward with great anxiety to a measure which would break up large estates. The House of Representatives passed such a measure, but the Legislative Council threw it out. Then we expected that our electoral laws would be rendered logical, comprehensive, and workable, but the Legislative Council again undid all the representatives of the people did in this respect. Thus almost every measure of a progressive and Liberal nature was j destroyed by the Legislative Council, and I the country will be dissatisfied at the | result. The Government could not help ! it. Mr Rolleston’s party filled the | Council with their representatives immediately before resigning, and conse- | queutly the present Government could I not carry their measures. Now what will the result of all this be. Simply that the country will send the present Government back again with a stronger majority than ever whenever the opportunity offers. The Tory party think they are adopting extremely clever tactics, but they will find out their mistake in the course of time. They think that by preventing the present Government from carrying Liberal measures and doing good, they will be able to show the country they are not to be entrusted with power. They will say next election, “You have had a Liberal Government for three years, and what

have they done for you.” They think the people will not see through the trick. They think that by not allowing the Government to carry out their measures, they will be able to show the country that nothing has been done, but we are inclined to think they will find themselves mistaken. The perpetual leasing was originally introduced in a mild form 7 and violent opposition was offered to it, but it grew into favor. The late Government tried to destroy it, but it never had more friends in Parliament than it has at the present time. In all cases the more resistance is ! offered to any reform, the greater is the desire of the people to obtain it. There is no fact in history better established than that violent resistance to popular demands, makes the desire to secure reform more intense, and ultimately results in larger concessions than those originally asked for being yeilded. Three years ago those who reduced the honorarium and passed other reactionary measures believing that by such means they would crush the power of the democracy of this colony, never dreamt of the possibility of real working men being elected 'to Parliament. They sit there now, however, and it is absolutely certain that twice as many will be elected to the next Parliament. By, resisting popular demands, therefore, the Conservatives are only making things worse for themselves, they are cutting rods which will beat their own backs. Let them go on, they will only spur on the electors to greater activity, and the result will ultimately be satisfactory. RIDICULOUS. In his closing speech this session Mr Rolleston said that the depression in business was due to the present Government. The Christchurch Press takes the subject up with a recklessness as regards truth that is quite amusing. It says : “ In their endeavor to establish a “ millennium of ambitionless mediocrity,” the Government have simply succeeded in striking a cruel blow at the wage-earners of the colony. So far the only result of their efforts has been to kill the wage-fund, and drive people in thousands from the country.” Readers of the Press will remember how it used to make little of the exodus from the colony when the Atkinsonians were in power. To the one man leaving now, ten were going away from the colony then, yet the Press used to tell us it was nothing that they were leaving because of the contraction in the expenditure on public works, and that they would come back again. Now things are changed. The Press thinks the people are flying from the colony because of the wickedness of the present Government, in taking £60,000 taxation off small land-owners and putting it on large land-owners. This is what is causing all the trouble; this is what is causing stagnation in trade; this is what is playing the deuce with everything according to Mr Rolleston and the Press. Was there ever anything so ridiculously idiotic heard of ? Who could believe that anyone in his sober senses would charge the present Government with driving the people out of the colony ? Honestly now, and putting all party considerations aside we ask, Is it reasonable, and ought not Mr Rolleston • to be ashamed of himself ? Who can believe a word from him after this ? THE WAIKATO SEAT. Mr John Bryce is shepherding the Waikato seat. We are informed by telegraph-that he intends to remain in the constituency until after the nomination of members, and that he is very wrath because he thinks that two members of the Government will visit the constituency during the election. Now is not this nice ? It is not wrong at all for Mr Bryce to go about the district abusiug the Government to his heart’s content, but it is a terribly wicked thing for members of the Government to go there to defend their policy. It was so when Mr Maguire was elected for Egmont. Mr Bruce went up there to help Mr Bruce, but Messrs Seddon and McKenzie happened to be there on business and they addressed meetings there. Mr Bryce thought it was very wicked of Messrs Seddon and McKenzie, to do so, but he saw no wrong in doing the same thing himself. He actually tackled Mr Seddon on the platform, they continued arguing the point till 12 o’clock at night, and the result was not satisfactory to Mr Bryce. Now this is the great paragon i of propriety; the political martyr of the hour, the ex-leader of the Tories. So blind is he to reason and justice that he cannot see any wrong in himself doing what he condemns as great wickedness when done by Ministers. Who can feel surprised at his eccentricites after this 1 THE EASTERN QUESTION. Apparently the Powers intend to resent the opening of the Dardanelles to Russian Warships. A cablegram says that the deplomatic agents of the various European powers are instructed to carry on more free intercourse with Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria, which means a slap in the face to Russia and Turkey. Bulgaria is a dependency of Turkey, which enjoys the privilege of electing its own ruler. Some years ago Prince Alexander had to fly from the place because he was unfavorable to Russian designs, and Prince Ferdinand was elected in his stead. Russia and Turkey disapproved of the election of the latter, but he has been maintained on the throne by the will of the people ever since. He has not been fully recognised as ruler by the other powers however, and his position has all along appeared temporary. If, however, the other powers recognise him, his position will be undoubted, and apparently they will, as a set off to the apparent treachery of the Sultan in violating the long standing Treaty. Altogether the situation in the East appears as unsettled as ever. OUTSIDE OPINION. The game is being played over again—the old game so frequently played before. Tory papers published outside the colony are beginning to discuss our position unfavorably. This is a trick which has been frequently resorted to in order to make us believe that progressive measures will ruin us. The Sydney Morning j Herald says that nothing was done during ( the last session, and the Economist says j that several contracts for the purchase of land which have been entered into have been cancelled, owing to the Land and Income Tax. This is intended to frighten

ns, but it will not. We are very glad that these contracts have been cancelled if the statement is true, which is very doubtful. We have had enough of English capitalists locking up the land in large areas, and the less we have of such contracts and contractors the better we like it.