THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1892. THE SCRIP CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2389, 30 July 1892, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1892. THE SCRIP CASE.

We have not yet obtained sufficient information to enable us to speak, except with diffidence on the scrip trafficking cases. Mr Whyte has been twice before the Court, and two civil servants have suffered through him, yet apparently he has been guilty of a great deal more than has been brought to light yet. Only the other day it was elicited by a question in Parliament that some Akaroa Trust Funds had been defrauded by the scrip operations of Mr Whyte, and the Government promised that the money would be replaced. AY ho is to do it V Is Mr Whyte going to do it ? It is absolutely disgraceful to allow this man to sit in Parliament in the face of all that has occurred, and if the law cannot reach him the Legislative Council ought to make the place too hot for him. He ought to be ostracised. Mr Rhodes has also dabbled in scrip, but we are assured that Mr Rhodes’s conduct was perfectly honorable, and that he only acted in ignorance of the law. Ignorance of the law is not a tenable plea in a Court of Justice ; if the most illiterate and ignorant man in the country raised such a defence, it would avail him nothing. If such a plea were allowed few would be convicted in any Court in the land, for most people could honestly plead ignorance of the law. But we have not full information as regards Mr Rhodes’s scrip transactions, and we prefer to believe in his innocence than his guilt in this matter. We do not agree politically with Mr Rhodes, but we should take no pleasure in finding him guilty of dishonorable transactions. We hope he will be able to show that there was nothing in it. Still Mr Meredith, a Canterbury member, said last Thursday evening that the country had been defrauded of £438 14s, and the Hon. John McKenzie said the matter was still in the hands of the Auditor-General. Mr Rolleston vigorously defended Mr Rhodes, but what we would like to know is: Would he defend a Government supporter placed in a similar position ? We feel certain he would denounce him with all his might, for he certainly has denounced them for less. But let the matter remain as it is at present. All we desire to say is that we feel thankful it is not a Government supporter who has thus been exposed. Lately we boasted that whatever else may be said of our politicians no charges of corruption could be brought against them. We are glad to be in a position to congratulate the “ Great Liberal Party,” as Tory small wits sneeringly call them, on this being applicable to them still. When the late Government was in power the late AttorneyGeneral lived in Auckland, and drew ministerial salary and house allowance. He actually made the country pay him rent for living in Auckland in his own house. Captain Russell and Mr Mitchelson also drew salaries during the last few months of their ministry to which they were not entitled by law. What a contrast to the conduct of Mr Ward, who has taken neither salary nor travelling allowance. An indisputable fact therefore is that the Liberal party remain perfectly stainless, let opinion vary as it may about some of the others. But it has been exactly so in Canada ; it lias been so in New South Wales; it has been so in Melbourne. Wherever corruption lias been unearthed, it was foupd that rich moneylending financiers were aj, tip) bottom of if, and some of them are now in gaol, while there are many others who ought to be there. We need not go far afield to see for ourselves that the most dangerous men in the country arc the financiers. We have had instances of it very frequently not far off, and if people had sense they would carefully avoid them. LIBERAL OR TORY. The Tory soul of the Hon. Launcelot Walker has been wounded to the quick by the Hon, John Ballance sending Home a telegram congratulating Mr Gladstone on his victory. So has the soul of the Hon. AY. Rolleston been wounded by it, and that of Air Moore, of Kaiapoi, and others. Now it matters very little whether this cablegram went Home or not; it cannot do good or harm to Air Gladsone, but a straw shows how the wind blows, and this little incident distinguishes between Liberal and Tory in New Zealand. The Hon, John Ballance being an enthusiastic Liberal felt so overjoyed at the victory in England that lie and his colleagues sent their congratulations. Air Rolleston and his friends, on the other hand, being Tories, felt bound to give expressions to their own feelings. The incident is small, but it has shown the Liberal and Tory clearly.