The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 1898.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 273, 12 April 1898, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 1898.

In Saturday's issue we inadvertently wrote that we would deal with the policy laid down by the Premier in his speech at Hamilton. We thereby set ourselves an impossible task, as the speech was utterly bare of even the outlines of a policy. There were, however, one or two matters touched upon by the Premier which we have not yet noticed.

In speaking of political parties, he eulogised the public men of England for the courtesy and consideration which they extended to each other; there " they never heard of persons being persecuted or deprived of opportunities because of their political opinions." Our reply to this is that the Government has ever since the Premier took power done this sort of thing to a degree unprecedented except by the New York Tammany King. The policy they have invariably followed has been to punish a political opponent and reward a political supporter. As regards the increase in the volume of money deposited in the Savings Bank, the Premier claims that this is due to the policy of the Government. Would it not be much nearer the truth to state that the increase was due to the improvement in trade throughout the whole world in the first place, in the second to the lowering of the rate of interest on deposits by the Banks, which left the Post-ollice Bank in the position of paying a higher rate of interest for unused capital than could bo secured through any other means. It is a fallacy to state that large amounts in the Banks and Savings Banks are sure signs of national prosperity. On the. contrary this state of affairs is rather indicative of want of confidence in trade prospects. It is of course, as a rule, absurd to blame governments for trade depression, and it is equally absurd to give them credit for its buoyancy. Politicians, however, are in the habit of claiming credit in the one case, as being u fair counterprise to

the blame they experience when the contrary is the case.

The Premier claims that the Government has done a great deal to foster the dairy industry. This must be admitted in so far as the appointment of inspectors and graders is concerned. The Premier says the State is prepared to give further help, but he does not specify the form in which it is to be rendered.

Mr Seddon again denied that the railways had been starved, and that the revenue was increasing, notwithstanding that, concession had been made to the extent of £IOO,OOO. As to the state of the lines and rolling stock, it is a matter of common report from one end of the colony to the other that this is unsatisfactory. TheHawke's Bay Herald writing a short time back stated that it was seldom that the express arrived in time, there was usually one break dow.i and sometimes two, and on Good Friday on the Auckland section of the railway, two of the engines became disabled. The Premier in his best theatrical style expressed his horror that Captain Russell should have told a meeting that if they wanted to win an election they must organise and put their hands in their pockets. Everybody knows that to organise a party requires money, and nobody knows this better than the Premier. There is a difference, however, between organisation and bribery, which, judging by past experience, is much better appreciated by Captain Russell than by Mr Seddon. A remark made by Mr Seddon after the Wellington election exposed the system of bribery by which he has kept himself in office, he said : " The election goes to show that the majority of the Wellington electors have not got Government billets." But the Premier was disappointed and out cf temper at the time, and his system may not after all be as bad as he has painted it himself. His threat to the Waitemata electors is historical. He told them in meeting assembled that if they did not return his candidate they could not expect much consideration from the Government. Yet the Premier is horrified at even the possibility of bribery on the part of his opponents, and would not himself be a party to bribery on any account. The gospel according to Seddon appears to teach that there is no harm in bribery by the giving or promising of bjllets, the indirect subsidising of newspapers, and the granting of public expenditure to friendly electorates. We take it that the next general election will teach him that the people of New Zealand are of a different opinion. Judging by the report of the proceedings at the Smoke Concert, after the meeting in the Volunteer Hall, Hamilton, the most important business in connection with the Premier's visit was transacted at that function. His visit was for electoral purposes, and the Right Honorable gentleman, we beg his pardon, " Plain Dick Seddon, the hardy West Coast digger," gave his followers some, advice. He told them not to force the pace and select a candidate at an early date. In other words, not to expose their hand and secure by moderation in speech the support which they could not hope for if their true policy were divulged.