Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1874.] WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1895. SIR ROBERT STOUT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 4974, 13 March 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1874.] WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1895. SIR ROBERT STOUT.

We liave already spoken in liigli terms of Sir Robert Stout's Wellington speech. To the Liberalism which lie preaches, the pure Liberalism which has been inculcated by men like John Bright and Richard Cobden, wo are not in antagonism. This Liberalism has a genuine ring, and will be accepted at its true value lnevcn those whoaie termed the Conservatives of New Zealand. It is only the bastard Liberalism which we liavo to light, the debased coinage of the Seddon Ministry which rings false, and which is becoming discredited throughout the civilised world. Every man in New Zealand can join the Liberal party with a clear conscience if the Liberalism be honest and pure, but it is better to stand aloof—even at the risk of being called a Conservative—if the Liberalism to be embraced be spurious and corrupt. Sir Robert Stout's address went to prove that the ruling Liberalism of to day is spurious and untrue. He proved that the Government had betrayed the first principles of Liberalism by ovading and transgressing the law. He cited the unanswerable Fraser episode, and showed that in Civil Serviceappointments generally there had been favoritism and corruption. A community of slavesand sycophants now takes the place of the free and independent people who representpure Liberalism. The Colony is cankered with political corruption, aud has lost repution as well as fortune. It might almost apostrophize the Government and say Who steals my purse, steals trash; 'tis something, nothing; 'Twasminc, 'tis his, aid has been slave to thousandsi | But lie that filches from me ray good name, Ebbs mo of that which not enriches I him, | Aud makes me poor indeed, That the Colony, is impoverished by a "Spoils to the Victor" policy, is certain, but its greater misfortune, is its loss of the good name whioh it formerly bore. It is to men like Sir Robert Stout, that wo must look, if we desire to retrieve our good name, The Colony must be poor for some time to come, but we trust that it will not Jong remain discredited by corrupt administration iTuKMasterton police have, we are pleased to notice, succeeded in vindicatinij their reputation both for sagacity and humanity. They have obtained and published a certificate of indemnity, from no less an authority than tho illustrious McKenzie, the alleged' desperado. That notorious person, from " durance vile,"

assures the public that the police behaved well to him, both before and * after his capture, McKenssie has certainly behaved handsomely to- t wards the police, and we almost t think they ought to have reciprocated his kindness, by giving him , his liberty. The testimonial if < given, say from the heights beyond Aknra, would have been even more j valuable, than it can possibly be i from a cell in the Masterton station hnnsfi.