The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, NOV. 2, 1889.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2701, 2 November 1889, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, NOV. 2, 1889.

In another column we publish Mr Bryce's address to the electors of Waipa in response, to the strong requisition, signed by nearly live hundred settlers, requesting him to become a candidate for the vacant seat. In placing his services at the disposal of the constituency, Mr Bryce gives a sketch of his views on leading political questions of the day, and he does so in us clear and succinct a manner as is possible within the limited spacs of a published address to make them readily comprehended by the whole body of electors. Mr Bryce gracefully recognises the spirit that prompted the requisitionists to single him out to be their representative, and accepts it, as it is meant to be, as a tribute to his colonial statesmanship and a protest against that localism at which it gives a deadly blow. It is, therefore, as a colonial statesman Mr Bryce addresses himself to the Waipa electors, and he speaks through them to the whole, colony. In the event of his election he will devote his services to the good of the colony first, and the Waipa portion of the colony would, through their representative, share directly or indirectly in whatever good he will be able, by his experience and abilities, to confer on the country at large. Had Mr Bryce courted popularity, which we know without his assurance he never has, he would have come before the people with a capful of pledges artfully and insincerely framed to catch the bid of all parties and win the favour of the mob. Wo have not a few illustrious examples of this class of politicians, even claiming to rank as statesmen, who seek the fleeting plaudits of the multitude, regardless of the cost their love of applause inflicts upon the country. Mr John Bryce is made of sturdier and more honest stuff", and his reputation, if not so is of a more sterling kind than theirs. The colony has become sick and wearied of the folly of its rulers of many years ; it craves again for the reign of common-sense, and for legislation that is guided by its dictates. Men filled with the practical and plain-spoken common sense of Mr John Bryce are the class of men the people desire to see in the Legislative Assembly, in order that we may have the colony governed on safe lines commensurate with the requirements of a young country, whose population is small and struggling, though ambitious to develop its resources and pay their way without needless burdens. Unhappily, the general run of the people seldom pause to think or discriminate, and are too frequently seduced into selecting representatives who fill their ears with a thousand and ono promises they can never fulfil, and who find no discomfort to their consciences or pride in not redeeming their pledges "iveu with so much impropriety and gullibility. The consequence is the electors suffer disappointment, look with contempt on all things politico 1, and refuse, as a rule, to regard State affairs from a national point of view. Young members, men celebrated in their own local circles as living oracles and who are loud in their denunciations of the law and those in authority, when elected take their narrow conceptions with them into the wider world, full of iconoclastic intentions, only to find how impotent they are. Again the electors are disappointed; their local idols prove themselves but clay, voces ct progeria nihil, mere noisy vapours. Good, wise government,therefore be-

conies impracticable. Let us have an end to this national imbecility. New Zealand is too precious an inheritance for us to destroy by a continuance of folly, it is capable of better deeds : therefore let us ring in the. reign of common-sense. Mr Bryce does not make a single pledge, in his whole public life he never has. He treats every subject in its application to the colony as a whole. He is not a young member who has to gain experience; not only that, he attaches to experience its responsibilities, and studies the consequences of the actions of public men to the State. Moved by such a sense of duty, both as statesman and settler, Mr Bryce cannot fail to give the greatest consideration to the interests of settlement, the importance ot providing the most liberal facilities for the occupation of the soil by suitable and bonafidc settlers, and the encouragement of legitimate industries which the increase of population and production would give rise to. In this duty, however, Mr Bryce means to be guided by common-sense. He will not allow his judgment to be led astray, or the minds of the country disturbed, by the fads of a Vogel, Grey, or Atkinson, or the theories of a Stout or Ballance, whose experimental legislation, mistaken for statesmanship, has imposed a grevious load on the shoulders of the colony, Mr Bryce is thoroughly alive to the necessity for simplifying the administration of affairs. As we have so often urged, he, also, sees that it is not merely retrenchment, in the abstract, that the country needs, but positive economy, by which the cost of governing New Zealand will be greatly lessened. Economy can only come in the direction of re - shaping the system of local government, and decentralising the administration in Wellington. The control of all local concerns, from education downwards, should be entrusted to one lovsil governing body with extended powers and responsibilities. In this way will we succeed in reducing the expensive form of general government now in exfstenee. Mr Bryce expresses his disapproval of further recourse to what he aptly styles the " luxury "' of borrowing, at least, for a considerable time to come. Ho would rather see the present debt of loan money cleared off the colony's ledger and the country freed of the immense drain it entails upon its industry, before another thought is harboured in the direction of more " luxuries" of the kind. Mr Bryce speaks in a congratulatory vein of the virtual extinction of the old bogey, the Native Question ; the only disturbing element in the native mind is the legislation affecting their lands, of which they are still distrustful. In Mr Bryce's opinion, which is the one com monly accepted, the law should be made uniform for native and European lands. In regard to railway matters Mr Bryce condemus the introduction of a European system of management in this colony, where the lines are the property of the State, whose population is sparse, and where they were intended to promote settlement and assist the industries of the people. Evidently he would favour a change of policy, even whilst he is willing to allow the Railway Commissioners to remain on trial in their control of the railways. Mr Bryce probably feels that the Commissioners could manage the railways as efficiently as any other set of officials under a more liberal and popular policy, and he estimates the responsibility of too freely lending himself to any new and untried scheme that may be proposed for their working. Mr Bryce is careful not to commit himself on the question of the Propertytax. He admits that as a direct mode of taxation it is and he is aware of its unpopularity with a large section of the people. All direct taxation is unpopular, whether in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or America. The responsibility attached to this tax is that the revenue it yields is absolutely necessary for the purposes of government, and the amount is assured beyond a doubt. No statesman can lose sight of this feature of a tax, irrespective of its unpopularity, and he cannot lightly bind himself to repeal it unless he is clear that the substitute proposed for it will not cause a serious deficiency. We are adverse to the Property-tax ; in our estimation a tax on land values, together with an Income-tax, would suit the circumstances of the colony as well, without inflicting an injury on thrift and capital, and would not be more inquisitorial than the present one. The subject of taxation, however, is one that requires thought and study, the conditions of the country must be carefully investigated in their bearing on the producing powers of the people and the general incidence of a directtax. Though most people can criticise a tax, there are few who can give a comprehensive digest of its operations according to the accepted laws of taxation. We can see no reason why the Propertytax cannot be modified ; Mr Bryce, no doubt, will agree to that. But a revenue-producing tax can only be reformed or repealed when a, country has overcome its pressing difficulties and when its enforcement is found no longer imperative. We are glad Mr Bryce is so decided a'.7out the reduction of members. With him in the House next session, there will be little fear of any attempt to upset the Act proving successful.