The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact Justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, NOV. 7, 1891.
DunixG election campaigns shifty politicians are given to qualifying their speeches to suit the opinions of tho particular section of the electors they happen to be addressing. The idea is to catch votes, honestly if they can, but catch them. Customs hns led to this species of tergiversation being looked upon with greater leniency than the innato dishonesty of the trick justifies. Two of the Ministers, the Premior and the Minister for Lands, either differ materially as to their policy or have resorted to the questionable proceedings of candidates. Mr Ballance in the course of an address to the Radical Socialists of Dunedin said, when speaking on tho defeat of tho Land Bill: '* If the Government made a mistake at all it was in putting id their Land Bill clauses giving the right of purchase for cash or deferred payment . . .
Tho Land Bill they would next givo to tho Legislative Council would bo a Bill containing only the perpetual lease, and the Government would bo so supported by tho people of the colony that the Legislative Council itself would be awed into passing the Bill." Mr McKenzie at Palrnerston, said: "It has been said that I, a practical farmer, wanted to do away with the freehold tenure. lam a practical farmer and know the views and wishes of my constituents too well to think of such a thing. All I want is that the land when once parted with shall be made good use of. This is the real plank in my land policy. But to accuse me, a practical farmerof seeking to deprive the settlers of a bit of land is simply preposterous." The accusations can only appear preposterous to Mr McKenzie himself. He appears to ha%'o overlooked the fact that men are judged by the eompauy they keep, his critics have not done so hence the accusation. Mr McKonzie was addressing his constituents and admitted that he knew their opinions and wishes too well to contemplate the abolition of freehold tenure. Mr Ballance on the other hand boasted, that the Government would be so supported by the people that the Legislative Council would be awed into passing the Bill which it was purposed to bring into the Lower House with the object of doing away with freehold tenure altogether as regards the land still in the hands of the Government. The Premier and his Minister for Lands differ in the first place as to policy and in tho second as to public opinion. Mr McKenzie should know the opinions of his constituents, so that they at any rate will doubtless take action to neutralise the efforts of the Prntnier to establish a funk in the Council by means of the braying of the town Radicals and their representatives. If we supposed for one moment that the Minister for Lauds had a keen sense of political honour, we should predict that he will resign before the next meeting of Parliament. He does not favour land nationalisation, which has been well described by a contemporary as " The creation of a nation of State serfs, dominated over by an army of fussy, meddlesome officials." Mr Ballance does. He admits that in supporting the Premier he would be disloyal to his constituents. If these are not good and sufficient reasons for resignation, all we can say is that it would be difficult to find stronger. It must not lie forgotten in considering the position that Mr McKenzie is Minister for Lands and Mr Ballance the Premier. The latter knows just as well as his colleague that any step iu the direction of abolishing freehold tenure will be condemned by every substantial settler throughout the colony; and it is degrading to us as a people that he who stands in the position of Premier should indulge in dishonest clap-trap in order to elicit a cheer from a meeting of Radicals. The tricks of the professional agitator are extremely unbecoming in a man holding the responsible position of Mr Ballance. He knows perfectly well that the Council is certain to reject rhe measure he has sketched, and he knows that in that case there is only one constitutional course to pursue. He muse ask for a dissolution, and go to the country on that question only. The Council is not in the least likely to be awed by his bluster; they have a clearly-defined duty before them, and we feel confident that they will do it honestly. We are equally confident that he would be defeated on an appeal to the electors. If Mr McKenzie is politically honest, his influence, whether great or small, would be thrown into the scale against him.
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Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3014, 7 November 1891, Page 2
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804The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact Justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, NOV. 7, 1891. Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3014, 7 November 1891, Page 2
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