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The Evening Bell.

"In its tongue there hang a thousand virtues."

Saturday, October 31, 1885.

The meeting of the Chamber of Commerce held yesterday fully came up to our expectations. Some of our members, it is true, were wise enough to be absent—those who attended were quite enough. Before the meeting was held, we indicated what Auckland, represented by Mr Aide in, expected of them; and Auckland was not disappointed. The members who were present were at all events sound as bells on the railway question. Each in his own way sot himself to comfort the disturbed mind of the Chamber on the subject, and we can only hope they were; successful. The conclusion of the whole matter so far as the members are concerned, is that they didn't know the loan was going to be raised; but they are quite sure it cannot be spent without the assent of Parliament. Just so. This is exactly what we told them from the first, and what the Treasurer tried to make the Chairman comprehend—only he could not do so. All that was said yesterday by the members fully corroborated Sir Julius Vogel, just as the Treasurer fully and almost word for word corroborated what we had said repeatedly. The Treasurer said be meant to raise the loan because it was sure to be wanted very soon, partly to repay advances from other loans, partly also to make advances in its turn to other works, the provision for which will then have been exhausted. He did not say that Parliament had instructed him to do this—certainly not; it had only empowered him to raise the money, and it looked to him to have money in hand to pay its way. In this matter he is the sole judge. If he judges amiss there will be some waste of money, because of the claim for interest perhaps, but it will not be very serious. In such a case, the House will be able to appreciate his want of foresight, and will no doubt resent it. If he judges rightly, and he may in this matter be pretty well trusted to do so, the House when it meets must and will approve of his action. That he will spend none of the money without the authority of Parliament he has said, but he need not have said it to anyone less ignorant politics than the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce. Had he been anxious to break the law, he is unable to do so in this way. As we have told our readers again and again there is no immediate danger to the loan or the railway except that which our members have made for themselves.

The speeches delivered to the Chamber yesterday make it plain enough where the danger lies. It lies in the want of unity and the want of capacity of our representatives. Of those who spoke yesterday we had men who voted for Captain Russell's motion, men who voted for the Government, and one judicious representative who didn't vote at all. The members who voted with Captain Russell bad no idea they were in any way imperilling the railroad. Those who voted with the Government didn't know that they were defending it, and the one who did not vote had a shrewd idea that the matter was an awkward one, and so kept out of it altogether. If we compare this with the conduct of the Canterbury representatives, for instance, we shall appreciate the danger which threatens our public works. The members for Canterbury knew what they wanted, and voted for it. They knew that they had a grudge against the North Island, and especially the Auckland members, and they gratified it by their votes. There was very little division in their camp, and nobody was too cunning to record a vote at all. By voting for Captain Russell's resolution they knew they should punish Auckland, and they did so. Our own members who voted for it did the same without knowing what they were doing. And next session it will be the same. If page break Mr. Peacock's figures are right (which by the way, if it were worth while, we could show they are not), there will be plenty of money in the Treasury when the House next meets, besides the proceeds of the million loan. The House will then have to decide what shall be done with it. In all likelihood our members will be as shortsighted and divided then as now. The claptrap talk about the Treasurer's recklessness may easily prevent them from authorizing a new loan for general purposes, and it is quite likely the Canterbury members may aid them in this. Nevertheless new works will be provided for, and the million loan will go to pay for them. Of course it will only be advanced, but the point will be when and how it is to be paid back. This is what the Treasurer means, and what the Premier referred to, and unfortunately it is all true. In the past the Government fought for our Trunk railroad when our own members postponed it. It is quite possible they may fight for it again, and be again defeated—this time by the Southern members.

It is not clear that much has been gained by the action of our Chamber of Commerce. Yet if it has at last dawned upon the public that a little foresight and knowledge are desirable qualities in a representative, the thing may have served a good purpose. So far as the resolutions passed by the Chamber are concerned, they go for nothing. What the Chamber protests against, has never been proposed. The Government will of course use their own discretion about raising the loan. They are quite unable and have certainly not said they were willing to divert it in any way. As for Mr. Lamb's resolution condemning the negotiation of the loan, on the ground that it is not wanted—it was simply an impertinence. The Government are in a position to know, and Mr. Lamb and the Chamber of Commerce are not, whether this is true or otherwise. If they raise it too soon, they cannot spend it without the vote of the House, so it follows that nothing would be gained by raising it. In future no great harm and possibly some good will be done if the Chamber of Commerce and its chairman confine themselves to matters they understand.