The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1877.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 106, 24 July 1877, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1877.

With this number, the publication of the Akaroa Mail commences under its new proprietary. Before stating our future intentions, it will be as well, very briefly, to glance at the past, When the idea <>f starting a newspaper in Akaroa was first mooted, so utterly Utopian did the project seem to some, that there were not wanting those, who predicted for it a speedy failure, and for the projector, utter ruin. Undeterred by these " prophets of evil," and encouraged by

the many promises of support he received, promises which have been scrur pulously fulfilled, Mr. Ivess set about his difficult task, which, he informs us, thanks to the generous patronage bestowed upon him, has, in its accomplishment, succeeded his most sanguine expectations. The public of the Peninsula owe a deep debt of gratitude to that gentleman ; for, to his undaunted energy and continuous'perseverance, they are indebted for the existence of a journal devoted to the defence of their interests, and making known the resources, wants, and requirements of the district. We are sure that they will join with us in wishing him ancl his new venture, the Ashburton Mail, every success. Although a change has taken place in. the proprietorship of the Akaroa Mail, no change will be madein its literary conduct. .The same high tone which has hitherto pervaded its leading columns, will still be found there. Whilst battling earnestly for the peoples rights, and fearlessly exposing each abuse wherever it maybe found to exist,. we shall never needlessly wound the feelings of any person, and even when we may deem it necessary to use the shafts of satire we shall ever bear in mind that "Satire, should like a polished xazor keen, Wound with a touch that's scarcely felt or seen." \ '•" We. invite correspondence on! any topic of public interest; bitt whilst we shall be ever ready to. encourage: free discussion, and to give publicity to opinions, even if they are opposed to those we may have enunciated, our correspondents would do well to bear in mind, that they must be temperate in the language they employ. " Soft words and strong arguments" is a motto, which ought to be written in letters of gold over the study of every writer for the public press, whether he be a professional or merely an amateur. In one respect we hope to make a change in the literary conduct of this journal.; we trust to render it far more interesting and consequently far more valuable than it has hitherto been, and, in order to effect this no effort, no expense, will be spared. We shall make no more promises indulge in no more professions ; henceforth, the public will have to judge of us solely by ■our acts. Meanwhile, strong in integrity of purpose, still stronger in the righteousness of our cause, for ours is the cause of the people, we cheerfully take our place in the " battle of life."

The curtain has risen on the first act of a new political drama, when it is to fall it is of course premature even to attempt to indicate. The Parliament of New Zealand has assembled, or, to use the borrowed melo-dramatic language employed by our contemporary, the Press, "the hour is come and the men." The speech of His Excellency the Governor in opening the Session, like all such' speeches, contains but little information from which to gather what tlie ministerial programme will be. It has an outline, it is true, but that outline is so extremely bare that it scarcely casts shadow. As a literary - composition, it. resembles an effusion composed by one of those gentlemen of the Press known as " penny-a-liners," indeed, it would seem as if ministers in drafting a speech to put into the Governor's mouth, had been indulging in the art of "spinning." There was evidently but little to say, but that little has been conveyed in as many words as it seems possible to heap together. Extraneous matter, too,, has been dragged in as a sort of literary fill up. Of what moment was it, for instance, to inform the collective wisdom of the country, that Captain Campbell Walker, whose report as a Conservative under the " New Zealand "Forests Act" was finished, was : pi" "Her Majesty's Staff "Corps," aiul'a-Deputy-Commissioner- of' Forests in Madras," or, indeed, what was the need of mentioning the report at all. Very little-knowledge can be gained from the speech, but then very little was to be expected, from it. And now, as to the future. Is the. real business of the country to.be gone on with and brought to a speedy and successful issue, or. is the time of the session to be wasted in profitless talk,in the discussion of chemerical questions, or in vain attempts to'get back wliaVis gone for ever, or in a fruitless. struggle for power and place ? It is indeed to-be hoped that the scenes of last. ..session. ■ will not be acted over again. At times, we much fear the latter will be thc-cai-;e. Amongst the numerous reports-which have been circulated with regard to the tactics of the Opposition, is one to the effect that. Sir George Grey has expressed his willingness, to resign the leadership of the Opposition, provided a gentleman was found in whom those opposed to the Government had confidence ; but that he (Sir George) intended still to retain the leadership of the Auckland party. This may be true, or it may not be, but if it be true, then good bye to every hope of organising anything like such a body as a legitimate, powerful opposition, one that would be a check upon ministers, would strenuously oppose them in the perpetration of any wrong act, but would assist them to perfect any measure which, although right in principle, might yet be imperfect in detail, an opposition from the ranks of which men could be found able ancl willing to take their seats on the ministerial benches, if ..at any time it should be found that the present occupants did not command the tonfi-. elence of the House. This, however, will never be the case, so. long as the so-called opposition is split up into the small parties, for an opposition thus constituted gives strength to an othenvke weak- ministry. There ought to be neither Auckland, Canterbury, nor

Otago parties among the 'opposition, ] the members of which shoulj, on all great questions, be prepared to act as* J one man, to advance when directed by i their leader, and only then ; and, to iremain quiet when he believes that it will be for the welfare of the whole that the strength of the opposition should not be exercised. Continued guerilla warfare, although it may harass the enemy for a time, is a waste of power, ending, in a parliamentary sense, in nothing, save in exhausting those who employ it. A ministry who are content with calmly warding off petty attacks, ultimately remain more" firmly -seated than ever. Therefore, we say, that there should be neither Auckland, Canterbury, nor Otago parties found in the opposition ranks. If they .exist, they are simply a sign of internal weakness.. With regard to- r trie r measures whith must come before the Legislature, we ■lqok upon those relating to the settlement'of the questions of. local seli'-go-yernment, the. dignosal. of the revenue arising from the sale"of Crown lands, and Education, as the most important. We at once dismissithe.,: question ojf s'ular separation ftpm our category, sk"' in the present state of our finances,*aud "the extent to which ; the whole 'of New Zealand is pledged to maintaini the public credit, we simply, .regard- separation as impossible. As to the form ; ; of local self-government, we sincerely trust that any attempt create; a power to come between the central - Governmentand those' bodies that are to have the administration of local affairs, ?wilL.be< strenuously and successfully resisted. Mr. Kolleston's '••'■'•• modified Provincial Institutions," as. shadowed forth in resolutions passed by the so-called conference of County Chairmen, indicate the kind of power'we-refer to. Then, as to the disposal of the revenue arising from the sale of waste lands, we cansee no reason why those Provinces in the North Island that have absolutely squandered away their' lands, and have, consequently no land revenue, should put their hands into the pockets of the South in order to share the fruits of careful prudence and sagacity. And', lastly, with reference to Education. We believe In Education being free, compulsory, and unsectarian-, and therefore we hope that ample provision will be made not only for the support of primary Education throughout the colony, but that measures will be adopted for the encouragement of a higher degree of Education than is afforded by the primary schools, by establishing and placing secondary schools upon -& permanent basis. It is not for us to. determine how this is to be accomplished,-we leave that for the ministry of the (lay, and the collective wisdom of to decide.