The Daily Telegraph SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3024, 5 March 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1881.

The speeches of the members for this district on the occasion of their last appearance before a meeting of their constituents were not calculated to impress the more thoughtful portion of their supporters with anything akin to satisfaction, or with a sense of the profound legislative ability of their representatives. It may be that they reeerve the full force of their political vigor for the floor of the House, and have only the dregs of their legislative wisdom to dole out to their constituents in meeting assembled. Whilst thoroughly recognizing the present dulness of the colonial political world, and the scarcity of topics for stirring addresses from seekers after political credit, it was surely a reasonable expectation on the part of the electors that they should hear something of the efforts of their representatives to render tbe doings of last session less barren than they described

them. That tbe session was barren is generally acknowledged and tbat Ministers showed an incapacity to guide and control the business of tbe House ia equally well-known, and it was tut a mooYvt desire on the part of this ci.cstitdev-.. , r ro know the direction in which th-.. i.. '-eaentitivp would have legislation go, and to know something of their efforts in the way benefiting the district which tbey represent. Mr Sulton, indeed, told his hearers that he had voted for the property tax, but that may not be tbe trnrnp card he appears to thir.k it ; and that he had voted against the beer tax, and would do it again. With the exception of these two items, there was no account of work accomplished or attempted. TbeNativeDepartment appears to have for Mr Sutton an irrecistible attraction. There is a residuum ot filih in tbat department, the accumulation of many dwellers in the office, in which Mr Sutton delights to rake ; it can afford little pleasure or profit to his hearers, but it appears to give infinite satisfaction to himself. We do not doubt that Mr Sutton, from bis numerous transactions 'n native !-'nds in the past, is more at • ic.i.ie in t_„. department than in any other portion of the public service, but the entire welfare of the colony is not wrapt up io (he portfolio of the Native Minister. The people of Hawke's Bay take h great interest in native matter., but they are sick and tired of seeing their senior mem-.er pose as the defender of a atraightfo' ■■>"<rd and upright policy in dealing with the natives. It is almost a pity that the Ministry did not see their way to avail themselves of Mr Sutton's vast knowledge of native affairs when occasion recently offered. It would have given his constituents another opportunity of exhibiting their entire confidence in him, and their high sense of his fitness to mould and control tbe whole native matters of the colony. Mr Sutton is able proudly to say tbat he " has never regretted any position be has taken up upon any public question," and this firm c.nfidence in himeelf is no doubt only one of tbe many qualities he possesses fitting him for the position of a Minister of the Crown. We fail to find either in Hansard, or from public report, that our members, duriug last session, moved in any single matter having for its object the benefit of the district they represent. Surely tbe cumbrous and expensive nature, and the altogether inefficient working of our local institutions, afford ample scope for the legislative energy of our representatives, and it is a question of considerable importance to tbe constituency. Tbe anomalies existing in the administration of the waste lands of the Crown in this district is another matter ot interest to the electors, and might well have claimed some attention from the members.

Mr Ormond can point to the £5000 secured for the maintainence ot tbe main bush road, aud a continuance of tbe railway works for the purpose of affording employment to the impoverished bush settlerp, as instances of the interest he takes in the district which he represent.; but the members for Napier are unable, or have not taken the trouble; to point out to their constituents any single instance of their zeal for the good of the district they represent. There was one matter, of no great general importance, but one in which a large number of the town portion of the constituency had a lively interest—we refer to the appointment of trustees of the Meanee reserve which whs brought under the notice of the members, and tbe feelings of that portion of their constituents was represented to them. But such was their lukewarmness in the matter, or their utter want of influence with a Ministry to which they have given an unswerving support, that they failed to obtain the small boon of an alteration in the constitution of a Domain Board. The member for Clive nominated that board, and the two members for Napier were either unable, or unwilling, to get any attention paid to the wishes of a portion of the constituency in reference to it, and a portion which will probably be somewhat influential at the next election.