TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3251, 2 December 1881, Page 2

TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1881.

Me Buchanan's address last night, will commend itself to all thoughtful people. It was extremely interesting to listen to ; the language was well-chosen, and expressed the matured views of an old colonist and an experienced politician. It was in striking contrast to the shallow vapourings of the youthful individuals who, comparatively fresh from the pavements of the big cities of England, aspire to teach the men who founded this colony the manner in whijh it should be ruled. Above all, Mr Buchanan in his address showed himself to be a high-principled and an honorable gentleman, one of whom no constituency need be ashamed. His reference to the position he occupied as chairman of the Harbor Board should be a sufficient answer to all that has been alleged against him in connection with " burking the breakwater." We have no sympathy witb the littleness that would fasten upon a candidate a responsibility that cannot properly attach to him, and in taking the course he did on the breakwater question Mr Buchanan convinced his hearers that he only did his duty. On the general subject of the harbor Mr Buchanan spoke more sensibly than any one we have yet heard. He pointed out that the existing insufficient works were the result of carrying out the plans of the colonial engineer; that those plans were forced upon the Board, and the responsibility of the failure that has ensued must be placed on the shoulders of the Government of the colony. Mr Buchanan's contention was that we have a fair claim upon the Government for assistance that would not now be required if the Board had not been bound to carry out a Government officer's designs. It will be remembered that the Board was distinctly told that it would only be allowed to borrow a certain sum of money, and that only upon the condition that it was to be expended in accordance with the approval of the colonial engineer. The Board's hands were tied down; something had to be done to keep the port open, and, upon the principle that half a loaf was better than no bread, the present works were undertaken with the unsatisfactory results with which we are all acquainted. Having, then, established our claim to the consideration of the Government, Mr Buchanan would insist upon that claim being satisfied by a substantial share of the next loan, which is pretty certain to be borrowed at an early date. We agree with Mr Buchanan in thinking that it is much more to the interests of Napier that a good harbor should be made here than that the railway should be pushed on beyond Woodville. Beyond that point the railway becomes a Wellington, and not a Napier, interest. In connection with the Ministerial local government financial proposals of last session, as embodied in the Crown and Native Lands Rating Bill, Mr Buchanan was in accord with the views expressed by Mr Ormond. But he went rather deeper into the question, and pointed out the absence of finality in the proposed measure. In all similar schemes to provde funds to local bodies there was nothing in them to assure permanency. The provison is given to-day and withdrawn tomorrow, and he instanced the case of the proportion of Customs duties and land funds allowed the Provincial Governments to supplement their revenues, and in later times the subsidies granted to local bodies. The rating of native lands as proposed would have been but another way of subsidising districts having a large extent of native lands within them, and would not have lasted long. With the experience the colony has had of the influences that can be brought to bear upon the Government and the Parliament, we know very well that a syndicate of capitalists in treaty for an enormous block of native country would have been able to get the land relieved of any burdens that it might carry with respect to taxation. Mr Buchanan did not say as much, but he indicated it sufficiently clearly to all whose knowledge of the history of this colony enabled them to follow him in his speech. On the question of subsidies Mr Bachanan was of the same opinion as that which was first held by the Hall M'nistry, namely, that as all subsidies must come out of tae pockets of the people, that is to say out of the consolidated revenue, it followed that the most direct course was for districts to find themselves with what funds they required out of local taxation. The constant looking to the Government for assistance was destructive of that feeling of self-reliance without which no country could prosper. On the minor questions of the Bible in schools, and the Licensing Act, we think Mr Buchanan expressed views in thorough accord with public opinion. His address was short, and was given without any notes. He might, perhaps, have touched upon a greater variety of subjects, but there was less need for this, as he has so often spoken in public upon all questions that have a general bearing upon the progress of the country. Age, without paling the fire, has nevertheless wrought changes in Mr Buchanan ; many of the causes of our

opposition to him no longer exist, and of the three candidates for the representation of this constituency he is unquestionably the only one in whom we can place the slightest degree of confidence.