THE Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1869.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1907, 16 June 1869, Page 2

THE Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1869.

Another instance of the absurd postal arrangements of the Stafford Ministry, is afforded to the people of Dunedin in the non-receipt of European telegrams yesterday. Every hour we were expecting them, and although the line was damaged in the early part of the day, it was repcii-ed in time for transmission of the messages had there been opportunity of forwarding them. But a move formidable obstacle presented itself than the mere upsetting of a few telegraphic ports by the wind. The mails arrived within communicating distance ot the shore ; but bow to land them was the difficulty. It appears that the bar was in such a state at Hokitika as to render that impossible 3 so our first news from Europe will be from Wellington, and when the letters are to be to hand—'who can tell 1 All this is very annoying. It would be bad enough were it unavoidable 3 but when the means were a viable by which, it could have been x-emedied, and when the probability Oi such a contingency as has arisen was so palpable as to render the route adapted objectionable on that ground alone, no condemnation that we can utter is too severe. So utterly a jsurdi ou the face or it was the arrangemenu from the fx-.TjO, that a reason for it would be difficult to discern apart from political considerations. Some people are slow to believe in Diplomatic jobbing. They have an idea that men in public positions are so liable to have their actions scrutinised, and feel their lesponsibilities so keenly, that although they may commit blunders, they will not willingly do anything to prejudice la"ge interests in a country. It is very charitable indeed to have so high an opinion of men ? >1 office, and we wish we could share it. Unfortunately, facts are against the presumption, unless we can suppose ignorance to be the sin that has led to such crooked courses as the Stafford administration have adopted. Mr Weld, the once Premier of Hew Zealand, with every opportunity of having accurate knowledge on the subject, describes the system of Parliamentary procedure amongst the members to be one of logroPing—at ha.st he says that it is a practice very extensively followed. Of course the public can only guess how certain measures are carried. The compensations for certain li Tie concessions are wonderfully b*. lanced. Help me to do this and I will help you to do that, goes a long way towards carrying out very nice little plans even amongst public members. Many a Bill having for its object special benefits, owes rts successful passage through Parliament to such friendly shoves. We do not know that New Zealand is singular in that respect, but its mode of settlement has been such as to render the members of the House of Bep-esentatives less interested in its prosperity as a whole, than in the we)tare of their own particular province or district. Were log-rol'ing conhued to membei’S out of office, it would be dange-ons enough on occasion 3 but it must become doubly so when adopted by a Ministry for die sake of r.rppo 't. Yet, that ie Sta - ford Ministry have been guilty of xt to an eno nxeus extent, is only too evident. What other motive than rewarding their supporters on the West Coast for their faithful adhe ence could have i xduced the folly of making Hokitika the first place (we cannot say port) of caii of the Mail steamer 1 Ttier-e was auotlie’ - , no doubt. While the members ior Wes iaud had oeen time uO Mim.sters, and had supported them in all their attacks upon the larger provinces, Otago was opposed to them, and Canterbury had every reason to be so coo. It was an opportunity not to be lost of punishing the malcontents. To the North Island the altered route from the 131 uff made no difference 3 ox* if any, was a slight gain. They could, therefoiC, calculate upon receiving support, or rati ter on not being opposed in that cpxarter. They could pretend to be very virtuously disposed towax-ds all New Zealand. In the hands of an equitable government, the rights of every village and hamlet are as sacred as those of the largest town or most important Province. Why then should Dunedin, with its extended conimei-ce, its numerous shipping, its rich merchants engaged in sixpplying the Avants of a large part of the population

of the South Island, have earlier delivery of its letters than the village capital, Wellington 1 Or why should Southland, Otago, and Canterbury, be placed in more favorable relations to Europe than Westland, Nelson, Marlborough, or Wellington 1 On such flimsy pretence the most important industries in the Colony have been ignored. When remonstrated with by the Chamber of Commerce on the fo I ly of making Hokitika a calling place, and on the inconvenience to the trade of Otago resulting from it, it wr.s replied that the route adopted was considered the fairest towards the whole Colony. Fad the mails been ed by the old zoute, the whole Colony, or at least all that portion of it favored with telegraphic communication, would have been in possession of European news yesterday morning. We can hardly think they will imagine the Ministry have succeeded in doing that even handed justice that they made the clor.k to what we cannot helping looking upon as part of their system of logrolling. Possibly the thought might have entered the Ministerial mind, that when the inconvenience of being in opposition was keenly felt by the members for O tago, the advantages of concession might dawn upon them. Hus discovered, the price could be named j and the support of Otago secured, the Ministry was safe —-safe to prosecute the war—safe to crush the Provinces — safe to bring all legislation under Central authority. However inconvenient for the present, this flagrant instance of the un-suitableness of the direct route to Wellington to meet the requirements of the Co l ony, may have some influence in its condemnation when the consideration Q'f it comes before Pa’ Lament.