The Evening Star SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1873.

Evening Star, Issue 3177, 26 April 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1873.

The French have a proverb that “ Truth does not so much good in the world, as the appearances of it do mischief.” On the assumption that tins is sound philosophy, Mr Donald Heius deliverance at Mosgiel was a most mischievous specimen of clap-trap. Ihe Italians hold that “Truth is the daughter of Time ; ” perhaps she may lie, when proceeding from an upright father. But Time appears to bo the mother or nurse ot error too. feix months have past away since Mr Donald Beid retired into private life, smarting with the recollections of past defeats. It was surely long enough for him to have ascertained the correctness of his theories, and cooled down towards his opponents. But that does not seem to bo his way. Instead of schooling his temper he appears to have spent his time in nursing his wrath ; and he gave vent to his feelings in a bitter speech, made up of callings from Parliamentary reports and a newspaper extract, strung together so as to serve his purpose. Much like a subtle spider which doth sit In middle of her web, which spreadetbwide : If aught do touch the thread of it, She feels it instantly on every side. So sensitive is Mr Reid of anything that is opposed to his prejudices, that candor seems banished from his mind. Not a generous thought was uttered nt Mosgicl towards a political opponent. Even the very defence of his friends had a spice of cynicism in it. Nothing pleased him, excepting Mr Donald Reid, a gentleman of whom he speaks as if he thought he could do no wrong. Wo scarcely know how to deal with a man of this sort. There is really nothing in his speech that calls foi seiious'remark. Most ol what ho said, he or some other persons said before, and it was repeated in a term fitted loi the occasion. It reminded one forcibly of Dean Swift’s talc of a tub : by picking out <1 tow words hcie aud theic, stringing them together aim puttae; ; plausible interpretation upon thorn, he succeeded in proving most syllogistically that lie and his chief MuJStaitord were immaculate and very badly used, because other people thought differently from the estimate they put upon themselves. Especially emphatic was Mr Reid in warning his constituents against the influence of the Press j aud this journal in particular fell in for a special condemnation, because it has had the audacity to speak well of Mr MTjEAN, to express apprehension of Mr Stafford’s ability to administer Native affairs, and to denounce Mr Reid’s own policy, Provincial and Colonial. To a great extent Mr Reid was very safe at Mosgiel : there was no one there to question his statements. He had it all to himself. None of those present, even if they doubted what he said, appeared to he prepared with the necessary evidence to show up his onosidedness. He, therefore, had plenty of opportunity of having a fling nt Mr Vogel, Mr Reeves, Mr Eox, Mr Gisborne, and Mr Bathgate —anyone of them his equal in ability and honor, and his superior in education and knowledge of the world. It is time he learnt ’that— The man that dares traduce, because he can With safety to himself, is not a man ; Au individual is a sacred mark, Not to be pierced in play or in the dark.

We should not have thought Mu II bid’s charge of untruthfulness of the Evening Star worth notice, had it not been that his general warning against others believing what the Press circulates might perhaps lead some to imagine that the public journals are less interested in truth than he. Now, we challenge him to show that the Evening Star has any other purpose to serve than that of promoting the interests ot the Colony. It is bound to no party, supported specially by nonecan he affirm the same? It has been ehaiged with receiving Government support: yeethe Daily Timex, an avowed opponent of the Government, received more money last year for Government work than the Star. Nor is the Star even a thorough supporter of the Government; for on sonic important points it is a more determined opponent than Mr Heid himself. The Star opposes Mr Keid for no other reason than because his views arc narrow, and his party prejudices so strong, as entirely to unfit him for successful statesmanship. If he has not clearness of perception and kindliness of heart to distinguish between the incompetence of Mr Stafford’s Native administration and the success of Mr M'Lean’s, it is a proof that he is not a man to be trusted with power. Mr M ‘Lean’s system is based on knowledge oftlie laws of mind : Mr Stafford’s on the old traditional theory that “ might is right.” If there is one snarl more condemnatory of Mr lleid’s want of knowledge between right and wrong than another, it was that in which he characterised the well-merited eulogium of a system based upon religion and humanity as “ fulsome adulation.”

I will 1)c bang'd if some eternal villain, Some busy and insinuating rogue ; Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office, Have not devised this slander.

As to Mr Stafford's bidding for Maori support, who can arrive at any other conclusion from bis statement on announcing the formation of the Ministry of which Mr Keid was a moil."'-!' '( V\ hat oaS HIS prupuoii iuu. a>S recorded in Uansurd / In fullilmcnt of a statement made by myself, when .1 last addressed the House, I may say that we propose that a portion of the Ministry shall he composed of Maoris. In order that wo may have the benefit of their counsel on all matters affecting the Native race, there will be at last one and probably two Native members of the Ministry ; that the greatest care and consideration will he exercised in their selection, audit will not be done hurriedly.

Such an imprudent course could have but one motive, that of leading

the Natives to suppose that the Stafford Government were prepared to confer upon them special benefits; the effect was to show they were of such importance to the Government, that they thought they could command anything they chose as the price of their support. Nor was it long before, the working of the leaven showed itself; for a few days afterwards Mr Tauuoa moved for the restoration to Tai.VKOA “of a portion of the land which they (the Pakakohi Natives) possessed in the Pa tea district, before it was confiscated.” Mr Pox truly said, in reply to Mr RollksTON, “there was no one, excepting perhaps the Premier (Mr Stafford), who was worse informed, and had more adopted, second-hand from other people, views which were calculated to drive the Natives into rebellion.” Some may cavil at this ; but they must remembei Mr Fox’s plans bad secured peace; Mr Stafford’s led to war. And it. must not be forgotten that every effort was made by the Stafford and 11 fid party to induce Mr M‘Lean to join them. Had he done so, although Mr Reid’s cynicism would have prevented warm expressions of eulogium, he would have claimed credit for successfully settling the Maori difficulty. We have one word more to say : Mr Reid boasted of his success in Provincial administration, and had the hardihood to say He found, on entering the Treasurership, after a period of great prosperity, that the Province was largely indebted to the Bank. Shortly afterwards there was a period of great depression in produce of all sorts—wool was at its lowest—and there were a number of persons unemployed, for whom it was necessary to find work. Further, the land was locked up under illegal covenants, and that was Ids grand point of attack. How did he leave office ? The Province was not one shilling in debt.

The case stands tlms :—He found the Province £23,000 in debt, and before two years it was owing the Bank £97,000 ; and last year the overdraft was £44,008 on the 31st March. Nor do wo believe that when he refused to resume ollice, the debt was extinguished. We have always held that much of the depression of which he speaks was owing to his own obstinacy and that of his party. In order to meet the obligations of the Province, forced sales of land were found necessary, and to bis; policy it was owing that Mr Clarice's and other large blocks were disposed of. it is really a question of dates, whether or not Mr Keil) left the Provincial Executive with a credit balance in favor of the Province, Wc believe ho did not \ tor his retirement, or whatever he may choose to c ill it, was dated September 25, and at that date it will be found there was still a large sum owing to the Bank. What becomes of Mr Reid’s truthfulness in the face of that ? “ Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.” A trashier address than Mr Reid’s has not fallen to our lot to publish.