THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRESS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1592, 27 March 1879, Page 4

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRESS.

[“ Sydney Morning Herald.”] When we hear that the Ministerial Press in New Zealand favors separation from the mother country, and when we are aware that the Ministerialist party is still strong in the constituencies, we might be led to conclude that public sentiment in the island colony on the question of the Imperial connection is assuming an unworthy and unpatriotic tone. It is to be observed that the words “the Ministerial Press ” have in New Zealand two significations, one political only, and the other proprietory as well. The expression of opinion, alluded to recently in our telegrams, we imagine, will be found to proceed to from the Ministerial Press—the latter sense alone—that is to say, from tho Wellington newspaper, of which the members of the Ministry and some of their principal political allies are the owners. It is impossible to believe that in a prosperous, loyal, contented colony, such as New Zealand for many years past has been, disseverment from the Empire would be a welcome measure. Owing, apparently, to the completeness of the division of labor between the different members of the Government there appears to be a curious contrariety between the popular oratory and the practical work which emanates from them. The Premier keeps the populace amused with theoretical chartism of the most erratic type, which, for one reason or another, has so far, at any rate, never assumed a practical shape in Parliament, while his colleagues carry out a policy which embraces the main points of colonial conservatism, vis., free trade, free immigration on an extensive scale, reasonable security of tenure to the runholders, and sufficient price to the intending purchasers of the Crown lands.