DISLOYAL NEWSPAPERS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2376, 14 November 1881, Page 3

DISLOYAL NEWSPAPERS.

To the Editor of the Globe. SlB, —The conductors of the " Lyttelton Times" have lost their prestige; they bolstered up Sir G-. Grey for years, till he, Sir G-eorge, made himself so thoroughly unpopular with the people, and ran riot to themselves, that they at last were forced to give him up for a bad job, and in their frenzy they became Land Leaguers because they hate the Hon. John Hall and his Government. They have a strong dislike to the man himself, and for what reason ? Merely because he holds in trust for his family a good estate, that any of the conductors. of the "Times" and "Star" would have availed themselves of, if they had have had the means to do as Mr Hall has done. There are others in Now Zealand that hold larger estates than Mr Hall does, but because they are not Premiers we never hear their names mentioned in connexion with what is termed gridironing. If Mr Hall had come to his property by making an illegal purohase from the Natives, there might be room for coinplant, but Mr Hall bought his property fairly, gave market price for it, and choose it in compliance with the Land Act of the day. The "Times" and "Star" are now aping the Irish editors that are teaching sedition. The "Times" and "Star" editors do not perhaps believe in what they write, but they have been forced to fly to that they believed to be popular merely to strengthen their shaky position with the public, and their votaries (behind the scenes), and they are not over scrupulous as to some of the means they employ to accomplish their purposes' Without discussing the question as to the independence of the Government in the exeroise of their duty re the Natives at Parihaka, the " Times " and " Star " wish to awaken the idea that law, as to its administration, is in future to be guided by the in* tensity of public feeling or compassion. But, sir, a law weakly or doubtfully administered leaves orime an uplifted standard, leaves the public unprotected, and would make a Government contemptible, and in the end would virtually transfer power from the responsibility of the Executive to the irresponsibility of tho people. Mercy is a great attribute, and the Natives have received it at the hands of the Government i there are a few—thank Qoi they are

not many—who from an excitement of compassion, ■would on various pleas disarm the law, which should be a terror to evil doers and false prophets, and sheath the sword of the lawgiver, whioh should be a terror to them, and not be exeroised in vain. The evil the " Lyttelton Times " has done, |and is still doing, may not end with the day, and had it not been for the promptitude of the Government in despatching a large military foroe to Parihaka, so strongly oondemned by sympathisers of the land league type, it is hard to say, under the exoitement justified by some, what loss of life and destruction to property may have ensued. Are a whole population to suffer for the frenzy of a few ? Are the laws to be weakened of their vigor becauso men get excited, and are made the tools of a designing diction ? What is to beoome of law or of justioe, security, or liberty, if suoh as the " Lyttelton Times" are allowed to publish sedition, and put it in the hands of English men, that boast of their love of liberty ? Yet we find compassion pleading for the Natives that are not injured, nor will they be injured, because thoy are in the hands of a just and forbearing Government, that will see justice done to Natives and Europeans alike. In conclusion, I hope the power of all disturbers of the peace will be for ever at an end. 'That with the fall of the Native prophet, Sir G. Grey, land leaguers, land league editors, exciters to revolt, communists, and, last and least, the " Lyttelton Times " newsapaper, will all be consigned to purgitory, or to a more permanent residence, and a more oongenial climate. You.*s, &0., ANTI-LAND LEAGUEE.