THE NE>V AGENT-GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, 5 November 1880, Page 2

THE NE>V AGENT- GENERAL.

«, (Wairarapa Standard.) There is, however, to our mind one special objection to Sir Francis Bell being madf .\ srent-Q-eneral, Hew is one o£ the Commissioners appointed by the late Governor to investigate the causes of disconteut on the West Coast. Ho hus not fiuished his work. No man knows this better than hinuelf. There is no other man ia the Colony can do it us well as he can without gieat labour. Fox cannot be trusted to do U, although lie seems to have been on good behaviour for sonm time past. It was a matter of Imperial and Colonial concern. Uell had no right to pud his hand to the plough and then draw back. If we had been told a week since that Sir Dillon would thus ignobly forsake the plain path of duty, we would have scouted tho idea, thinking him a better man than what he haß proved. Tiiero is no higher function in the trtate than that of a peacemaker. Spanjrles and honor were placed before him. and he chose tiie fonu-.T. So weak mid frail a tiling is man. Wo had hoped to hare seen the speely en;l of this accur-eJ Maori business, but by this appointment it may be protracted indefinitely. The whole thing is lucid enough to us. He was in favor of doing substantial justice to the n.itive psople,and the Taranaki Treasurer fult that ho must be got rid of at any price. There are some people in New Zealand who think that neither the honor of a soldier, nor the c indor or honesty of a gentluimm, ever appears in any politic il matter with which Major Atkinson is concerned. They say that his cooperation or guidance stamps it with an equivocal .stain, or the chicane thread of deception is I'mnd in both its warp and its woof. If Sir Dillon Bell had •itjv't-'d in New Zealand an.l done what li« knows right wull conscience and honor demand from him, this West Coast scandal and expenditure would cuaso. Wo have made our protest, and that is all wo can do. _ _____ „___