Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1889. THE PREMIER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume VII, Issue 239, 1 February 1889, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1889. THE PREMIER.

The Premier addressed his constituents at Hawera last Monday, but though he spoke for some time, it can only be averred he said nothing. It is curious that Sir Harry Atkinson cannot at this hour of the day, admit that lie introduced a Protectionist Tariff, because he asserts "to his mind there was no such principle at issue," and as the Government contains "four as staunch Freetraders as the colony possesses," he implies that they would have opposed him if he had attempted anything of the sort, and this after the most rabid protectionists in the House kept him in power to secure the tariff he proposed! He touched on immigration, and stated but for the opposition in the House, he would have liked to have assisted small farmers to come here. He admits a leaning to acquiring private lands for the fo mation of settlements, and to give power to Crown tenants to object to the rentals they agreed to pay for the public lands of the colony, all of which appears to have been said with a view to a future election contest, for his Government's treatment of the small farmers is not likely to induce them to plump their votes for his party, and his fair Rent Bill if applicable to Crown tenants should be made available to every tenant. Sir Harry Atkinson hedges on the appointment of the Railway Commissioners by making the assertion that "he wished distinctly to say that he looked upon it as an experiment," and that it was on y owing to the great waste of time in the House, when the Government wished to make departmental alterations, that induced him to agree to it. The remainder of his speech was taken up

with proposed amendments to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Acts, * somo of which suggestions Beeni to be very advisable. This, then, is i the speech of tho Premier of the colony after a long period of silenco. , Without taking a leading position , on any question, he places everything < before his constituents in such a way * that he cannot be held to be ao- ! countable for what he has done, or what he says he will do. There is a i most lamentablo lack of " backbone ' visible all through, and if the leader ■ shows it, what will his colleague's do ? We do not care for changes in i a Government, as we hold much time is lost before the new Ministers begin to feel their feet, but a Government ! of some sort would be preferable to ; the " do as you wish " sort of policy now presented to us. It is not the duty of the public to direct, and public business is bound to drift into a state of chaos, when the leaders of the public openly state their own indecision. New Zealand politics are at a low ebb, with no Government and no Opposition. The politicians appear to be playing a lone hand, trusting that the shuffling before the next meeting of Parliament may find some of them sitting beside, the leader, who, if they be not chosen, they will be ready to slay at the earliest opportunity.