The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) vant la verite. TUESDAY, MAY 1. 1883. PUBLIC OPINION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 123, 1 May 1883, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) vant la verite. TUESDAY, MAY 1. 1883. PUBLIC OPINION.

The polling for the various works under " Roads and Bridges Consiruation Act, 1882," has been so far (m most cases unanimously) m favour^ot ih« works to be undertaken. There have been certain malevolent, though fortunately very impotent, influences at work antagonist tic to the pioposals, but they have miserably failed iv their intended object.Possibly this was the result of. the knowledge that the misrepresentations were the outcome ot bitter personal feeling ; or, ; possibly, the denunciations were never seen, or it noticed, were not paid any attention to. It is rather a humiliating position that, after ail the argumenta ad homines, and 1 &il the abuse, and all the special pleading, the ratepayers chiefly interested have completely ignored the abstruse wisdom of the appeals ot the selkconstituted friend of the people, and hare gone straight* way aud voted almost to a man m favour of the proposals .that had been so repeated iy denounced/ ana virulently anathematized _ with bell, book, unu candle, {Surely the lesson taught will not be m vain. Wheu a public matte 1 " is wrong, and the wrong is -exposed on public grounds, public sympathy is with the agitation, no matter from how obscure a source it may emanate. The case is different when private? animus or personal feelings obtrude themselves for then arguments and abuse alike are disregarded, and the dictates ot common sense and what' will best conserve the interests of the community are i ecoguized^as the only guiding principles. The public can easily discriminate between genuine and spurious patriot* ism and are not slow to perceive whether criticism of pnblic men and public questions is sincere, honest, and dis* iinterestedj- 5 or, only7the outcome of petty; vindictiveness. It is to be hoped the imaginary grievances of a private individual will never be made paramount totde interest of thedistiict, or the wel» fare of a community. , •