The Manawatu Times SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1878.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 41, 2 March 1878, Page 2

The Manawatu Times SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1878.

."V^e. trust our. member, will,- npj: ; ajlow. tlie. recess, tia pass; without paying, lis^ a, visit. Hp.-has 110$. ad* : dress^ft; lijs constituents ; since last ;gejiera.} qjectipn, an<l ftlthougli liojias n^eif. been, backward/ "rii ; givjiig his support ip.ajjy 'meagure'.dpsigne^ 1 to advance, tjie,', district for whf cK, his. ; a|d», nas been, sjplicite^ still the ,e\ec-: tjqrs woujd; lj|ie, to, se.e. something mop than.this.pkerfuiictory discharge q^4 ; atips. THey- would-, like, to . kee, oj^the.part of tnejr. inepibep, suoli a^ jliyely interest m., the ejectorate^and } B.ucix a 5 syiiipaijhy -vifitfi , nia ,' constij.tsfe'ni"B..'aj'. would"""b ring, him i^m occasionally^ j . Sin ce.lV£r.. tToh nston , was l^st, vif a yis with; ths. ©leq'tors inapy chapge§ haye.tajten.place m the, district aiidmany local wants have arisen -for the

supply of which Parliamentary aid is required. Some of these wants are still m abeyance ; it would, therefore, be satisfactory if Mr Johnston would see withhisown. eyes how essential to th,e interests of the district is Grovernm.entaid m several important particulars, and demonstrate tq the ejectors by a personal visit that he is one with them m their progressive endeavours. At the present tira,e there are affecting this district th,e questions of the Hiitt-Waikauae and PalnieEston railway, the Foxton Harbqup 'Endowment, the ipbad along the South bank of the Mq,iiawatu, and the. Lower. Ferry bridge. A visit to. the. district would probably shew Mr Johnston how urgently these desiderata are. required, and would pr,ob.ably stimulate him to second vigorously the. efforts that are being made m their be.balf. Furthermore., none, is more qualified than he to tell us how inucft the GJ-oveimm,en ; t is likely tq concede tq our. needs. Then again, since Mr Johnston interviewed his constituents there has been a change, of Ministry, and his action m the. Ilouse na3 not been so decided as tq preclude speculation as to what party he belongs. The *' Argus," m reviewing the Wellington members after, the last Ses- ; si on, said — • " Mr Walter Johnston's conduct has been, of a truly negative -character. He did not vote on Mr Larnach's vote of want of confidence, thereby if not deserting his party, at le,a.st failing them m their time of need, • and he was locked out at the. time of the historical diviaiqn which sared the GreySheehan Ministry by. the casting, vote, of the speaker. Mr Johnston's career during last session heaiy a, suspicious resemblance, to what spprting men call ' hedging.' " : O,f- course, Mr Johnston's. pr,oce.dure m the. House, may bear, a fa vanable in,te.rp i re,ta.tiqn, b.ut his constituents wo.uld be glad to. hear his views upon the. leading topics o£ the day expressed m decided, terms. There is. n,o, constituency m th,e. colony that \vould be, better p,le,ased than, thj.s to see. energy and decision on the part of its member., and, we may add, th,ej?B. are lew constituencies that more require energy, decision, and an^d aggressiveiaction to. provide for . th.ejr necessities. Hitherto deputations and missives have been the on.ly means by which the district cpuld majce its wants known to the representative. This is certainly not as it should be, even, though the. interests of the district may be ade- ■ quately. subserved by these means. . The, public have a knack of regard;ling, etectioja.ee ring visits, as of a purely selfish character, and visits mjade, to, the, district at o.ther than ejection times as savou ring of dv ty and kindly, feeling;. When these latter are altogether omitted, and a member only comes among hjls constituents when he wants, to hunt up votes, certain inferences, are drawn, and the. bonds, of sympathy between the electors and their representative., become weak. The Government are about raising .a fresh loan for the purpose of carrying on public works that are necessary throughout the cojony. It is important that there should be a fair distribution of the benefits of that loan. This electorate, con.r tributes its share to., the revenue of ithe, colony and will bear a part of the burthen, resulting from any future loan, ylt, is therefore entitled; to., such assistance as the , Groverament can give, it. without ignoring other just claims. The.district jdoe? n,o.t require, gifts, but rights, ,and these, should be, vigorously ad- , vocated m, the. House, without the district heaving so" often to, assume tjie guise of a suppliant. The Colonial Secretary lately said 'that. he. thp.ughjt- the,- Government had done enough for the "V^est Coast,'by givi.ng.. a. harbour at Wanganui and; another at Fostqji, and! a road through the Gprge. This paid f unc- " tiqnary speaks of- the West. Coast much, as a paid functionary m a. charity institution would* speak of a, .paupe.r. Fo_xton at least has noj; ' got its rights, and the. district gene- ,' rally need not be abashed by. this charity, parlance while it can jingle together, the broken, pledges which the Government made long agp of w,orks to^be executed, and.whiuh, at . that far back time, the district was considered fairly entitled, to. ' As for. the. Foxton. Harbour, the Government is not to be excused foj* refusing last. Session, the land endowment that should have been, granted- to it long before. However this matter, will probably, be. tried again, next, session, and certainly a i vigorous, effort should; be. made, to, ; induce /the. Gpvernnxent to. respond i to, the. several just requirements. of ithjs ; fast, developing aja'di important • district Ip- is. npt top mnch.toeK•jpectj aji this. juncture, when, members jare,al,i;'oyer ihe.eouuty. visiting their, ■i constituents, that pur .member should vouchsafe, his. presence, and; tell us 'of thelpast. apd; of- the. future. By conferring, with, his constituents. he. <! wMlbe..the.better able-.to .serve .them, •'•next session, when, it.is.to.be hoped there. w.Hb be, some, important busU j-ness affecting this, electorate,