THE FUTURE PREMIER OF NEW ZEALAND.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 74, 26 June 1878, Page 2

THE FUTURE PREMIER OF NEW ZEALAND.

Maecfs Clarke some months since m the pages of" The Australasian", gave nn ideal sketch of the Australian of the future — a portrait* as it were, of the characteristics of a portion of ow-race under new conditions of life. An easier sketch is here attempted, -as it is so much simpler to grasp a part than the whole of what we think we can see. The idea of the writer^ m r" The, lasian" was both happy J ah'd bold ; but whether he.wasJa^thfuL the, future will determine, '.should' ' his views be remembered by the oncoming generations. The modification of races by ; climatic^influence is a process of slow growth. History is silent on the subject, and tradition has no myth, modification of race depends not on climatic influence alone, but on the general surrounding conditions of existence. Nonconformity means extinction. | Geology teaches ''this •lesson very? plainly. The conditions , . of>, life m this ,_ Colony differing so wfdely from those m Australia, the outcome of the'developf' ment of race will vary accdr'dingtpthis' diversity of condition. The subject is, however, too wide for discussion ;in this paper, but would afford ,a pleasing, study for those who have had experience m New Zealand and- on : the : Austra--lasiart Continent. v Having greater range of climate than" Australia "possesses^ sufficient amount of ' semi-annual bracing weather, to 'ensure; stamina,/ with a maritime-trained risiiig genera- 1 tion, there seems no reason why "this portion. oE the Empire should not become what its well-wishers desire. But there is less hazard of mischance m predicating the characteristics of the next generation,y-as- each generation is', what its forerunner has made it—thahin forecasting the "development of many centuries, as Mr Clarke has attempted to do ; while still less is there m shadbw- : ing fprth what manner { pf manthe Premier bf the future New" Zealand 'may resemble. . Ye.ry -few, of -us, perhaps, gufficiently J caref ully v "coHs'id# whereunto ;We are drifting. The future -.tp.s many seems to be unable to carry the new embryotio forms almost daily begotten. Change of some sort is impending — and that change can scarcely be a reverting to the past. The days-of-in-dividual dominancy seem passing away; spiritual and temporal authority have ! been m this generation rudely divorced; the strnggle for mastery seems to be narrowed m 'Europe, and m this oolony as) elsewhere, jsecular educa» tion !is the weapon the leaders make war. - Th¥ : landmarks which guided our fathers are^ignoredby their sons. The M creeds ; b£ the i past suffice not for the present,, nor will they surviveih the future. The age of miracles having; apparently passed away, the next generation will sagely wonder what manner of men their forefathers couldHave been. The children wilL v belieye an autocracy to be an evidence that the people are unable tp govern themselves. Iftfie secret societies are successful m their purpose, thrones m Europe will speedily decrease m number. Coming as

we do of a highly Conservative race, it seems marvellous how we ' have caught the contagion of unrest that is abroad. Few of us who v have spent many years .m the colonrfes would care to live again at home as a continuance. We have become imbued with new. habits of thought, a new manner of living, and have put puxaelves, as it were, m accord —as far as we could, or wished,— with, our hew conditions of life. Our children will be insensibly moulded, wholly or partially, to be m agreement with their physical surroundings. "They will fajr r " outstrip us m our march.rtowards the unknown, and will doubtless form a portion. of the vanguard who seek to make all things new. The outlines o£ A the future are dim to the eye. Young New Zealand will not aUow stranger^to rule when his fatherland their con- - geners have passed away. He will' select his own Premier, a son of the ! soil, born of the people, shouting liis political cry^ "Allfor the People." A' man withino traditional policy^ one who will legislate for the present and not for the; future. He will see that mutation is one of the first of our social laws, and that the morrowf mftst provide for itself. His. finger /trill be ever on the pulse of the body politic, — hence no change will escape his notice, ;; and his/skill in diagnosis \yrSi be equal to his watohf ulness. He must be dualised m jail,— representing an3 L manifesting the characteristics of., both raoes-r. ; having personal influence v?:itU " the „ Maorii and confidence amongst a sectioa f of tlie Whites. Lingual both m speech, and thought, yet not a mere linguist, but a master of language! A skilful con- ■ structor of equivocal sentences ";- early '■■• and warily trained" to achieve command ; fluent m speech; apt m repartee ; untramelledby any inconvementsoruples ; suave to all ; oxie who will assert -that.': the rights of the idle and " unwashed " are equal to, those '6i the industrious and frugal ; a man ; who Octopus^Kke, will ' .? entwine his feelers around allthat he can reach ; communistic alikeiin^ habits and ' thought, he • will probably like his communism to centre m himself. In the - possession of the power: of eommandine •< | the" attention "of tiie multitude Vhe willK: lie ;with a close^ resoihbJlaace^tQ truth, is to cbmmand'belief 'froinmany^ '^ and will achieve such success as to cause him to! marvel Tat ?his l own' ingenuity>^ x More willing to promise than perform, will promise even if having nointentioji '_.? of performance^ . More' willing to make ' an evasion r tlian to giro a' denial^' 'iHalK will be generous with his. own ppsse.s?ipns- , after all ; £isjoVn wants are „satisfie^ • • and always prodigal with those'of o&«r^,«! „' Possessed;, of , more ability thinjeduca^, .;.] tion, he will be an "unbeliever m n theY;u theory of Evolution, from jfche remem- ; . , branceioLhjis forbear^, and the, itJai that.; lie alone of hif family ;lias achieved dis'» . r He will be triie to his order*;.' " .moneyjwill r nqt Jbjuy. him., .-Affable, butf .... insinceVe ; more dangerous^ asa friendT" ' than aifoe. Emancipate^from all creed* -and their teaphiogs, he free" from- . any fetters that ' 'religion/ ;ioay toimpose" upon c b.un, r; ..,^ ! A",'i^nj,^..rth,e;v irtimes ;i" living for tHo'tffajps aloqe. ' dustrious and felioitpusin' grasping and. tnd ideas_'p.rpther_men. Qn» iwho.wiirhasten the chariot of progress and notoitta asUitsr sfieed.;! , >JPtedktftry£ T because Communistic. Dreams of South. • • Sea Island ' territorial) acquieitioia w.iU. float before hkrvisionft anoV he -wU! , discourse about his dreams "gEblyi; ; using them like liis. feltovr'meil as step-ping-SiOiiess to f amej £ avor^ aad fortnoe*. , T He will 1 be f ree- f r6m-;prejudice against ;; :.. colored raceSj aod . will dilate ifreely >oni v . - the equality of i mah; consideringhthab money is ■ cheaper than blood. v ;3£iner.T: * ? geneies willi developihis talents," dif^.:; culties will manifest hi» .unscrupulopß~.s . ness. Heiwill be. the outcome and re- 1 ;j presentative of our ; present, - political' - chaotic forces towards the unknown.