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Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 18, 4 January 1879, Page 2

• We notice by our Wellington cpntemporrnries that the Government have decided to grant one railway pit's's 'to every newspaper in i the Coldny.' Thi* is as it oqght to be, for independently altogether of the quid pro qtso giVen m th^lippo* of a fr,eq publica.'ti'on of the time-tables, it '• the interest of the public and colon y at large that, the Press should hare facilities' plaoed within its re.wh ..far . gt-vneriHg up ittfominti^ of importance: (to the coram unity. -.There can be no-doubt, however, that tlie conceijion has been 'shatue.fu.liy Abused iti the past, by the indiseriminafe granting of passes to 'Com, D,iek, and I-Jar'ry, \y\\o would m re--turn blow the trumpet of the Pepurtment.. With one pass to each paper there can be. no such abuse. It should bVmacfe out m the name of t)he p'dpett fdr. whHqh. ;t. is granted, be m the bands of Ihe erfitqr. and by liim be given to tlie particular report of who may need it for any particular qccasiori.' We think we can fairly. claim divided honors for tlie reform wirlv.ou'r friend; the Hon. Mr Fox. [Since the' nboye was ir, type we received the foll&wing letter from Mr Rot heram, the General Manager of the Manawatu-Wanganui'LinO;:^' - .Deair Sir,— In reply to your memo, rp free passes, I have to inform, you tliat" _they are discontinued, except to members of the Legislature, and pQI-ers. of l l^e Railway ' and Public Works Department, travelling on public service."-' The ahove was m answer to a query as to whom application should be made for a pass^to' him or the Minis; for Public. Works. As Mn Rotheratn'sletter is -dated the 2nd instant, and we know that his instructions were of a late. daFe, it is certain, therefore, that the Wellington papers were incorrectly .ii\fQrme.d.. If such be the decision with regard to Press passes, much as we disagree with it, we are not going to' fall out with the authorities for 'arriving at such a .'cpncV'siqn -. but \ye have no words to express our indignation' at the absurdity' of allowing members, of tlie Legislature, when Parliament is. out of. Session, to roam at large over' the country" at t,he', public, expense.' Members of -Parliament, elevated 'though- they, may be 'over, tlie ordinary rii.ok of humanity, are -still Susceptible of those lit tie weaknesses incidental, to other frail inoftols ; and 'heresy' ■ thoLigh it may be to say so, there are but few who could refrain from" shutting their eyes, if by the operation, their pockets would be thereby benefitted. Both Lords and ' Commors of IVew Zealand take v part ' m either conimercia^or professional pursuits, and we have one notable instance in* the case of Mr. Woolleock, where a member did, not djsdain to push liis professional .tmdp on the Btrengtk o,f tlie concession granted by Government. Then, again, we have, Mr. Ballance, D ( r. Polle.n, M"rV JTelclwick, Mr. Wakefield, Mr He LantQur, Mr. Joyce, and Mr.. Manders, who being editors of papers,' will by virtue of the members' passes, have . »■ decided advantage, oyp.r their les3 favored brethren of the Press, and we a*k will, anyone of those gentlemen attempt 'to, assert that tlie, pass wil^ he r'onftned to the legitimate purpose for which it was granted, flow many o,f the people's representative! pay their constituencies visits during the Recess ?. and. m what way is the privilege made use of? Experience baa v taught that when not utilised as a means of pleasure, they have been made available as a source of profit. If it be determined to abolish tho institution, do so by all. means ; but let us eonyneru-e at th* root nnd. not r/*Bt satisfled wit h topping off. tlie branches. O.'ir worthy senators receive a mast respectable honornriiim for the use of their tongues during the Session ; and i,t is rather too' much to expect that the country should be called upon to transport them overt lie face of the land, ministerintj to either their profit or pleasu'ro.. If the Government lias not the moral courage to statnp on.t t he. absnjfUty. a^t once, it i« to be lior>t»d : that- at ; the. u\rst sitting of Parliament there will ho, foimd a private mcmhpi'. with the independence to uiove m tjie master. We know there arc not a few m the !I<»u-»e, who do not. believe m the oavmont of lnamhers at nil, and we inmgine if the iiiajorifv \yere to look into, the question vvitb a r-uKm spirit, they would see tho nbs.urditv (>• cpntiiiHinga re^munerp,tion during a period, when no services wore being, r,endereds, •" ' .