THE Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, DEC. 13, 1879. A MINISTRY OF REPUDIATION.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 100, 13 December 1879, Page 2

THE Manawatu Times.

SATURDAY, DEC. 13, 1879. A MINISTRY OF REPUDIATION.

"Words are things, and a drop of ink falling, llko dew upon a thought, produces that whichmakes thousands, perhaps millions think."

It is more than possible that before another issue of this paper will have been published the first Session oS the .Seventh Parliament of New Zealand" will have been nrorogued, and the work of legislation stopped for another six months. Notwithstanding the distinct promises' made, by Hall & Co., m the- fltvt instance; i and the- persuasion brought upon the Government by a majority of ih<* TTonse, f in the second, the "Redistribution' of Seats Bill, a.ong with other measures of an equally important nature, has been systematically a A Bhamefullv iijnnrod by the Ministry. Although there is 'scarcely an Act which will appear •■* , i, .' ,

eaiy thau the fair and equitable adjustment of representation which would bo embodied m the Bill, it has been purposely shelved to make room for the passing of measures of but very minor importance. There is no j difficulty m arriving at the cause; for such a gross breach of faith with the country, flagrant repudiation of pledged promises, aud an obstinate defiance to the wishes -of the majority of the Legislature. It is well known that when the Redistribution of Seats becomes law, as it assuredly will next Session, a "numbor of pocket boroughs which already belong to the Aristocratic and Conservative party of which the Ministry is the head, will be swept away, and constituencies like Manawatu, which are at present shamefully under-represented, secure second members, and consequently it is to prolong . the existing state of things, stave off the evil day, and keep the Liberals m the minority that every obstacle has been put m the way of the passing of the Bill. Then again, the conduct of the Government over the West Coast Railway is worthy of the severestcensure, and is nothing more nor less than trifling with one of the most im- ] portant public works of the colony. When the occupants of the Treasury Benches were m Opposition, the GritEY. Government had no more constant carping, .captious cavillers at the supposed want of energy exhibited, and the malcontents were eloquent upon the national importauce of the speedy prosecution of the work. If there was a particle of sincerity m the protestations then uttered, the present Ministry since their .advent to power have*had ample opportunity to prove their worth ; the surveys would have been finished, Parliament would have beeu asked to decide upon the ultimate destination of the line, and the necessary authority granted for the immediate prosecution of the work Had the £5,000,000 loan, not been "ffOaT&Q, r xmere cortwiui^ might have been a valid pretext — if wo may use the expression — for the caution exhibited ; but the intelligence received from the Crown Agent aud Sir Jttlitjs Yogel puts a very different complexion upon the Public Works of the colony. Although mention is certainly made m Mr. OiiLiV-Eii's Statement to the floating of the loan, we feel convinced the conclusions of caution and the cessation of railway construction was arrived at before the newp reached the colony, and consequently that part of the Minister's speech and .Government programme should be remodelled. We are very much afraid that it is too close to. the end of the Session for the members of the Counties of W:a.nganui, Rangitikei, and Manawatii to join with the City '.representatives —* who are equally concerned m the understaking — to set aside the decision arrived at, but if it be at all possible", Something should be done to counteract the suicidal policy of deliberately hanging-up a work of such general importance to the ccilqny.