New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1878. WEEKLY BULLETIN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 357, 14 December 1878, Page 15

New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1878. WEEKLY BULLETIN.

Politically speaking, the past week maybe regarded as having been very quiet. Parliament out of session has hitherto been dull, and the speeches made by our Wellington provincial members, Messrs. Bunny and Beetham, have not been remarkable either for the novelty of the views expressed or for the brilliancy of the historical description of the session given by them. Practically both speakers may be said to have hinted that provided two members for a district agreed on topics of local interest, it mattered very little to their constituents how much they differed on questions of colonial and general importance. Mr. Bunny, finding it impossible to say very much in favor of the present Ministry as judged by the results of the past session, will only promise to support it in the future if it introduces '' broad and conclusive measures." Having admitted that the proposals made by the Government last session were of a disappointing and " tinpot" character, and having avoided the subject of the Electoral Bill, Mr. Bunny assured his hearers that two members for a district who generally voted upon opposite sides were probably of more service to their constituents than if they agreed to' pull together. With this audacious statement he may be said to have concluded his address. Mr. Beetham was very cordial and friendly towards his colleague, with whom, politically speaking, he had generally agreed to differ during the session. It is true, as Mr. Beetham himself says, that he was considered a safe vote against the Government, whereas Mr. Bunny occasionally acted as Government whip. But whenever the local interests of the Wairarapa were at stake both parties agreed to sink political differences and work together for the good of their constituents. That the local interests may be vitally affected by measures of general importance such as the Land Tax Act and Electoral Bill, is a fact that was calmly ignored by both parties. That their speeches should have been generally regarded as weak is but natural. A desire to make things pleasant, and to preserve an appearance of accord which does not really exist, must necessarily lead to a lukewarm and half-hearted tone, either in writing or debate ; and from whatever cause, the two speeches referred to are open to this criticism. From Kaikoura we hear of a long and able address delivered by Mr. Saunders. He has undertaken the somewhat difficult task of defending his action in voting in favor of measures after previously speaking against them during debate. He probably felt this when at the commencement of his speech he said "If you have reason to " think that my opinions do not fairly *' represent your own, I will immediately " put you in a position to choose some " one who may more truly represent you." After criticising the work of the session ■omewhat severely, he thought he might fairly be asked why had he given the Grey Ministry so much support, and he admitted that it was probably wise to allow Sir George lots of rope to hang himself with. He then goes on to say:— '' It would have taken me a year to have " learnt from newspapers and blue books " and party speeches what I learnt in a " week by watching the Government " in its own stronghold, and seeing how " entirely everything was misrepresented " in the party newspapers owned or sub- " sidised by the Government they flat- " tered. I had no right to expect that " my fellow settlers would not take as " long as I should have done to be "convinced of their insincerity." Mr. Saunders, too, still lives in hopes of a more charitable solution of the difficulty he has experienced in trying to account for Sir G. Grey's nonfulfilment of his promises, and possibly this solution wished for may be forthcoming during the next week. Quite a posse comitatus of Ministers has gathered together at Auckland, and Sir G. Grey's utterances will be looked forward to with increased interest, because they will no doubt be held to express the views not only of himself but also of his colleagues. The action of the Government in respect to the reclaimed land has from the very outset been of an unsatisfactory nature, but their latest move has quite eclipsed all previous action in unpopularity. Rumors have for some time been rife that no reserve for a railway-sta'tion would be made as originally intended. On Thursday night this received official confirmation in a letter from the Minister of Public Works to the City Council. No reasons are assigned for this abandonment of the original idea, and the scant courtesy of the letter is open to grave exception. Bearing in mind the fact that the City Council have for years been deeply interested in every question affecting the reclamation, they might reasonably expect to receive a statement

of the grounds on which the site had been abandoned, as well as a copy of the plan they asked for, showing the railway reserve, if it were only for the sake of satisfying themselves that some inherent radical objection could be brought against the situation of the railway-station as proposed.

It is almost impossible to believe the rumor that the Government have determined to reserve four acres for a recreation ground at the back of the Government buildings, bu,t as no contradiction of the statement has been published it may be fairly assumed that the intention exists. So far as we can learn the statement has been made on good authority, and is therefore open to comment. If the wishes of the whole public of Wellington were consulted, there can be little doubt of their verdict in favor of the station rather than the playground. The Chamber of Commerce and the City Council have given expression to their views, the petition in favor of either the original or a more central site being fixed upon has been already numerously signed, and the opinion is freely and generally expressed that upon this point the Government will have to give way. A more thoroughly arbitrary course has seldom been adopted, even by our present Ministry, which has always favored personal government. With the open harboralongside, a recreation ground is an absurdity if claimed for hygienic reasons. More important proposals than this sale of the railway reserve at Thorndon have ere now been abandoned by the Government, and we have no doubt that in deference to public opinion the Ministry will reconsider and amend their determination respecting it. In the words of Mr. Saunders, "The very evident policy of letting Sir G. Grey have plenty of rope to hang himself with" has been extended to the rest of the Ministry, and they show every disposition to avail themselves of the opportunity afforded them.