Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5132, 4 September 1877, Page 2

A great middle party in the House of Representatives would be formed without difficulty, and indeed a meeting towards its formation was held yesterday, but one or two obstacles have arisen. ' Thus, Messrs. Thomson and Montgomery are each anxious to be leaders of the party, • and each is as anxious that the other should not be leader. For ourselves, we do not care to pronounce an opinion where the qualifications of either gentleman seem pretty equal. But in addition to the above obstacle, another is found in the very creditable reluctance of; Sir George Grey to give up his leadership of that, devoted band which is working for posterity and the future, and sink into one' of the mere rank and file under .either. Mr. .Montgomery or Mr. Thomson. It ‘is understood that each of these latter gentleman is convinced that he alone is!fitted to administer the finances of the colony as Colonial Treasurer. It is a pity that, they cannot arrange in some way to take the, position for a month or week about. The consequences to the colony would not be pleasant, but the spectacle would be a, sight for gods and men.

Mr. Tole spoke for over an hour yesterday on the Education Bill. Sir George Grey! complained that he (Mr. Tole) had not received from the Government side of the House that attention that the “hon. young member” for Eden deserved. Mr. Tole pointed out the defects the Bill contained. He showed the House, that in reply to the vexed question “What should we do with our girls ?” the Bill only went so far as to provide for them being taught to sew. Mr. Tole did not think this sufficient for the girls of this “interesting young colony.” Mr. Tole was understood to be of the impression that the .Hon. Minister for Education should have introduced clauses that would make our girls good housewives, that is, that they would have taught them how to fry omelettes, and so forth. This the Hon. Mr. Bowen has neglected ito do in his Education Bill, as pointed out by the intelligent member of the Opposition. But Mr. Tole failed to soow to the hon. member in charge of the Bill how excellently a provision would work that would tend to teach future members of the New Zealand Legislature the art of presenting their ideas in a condensed form. ,

The Oamaru Mail libel case is being unfairly dealt with by several newspapers. It is being urged that such a prosecution ought not to follow even mistaken or undue comments upon the actions of a public man. We agree ; but we think that Mr. George Jones is not being prosecuted for such comments. We understand Mr. Whitaker to deny that he did any of thb acts attributed to him, and which are made the groundwork for specific charges. It is also being urged that the House ought not to have directed a prosecution, seeing that the charges made against Mr. Whitaker are that he dealt with native lands as a private person and not as AttorneyGeneral. We do not understand that the House directed a prosecution because of any charges that Mr. Whitaker bought or sold, or tried to buy or sell, native laud. What the House did was to declare that it was a libel tipou a member, in his place in the House, to charge Mr. Whitaker, as Attorney-General, with having prepared, introduced, and supported the Native Lands Courts Bill for the purpose of enabling Mr. Whitaker, as a private person, to complete large purchases of land, inwhichhewasinterested with others, but which the law as it stands prevented his completing. We do not discuss the course taken by the House : but what we have stated are facts, and they are being, intentionally, or from oversight, ignored, for the purpose of comments upon the case such as ought not at present to be made.

When 'Mr. Travers was contesting the election for Wellington city with Mr. Hutchison, he was, ■ it may be remembered, instant as to the manner in which he wouM, if elected, press the claims of Wellington upon the colony. At the time we expressed an opinion that he had better let the claims of Wellington atsert themselves, and not, by foolish declamation, bring down upon us the envy and jealousy of the rest of the colony. But Mr. Travers, of course, knows better about everything than everyone' else, and accordingly, amongst his many foolish speeches this session, not the least foolish was : that on railways. For which he has been paid out by the Otago Daily Times as follows “ Mr. Travers’ deliverances on railway ' expenditure’ , are remarkable ■ ones. List, oh ! list. ‘ Those portions of the colohy which had received the greatest benefits from ekpenditure’had restored legist to.,the Consolidated Revenue. 'Otago jiad restored one-sixth, Canterbury a third, 'Auckland >• quarter. Wellington "had restored only one twenty■sixtlvthe,reason being that enormous sumshad been spent on railways which would never have been made in the directions they were had the people ■ of Wellington had any voice in determining .them.’ Making every allowance for errors in reporting the above, and that’ some error has been made is obvious,

since the above is nonsense,-- and Mr. Travers is no lunatic, we think the concluding passage worth note, i Iti hears truth on the face of it. We agree heartily and ex animo with the statement that, had the Wellington, people been able to direct the formation of railways, they would never have been made where they are. For instance, we do not for a moment believe that the line to Invercargill would ever have been made if the Wellington people had had any voice in the matter. They would have made the line from Wellington to the Hutt with a broad gauge, and then gone bn to make a second Great.. Western, to Masterton. They would have had enough money ■spent in, the Province ‘of Wellington to make money really plentiful there. , They would have allowed Canterbury to go without, and filled their own wretched bellies with the good things of Government expenditure., Mr. Travers, no doubt, likes plain speech, and we thank him for, having at least told the naked truth about the mind of Wellington on railway expenditure." This will, doubtless, all read very nice and bold, and philanthropic and patriotic, and Wellingtonopic to Mr. Travers ; but we can' assure the Otago Daily Times that Mr.-Travera does not speak the mind of Wellington in any one instance that we can ascertain. : .