The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1878.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5275, 20 February 1878, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1878.

Mr. George McLean addressed the electors of Waikonaiti a few evenings ago, and obtained from them a unanimous vote of confidence. Mr. Ormond also obtained a similar compliment from the electors of Clive ; and' Mr. Bowen, who was the first of the late Ministry to address the constituents, received a similar mark of approbation at Kaiapoj. Times out of number the members of the Atkinson Government were vehemently told by the Opposition that they dare not face their constituents —that when the General election came Parliament would know them no more. The electors of Kaiapoi, Clive, and Waikonaiti, by their votes of confidence in their representatives, have shown how utterly fallacious were the prognostications of the demagogues who had the assurance to speak on behalf of the people of this colony. Mr. Ormond was particularly singled out as one who would fall a victim to the vengeance of an outraged public : lie would surely he ostracised from political life, so harped such weighty authorities as Mr. Rees and Mr. .Sheehan. In the constituency of Clive, however, the Repudiation party of Hawke’s Bay have evidently some doubts as to their ability to oust Mr. Ormond, and, in consequence, iu that district every Maori, qualified or unqualified, has been placed on the electoral roll. The pakeha on the day of election is to be swamped by the dusky lords of the soil. No secret is made of this ; and yet, in the face of such a proceeding on the part of the personal followers of the Premier, the people of the colony are treated to long-winded harangues on the electoral rights of the people. Theintelligent electors of Hawke’s Bay are to be outvoted by the ignoraut and semi-civilised Maoris. However, time will enlighten the people as to the motives of that party who, for the purposes of the hour, are endeavoring to set class against class in this country. Mr. McLean, at Waikonaiti, made an effective defence of the late Ministry. The late Commissioner of Customs is an honest, straightforward, shrewd man, and little surprise need be felt that a vote of confidence was accorded to him by his constituents. That he is a good administrator the manner in which he wound up the provincial affairs of Otago amply testifies. The late Superintendent, Mi. Macandrew, had prophesied that when the Abolition Act was brought into force there would be chaos, and to bring about this he absolutely refused the Government any assistance in establishing the new order of things. In fact, he throw all possible obstacles in the way of the Ministry. However, Mr. McLean was thoroughly conversant with Otago affairs, and in his hands, despite the opposition of Mr. Maoandrfav, the change from the old order of things to the new was brought about without a hitch. The Atkinson Ministry were accused of centralising tendencies, one of those hollow unsubstantial charges incapable of disproof. It was in vain that Ministers explained that it was a part of their policy that very large powers should be given to local bodies, and the Bills brought down were in this direction. But the then Ministry were still misrepresented, despite the fact that they had shown, in the measures prepared by them, that they were earnest in their professions in reference to extended local powers. On this subject Mr. McLean says;—“They had seen what had taken the place of provincialism, and that the county system had been initiated. He was sorry that the late Government did not get the opportunity of fairly setting that system on its feet, because the changes which had taken place last session were going to mar the usefulness of these institutions. What the former Government had in view was to extend the powers of County Councils greatly, and co bestow upon them such duties as they could undertake ; in fact, to decentralise from the head every duty which could be fairly placed upon them. And the object in view was, that instead of a large expenditure going on all over the surface of the country, and which was not under the control of the people, County Councils should be endowed with subsidies and with power to raise rates. ’ No improper expenditure could then take place, because the people would have the matter in their own charge. He had been sorry to see that the grants and subsidies, which it was intended should have enabled the Councils to do these works, had been scrambled for in the Assembly.” During the latter part of the session the Premier taunted the late Ministry with keepingin the background certain liabilities in order to present a satisfactory balancesheet. The chief item which had been omitted was a chum made by the Messrs. Brooden. Of this Mr. McLean says : “He would now come to the £170,000 discrepancy. What was it ? They had heard of the large contractors, Messrs. Brooden and Sons, who had come to this colony to get contracts. They had obtained a number, but they were not satisfied with the settlement of the engineers, and claimed£loo,ooofor work, which they never got, but which they say that they should have got. The late Ministry wero not going to throw away £170,000 because the Broodens thought proper to dispute that amount. But the late Government wore told that this amount was a debt, and a just debt, and one which they had not taken into consideration at all. When he taxed the Premier with it in the House he was obliged to admit that he (Mr. McLean) was right. Had they paid away that £170,000 they would have had no value for it. He considered that the proper course was to leave the contractors their remedy at law, for ho preferred not to give any contractors £IOO,OOO for work which they had not

got, but which they said, they should have got. While he was in office the Government decided not to * pay . away .. a penny except they got value for it. They.''were determined to see justice done to the contractors, but the Government must be dealt with justly also.” As the claims of the Messrs. Beogden against the colony are to come before a Court of Law, it would not be advisable at this stage to express an opinion as to their character ; but there is little doubt that the people of the colony will endorse the action of the late Ministry in refusing to include the claims in the list of colonial liabilities. It is a matter of notoriety that the representatives in this colony of the great contracting firm were very anxious for the downfall of the Atkinson Ministry, for it was perfectly certain that the Beogdens would not get a single shilling above what Ministers believed them justly entitled to. There are several other matters in Mr. McLean’s speech which we purpose dealing with on a future occasion.