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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5407, 26 July 1878, Page 2

Me. Pateiok Buckley and Mr. John Maetin are, so the fates have decreed, to sit in the Legislative Council for the future. Mr. Buckley no doubt has some qualitieatious for the office of legislator, but it was generally supposed that his ambition lay in the direction of a seat in the House of Representatives, so that he might be present where the political light raged hottest. , It seems that people were mistaken, and that he prefers the otium cum dignitate which is secured for life by being sworn in as a member of the Legislative Council of New Zealand. Possibly, no one will find much fault with Mr Buckley’s appointment, unless some professional man should be impelled to do so by the reflection that the legal firm of Hakt and Buckley will be rather too fully represented in the Upper House. With respect to Mr. Maetin, his appearance in public life is a novelty, for he hitherto has not shown that he had any burning desire to represent his fellow men in a legislative body,—in fact, having filled a seat at the old Town Board, he apparently thought that ho had reached the top rung of his ladder. Of late lie has assumed a new role. He has become a very Tijion ; profuse in his hospitality, and has be.en pleased .to number among, his associates, not courtiers—for there are- none here—but politicians of a class who have something to win. His. kind and genial nature has led him to more closely imitate the ancient Athenian than he may have imagined. Now that our modern Tijion has reached the highest pinnacle to which he can hope to climb, it would be well that some Apbmantus should arise to give him good advice, For instance, a modern Apejiantus might say—

J T acorn tliy meat; ’twould choko mo, for I should . Ne’er flatter thee;-~0, you gods! what a number Of men eat Timon, and he sees thonl not I It grieves mo to see so many dip their meat In one man’s blood. Wo hope that the" Hon. John Martin will, should he see: fit to retire into private life again, /have a more happy career than the open-handed Timon. It is not easy to treat this strange Ministerial freak seriously. Surely the Premier and his colleagues-mast have been indulging in a little practical joking, for no sane man can suppose that any one member of the Cabinet believed that in advising his Excellency to call Mr. Martin to the Legislative Oounoij, he was securing an addition to that body of one who was more fitted than his fellows to fill so re-, sponsible and honorable an office. If her Majesty’s Ministers have not been jesting, they have bungled sadly, for by their action they have’slighted the Legislative Connell, and have neglected many capable men, whose past career entitled them to consideration when any post of honor was to be conferred, and xvhose ability and experience would cause them to be’really valuable members of the Legislature.