The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1878.
Ok the 19th July last we transferred to our columns, from the Ministers’ local journal and from the “ Otago Daily Times,” two articles as being quite wonderful specimens in their way of the colonial accomplishment of “ blowing.” Wo regret that the demand upon our space prevents us from reproducing these articles to-day, in order to mark as strongly as possible, but in a very different sense, the contrast which the enthusiastic writers desired to present between the political periods which they designated as “then” and “now.” The “Otago Daily Times,” on that occasion, ended a laudation of the new Native policy thus ;—“ As an illustration of the “ malicious statements made, most people “will remember how Rewi was repre- “ sented as laughing at the idea of Europeans hoping for a railway through his “ country as a result of the negotiations ‘ ‘ then proceeding. This was represented “as a thing that could never be until “Rewi and his old councillors had all “joined the majority. It now turns out “ that not only does Rewi desire a : railway “ through the country, but offers to give “ all the land required gratuitously. But “ is this alii No.but lie has done that “ which it never entered into the heart of “any European capitalist to do ; he has “ offered to make a present of as much “ land as will pay for the construction of “ the whole of .the Northern trunk line of “railway as far as it runs through his “enormous territory, extending from Te “ Awamutu station in the Auckland Pro- “ vince to Waitara station in Taranaki. “ And this is the chief whose hostility wo “stated to be so great that the desires of “ the Government for constructing the “ trunk line of railway through his land “ were said to be only met by a cynical “sneer! It is no exaggeration to say “ that no event like this final settlement “of native- troubles has ever been paral- “ leled in the history of New Zealand ; “ but it would seem that no event has “ ever been productive of more intensity “ of party disappointment and chagrin.” Rewi is keeping the King’s gate at Waitara, waiting for the restoration of the confiscated land. He does not know anything about the railway except from the newspapers. • , . The local organ did not venture upon statements of remarkable facts like these, but‘contented itself with the assertion of strong opinions. Major Atkinson and his colleagues were powerless. He knew; nothing and could do nothing; the country was in a state of dissatisfaction’; moreover—“ Officers of the Native Depart- “ ment were openly trafficking in native “ lands on their own account and on that “ of their friends, so that the : “ eyes” of “the country were being acquired by “ private persons, while Government was “paying enormously for the almost “ worthless residue. Public works wore “ being carried on, after a fashion, at the “ will and convenience of the engineers, “ who did as they liked, regardless of all “ Ministerial control. Extravagance and “ officialism were rampant everywhere, “ and the responsible adviser's of the Go- “ vernor had fallen to, and were, content “ with, the position of puppets in the “hands of ‘Heads of Departments.’ “ Ministers were conscious of their own “ weakness and of the general discontent “ which existed, but they had not nerve “ enough to take any decided action, and “ they sought to strengthen their position “by alternate attempts at bullying and “ seeking to buy those who had political “ support to give. This was the position “ of affairs a week before last session “ opened. How different is the state of “ affairs to-day. There is now in. office a “ strong, united Government, bound “ together by well understood principles, “and with a, definite aim and object “ before it. A Government which has at “ Its head a. statesman whose name and “ services ■ are known- throughout the “ Empire, and.whose matured experience “gives him a position occupied by no “ other man in the colony.; and serving, “under him are.,colleagues -who are “ young, vigorous men', well acquainted “ with the colony, its wants, and require- “ merits, anddesirousofprovingthemaelvos “ worthy of the position they occupy, and “ of the honor of -being associated with “ such a chief, in the great work of “ Liberal Reform to which he has devoted “ himself. This Government is 'strong, “ not only in being united by principles, “but in’the 1 consciousness of coramand- “ ing, to the fullest possible extent, the “ confidence of the people of the colony.” ; In our columns last night wo recorded the fact that the Government were beaten by their own supporters upon a cardinal point of their fiscal policy, the Beer Tax Bill, by which they had as a Ministry declared their determination to stand dr fall To-day we have to record that in a storm of spoken contempt from their own’allies, and with silent scorn on the part of .those who measured Ministers at their true, value, the great statesman, Sir George Obey, withdrew his beer tax and his companies’ income tax, and must now undertake to reconstruct his fiscal policy. When Mr. Sheehan, with unabashed humor, challenged the House to table a vote of want of confidence in the Government, lie was told by Major Atkinson that if any hon. member did make suoha motion ho (Major Atkinson) would certainly vote against it. This is fair play carried to the bounds of cruelty perhaps; but it is still fair play. The Tapanui railway job is a result of improved departmental: arrangmonts in the Public Works! Office. - Officials like Mr. Booth, in the Native Department, are" tried on suspicion of helping their friends to obtain native lands, and honorably acquitted,' whilst we hear of the Waimana Valley, and the Wlnikatane reserves, and of the four blocks of land at Hokianga, and of scores of other transactions of similar kind ; instead of being branded as “nefarious” and “wrongful,” ns they would have ‘been on the side of the late Government or their friends; those, ore now regarded ns legitimately forming part of the now Native policy inaugurate! by Sir Geokoe Gkey and Mr. ’ Sheehan. ’ Wo have no jj-jsh.to- oxult over, tho fallen. Ministers orid 'deprive them of any 1 comfort which their toadies jnaybe able to
afford them by imagining reasons for their mishap outside those which are true and patent to all. Wo hope that as they will now have' I, another chance,” all their measures, Land Tax, Electoral Bill, and the rest, will be at once withdrawn, and the session brought speedily to a close. With the instruction they have already 'received, if they can agree amongst themselves and will remain at their posts in Wellington instead of rushing about the colony, a scheme of policy may be devised during the recess which may meet the approval of Parliament next session, and perhaps secure to Mr. Sheehan the “seven years ” of official comfort which he so much desires to enjoy.
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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5468, 5 October 1878, Page 2
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1,146The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1878. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5468, 5 October 1878, Page 2
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