The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1878. POLITICAL SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5521, 6 December 1878, Page 4

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1878. POLITICAL SUMMARY.

The session closed somewhat ingloriously for Ministers last month. They had lost everything but the Land Tax Bill and their places, so that an exhibition of illtemper on the part of the Premier may beheld to be excusable. In his rage he caused it to be announced immediately that the policy of the Government in the next session would be ultra-radical, and that he intended to “fight” the Legislative Council upon some particular question, and at a particular time, to bo chosen by himself. In Victoria, the Legislative Council is an elective body, and formally years there has been chronic antagonismbetween it and the Legislative Assembly, theeleotivebodyandpopularHouse of that Colony. There has been an occasional exacerbation, in the shape of a deadlock, between the two Chambers, and “ black Wednesday,” with a long train of disasters, followed the latest “ fight ” out of which it is said there is to be an appeal to “Mamma,” in the shape of an embassy to England on behalf of the discomfited Patriots. Here, in New Zealand, where the Legislative Council is nominated, there has not ever been a disagreement between the two Chambers of a serious character, and their amicable relations have not been at any time really imperilled. Our Legislative Council performs with dilligent care the bulk of the legislative work of every session, and for that, and because it has so often interposed to prevent ill consequences from

the accession of foolishness to which

popular assemblies are sometimes subject, it has secured the confidence and respect of tho representatives of the people generally and of the people themselves. But Sir George Grey does not like the Legislative Council, because, although for his own purposes he has added to the Council within a year five new members, “pensioners for life,” as he contemptuously calls them, —he cannot make that Chamber subservient, and therefore he wants to fight it. It would be curious if Mr. Graham Berry, iu

Victoria, and Sir George Grey, in New Zealand, both “men of the people,” were to be engaged at the same time in quarrelling with the Upper Houses of the respective Legislatures, these Houses being so constituted that one is elective, the other nominated; a disposition to obstruct the sovereign will of “the man of the people,” and want of confidence in tho wisdom of the “stump,” being apparently the common fault and deficiency of both Chambers. In our case, notice having been given of the intended fight, the “police” will probably be able to prevent a breach of the Queen’s peace. Ministers are off in all directions as usual. Habitual absence from the seat of Government and from their offices is now

a custom so well established that it hardly provokes comment. Steam yachts, special trains, and travelling allowances, have much to answer for in tho neglect of departmental business; work which cannot be attended [to during the session is not attended to during the recess. The Hon. tho Native Minister has been for a short time at Waitara with Rewi, the Ngatimaniapoto chief about whom so much nonsense has been talked by Sir George Grey, and so much has been written at his dictation. The indiscretion of tho Government has brought native affairs into a very critical condition at Taranaki. There was reason to fear that

the necessity which their untruthfnlness,

and their ridiculous boasting of personal , influence with the Maoris, had imposed ( upon theraof doing something sensational, might have brought about a serious disturbance of tho peace. Mr. Sheehan, however, who is wiser than the Premier, and is permitted just now to discharge the duties which the Parliament imposed upon him, without interference, has managed not to get into trouble for the present. Rewi has left Taranaki and returned to Waikato, and tho Native Minister having, as we hope, dismissed his hornblowers and newsmakers, is coming quietly southward. He may find work on tho road that will put his tact and skill to the severest test, and we are not without hope that he will do it well. Having been obliged heretofore to carry Sir George Grey about with him as a bogie or “ painted tiger,” Mr. Sheehan has been unfairly handicapped, but he has now tho opportunity of doing his own work in his own way, and Maori ‘ ‘ trouble” may be happily avoided. The High Priest of Provincialism, Mr. Maoandrew, fondly believes that by means of the process known as “Insular Separation” ho can bring about the restoration of tho old form of government, and perhaps find himself again installed as autocrat in Otago. His administrative policy in tho department of Public Works has steadily tended in that direction, whilst Tapanui jobs and waggon contracts have shown how much a benevolent despot can do for the “ land o’ the leal.” Having created a separate Public Works Department for the North and tho South Islands, and having helped similarly to divide the Police administration, ho now desires to do as much for Public Education, and has formally attacked the New Zealand University, a colonial institution, with tho view of setting up two separate Provincial Universities—one at Otago and one at Auckland in its stead. Eire was opened upon the University in tho Governor’s speech to tho General Assembly in July last, and the work of sapping and mining is confided to the members of a Royal Commission the great majority of whom are either blind followers of the Government or professors of the Otago College. The colonial citadel has still however some stout defenders, and will survive its assailants.

Speculation has been rife as to the reasons for the abandonment of the Electoral Bill by the Government. r flio consensus of opinion is that there never was any agreement in the Cabinet upon

the subject, and that notwithstanding Sir George Grey’s, hypocritical oration about the “great charter,” and about the wrongs of the 70,000 adult males who could neither bo returned to the House nor vote at the election of representatives which ic was to redress, all that the Premier really desired was to secure the dual vote to the Maori people, and by their means to be able to influence the elections in nearly all the electoral districts in the North Island at the dissolution which was then near. It was a bold stroke, and but for the happy intervention of the Legislative Council it would have been successful. When the danger had past the risk become apparent. The Native Affairs Committee made a recommendation that a Commission should be appointed to hold enquiry on the spot as to the Bay of Islands electoral scandal, but the same promptitude has not been displayed in this as in other matters requiring investigation ; no Commission appears yet to have been issued ; it is announced, however, that Sir George Grey is about to visit Ngapuhi. The conspiracy to secure “freoprint- “ ing,” and the dissemmination of unreliable intelligence by means of a special wire, having been happily discovered, has been foiled completely. The three morning papers to which the use of a special wire, which would cost the colony £4OOO a year, was conceded for a payment of £2OOO a year, have failed to secure the same monopoly in the English and Australian telegrams which the Premier benevolently desired to give them here. The result will be a loss to the colonial revenue, and an additional charge for foreign intelligence upon all the journals in the Colony. Baron Reuter’s agents have naturally seen their advantage in the local competition, and quite fairly turned it to the profit of their principal. The complete results of this scandalous “ special wire” job have not yet been realised, and will only be felt in practice bye and bye. The Premier, however, has missed his mark ; the existing Press Agency has not been ruined, and he himself may now perhaps endure a little of the kind of remorse what is said to follow a crime committed in vain. A severe winter—floods in the South Island and a partial drought there and on the east coast of this island—has touched those engaged in pastoral and agricultural pursuits somewhat roughly. Rain has fallen of late, however, and the prospects of a harvest are said to be improving. Notwithstanding the depression in the price of our most important product, wool, the Colonial revenue, in gross, so far as can be j udged from the receipts of the September quarter, may not fall short of the estimate of the Colonial Treasurer. We append a summary view of the financial prospects of the year, based upon the September quarterly accounts, for which we are indebted to our contemporary the “ Lyttelton Times —■ Wo take tho three great divisions made by the Colonial Treasurer, namely, “Revenue raised by taxation." “Receipts for services rendered,” and “Territorial revenue.” Wo exclude special receipts, because wo wish to confine ourselves to ordinary revenue. Under tho head, then, of " Revenue raised by taxation,” we calculate on E 1,489,001. The estimate of tile Colonial Treasurer, independently of remissions of Customs, and of the addition of the land tax, was £1,400,000. Tho difference between the two is only £096. Under ■ the head of “Receipts for services rendered," we calculate on £836,732. Tho estimate of the Colonial Treasurer was £1,112,145. Tno excess of ■ his estimate is £225,413. But this excess will no doubt be greatly reduced by tho certain increase in the rate of railway receipts. Under the head of “ Territorial revenue,” wo calculate on £1,554,856. Tho estimate of tho Colonial Treasurer is £1.220,677. Tho excess of receipts would be £325,179. Taking tho three divisions together, tho result would be as follows: —Receipts, £3.030,592 ; estimate, £3,831,822 ; the surplus would bo £08,770. It is of course obvious that tills comparison is subject to the conditions under which It is made. Our calculations are founded on receipts for one quarter alone, and are complicated by the modifications rendered necessary by changes in taxation affecting the latter half of the financial year.