POLITICAL CORRUPTION.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 114, 13 May 1876, Page 2

POLITICAL CORRUPTION.

(From the “ Wairarapa Standard.” Tim expenditure of borrowed millions is having a most duhioralising effect, not only on the Government and Legislature, but - on Ihc'pposs and people of the colony. Members of Parliament, we arc credibly informed, are not only waiting to be bought, but are actually openly offering themselves for sale, and yet the press is dumb on the subject, and die public even worse than indifferent. If there was any prospect of the Ministry of the day having as much money arid patronage at their disposal for the next five years as they have had for the last five years, wo should tremble for the future 1 liberties and well-being of the colony. Whether Mr Fitzherbert lias been solicited by the Ministry to offer .himself as a candidate for the Speaker’s chair, or whether his friends have solicited the support of the Government to his candidature, the circumstance is not one for congratulation but regret. As a leading member of a Ministry, or of an Opposition, Mr Fitzherhort could scarcely ,jic excelled ; hut as a Speaker, he appears to ns to be wholly 'tinfittedi That, however, is not the most salient point in connection with this arrangement. It is not well that the constitutional party should lose the services of one of its most distinguished champion's at the present juncture. It is worse that he should depend for his election to the office on (he support of a party he was last session never tired of denouncing. But it is still more deplorable that the.press and public should view the subject with: such apparent indifference. There can be no mistake about the fact that by. Mr election to the Speakership one of the most formidable opponents of the present Ministry will either be silenced or shelved. Bad as this will be for the Opposition it will prove hut little better to Mr Fitzherbert himself, and it will be still worse for Wellington, llis presence on the Opposition benches held out the only prospect that remained ot justice being rendered to the North and South by the Centre. He constituted the link which held the two extremes of the colony together. He prevented the bow of centralism being so tightened as to endanger its snapping, causingthat disruption of the colony which Mr Sewell more than twenty years ago pronounced to be sooner or later inevitable. In that case, what would become of that scat of Government which a different ami more for-seeing policy would have incurred to Wellington ? Everybody will admit that the Speakership, previously held by such inferior men as Clifford, Mnnro, snd Bell, cannot possibly confer any additional honoron Mr Fitzherbert; and those wiio know him best will also admit that he can confer no honor on the Speakership. These arc however, evils of minor consequence compared with Ahat public apathy'which is everywhere so manliest, and that political corruption of which this offer ot the Speakership is only a mild hut. too clear an indication. Both the apathy and the corruption are the fruits ;(if our borrowing policy, and they both riindcr the present the worst of all possible seasons for the Government of the day to effect constitutional changes. At sm;h a time it is fortunate for the colony, and may prove doubly fortunate for Wellington, that we have a man like Sir George Grey amongst us. He is a man that can he neither bought nor cajoled, and consequently lie is a man that a hireling pref-s loses no opportunity of abusing. With men of such proved disinterestedness and worth as Sir G. Grey and the lion. Mr Waterhouse possibly -the colony may bo able to dispense with even Mr Fitzherbert’s services.