Untitled

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 235, 11 July 1877, Page 2

CABINET MEETING OF THE PENNYWISE GOVERNMENT. Scene. —A Room in the Government Buildings, Wellington. Premier. —Gentlemen, I have called you together. The session is close at hand, and we have done nothing towards defining a future policy. We may be certain of meeting with a strong opposition. I feel that we are becoming unpopular,— our policy of retrenchment does not seem to give very general satisfaction. I have gone in for retrenchment, but it is a difficult policy to carry out. There is no doubt the country is paying too high salaries to officials ; but what can we do ? Anyone of common sense can see that our own pay and allowances as Ministers is far too high for so young a colony, but we would bo asses to cut down our own pay, and allow others to stand over-paid. There is honorarium to members of the House —ridiculously high—but we only offend them if we attempt to reduce it. Then again, heads of departments and other high officials are also greatly overpaid for so young a colony ; but these fellows (mostly political appointments) have a deal of influence: they have friends in the House, and if we attempt cutting them down, we drive their friends to the opposition benches, and run tho risk of loosing our own seats. I wish some Independent Member of the House would move for a reduction of fifty per cent, on

al! salaries over £2OO per annum, and let the House deal with it. As we can’t interfere with the higher officials, let ns look over the small fry list, and see if we can make any reductions in their pa}' : they have no friends in tiro House, and if they can’t live on reduced salaries that is their affair. That was a great stroke of policy in Polly’s department (reduction of 'Constabulary): wo didn't take into consideration long service or merit, —wo struck off those who had no friends in the House, But, now to business, gentlemen. Wnrn.—Ah, well ! these miserable reductions of yours don’t interest me much ; they only make a few miserable, without materia!!}' beaefittingthe country. Before going into these trifles, I wish you, gentlemen, to agree to a new Native Lands Bill which I have prepared- [hands document to the Premier, who roads it aloud.

Premier. —But, my dear Whiti, this Bill yon propose will open up bind speculation, and capitalists can form rings to purchase and monopolise the whole country, and defeat our object of introducing population. This is in your department, Polly—what do you say to it ? Polly. —Well, really, I have not given t!io question much consideration—fact is, I’m getting- tired of those native land questions. Those Waikato’s are always plaugingmc on land matters, and they call me a Kuia : don’t know what that moans. I dare say the Bill is all right. Whiti is a clever fellow. What do you think, Onno ?

Okjio. —Decidedly clever ! exactly my views an the Native land purchase question. Let those got land who can. Wo want an outlet for investment of our capital, and this Bill gives promise of some profitable speculations. Wnrn.—Gentlemen, I feel deeply interested in this Bill. I promised some of my particular friends that I would try and get it passed this session, if possible. lon know that I don’t care a rap for a seat in your Ministry. You pressed me and I joined yon because it suited me, and my joining retained you in the seats yon now hold. If you refuse to accept this Bill of mine, you may drive me to the opposition benches : if so, you may feel sure you will yourselves occupy those benches at the close of the coming session. PREMIER—WeII, gentlemen, yon bear what Whiti threatens to do. I suppose we must adopt, this Bill. [Bill agreed to.]

Young New Zealand —You arc, I suppose, aware gentlemen that I put you in office, and have entrusted you with the government of this young colony. I regarded you as men of honor, who would conscientiously discharge your duties, and administer impartially for the benefit of the struggling colonist, and wealthy capitalist. I now find that you are influenced by one dcsbe—the retention of office, and to retain office you arc willing to sacrifice the interests of the colony. Yon profess retrenchment, but there is nothing substantia! or manly in your policy of retrenchment. You are perfectly aware that your own pay, and allowances, are far 100 high for so young a colony, yet you have not the conscientious honesty to reduce your own expenses. You arc aware that honorarium to members of the Jbiu;w, and pay, and allowances to the higher officials, is far 100 extravagant for so young a colony, yet you have not the manliness or courage to reduce these heavy expense*, because you fear losing your own seats. You reduced the Constabulary Force, knowing that the peace of the country is not fully assure!, at id that you ran a great risk in reducing that protective force. You committed this rash act. to retrench, when you could have retrenched more judiciously, and by less risk to the country, by giving up some of your own luxuries. Yon might have given up the steam pleasure yachts that yearly coat the people as much to keep up as the useful protective force you dismissed. And now that you have reduced that force, you are actually consenting to a Bill that will let loose a pack of land sharks, who will monopolise the whole country ; and in their greed to obtain land, will probably involve ns in another native war. You run the risk of ruining thousands of industrious settlers by accepting a Bill that can only benefit a few capitalists—those avaricious land sharks who swallow up and destroy the smaller and more useful fish. You must be perfectly aware of the object of this Bill. Some of you probably hope to profit by it; others of you, more honest of purpose, have allowed yourselves to be bullied in to acquiescence by that crafty old lawyer, simply because you were afraid of offending him, and running the risk of losing your own seats. At one time yon possessed ability and honesty to guide and support you, but you have lost those two groat supports, and have become too weak and vacillating to fulfil the duties I entrusted to your care. I want men in office who will act—fearlessly, honestly, and independently ; who will cany out a sound policy 7 of retrenchment ; who will support the interests of industrious, struggling settlors and intending - immigrants against the selfish machinations of capitalist land sharks ; and if. the House proves itself too corrupt to support such men, let them appeal to the Country, and I will send representatives to the House who will support them. Since your acceptance of this Bill, gentlemen, I have entirely lost confidence in you. You have shown yourselves willing to sacrifice the interests of the colony. I must, therefore, find more conscientious and independent men to occupy 7 the scats you now hold.

JOTTINGS FROM HAWERA. The lock-up is nearly completed, and now, owing to the removal of the Blockhouse, we have no Court-house. So, following up the hint thrown out by your correspondent, our settlers intend to make an effort in order to procure such a requisite. Our Chess Club is in full swing. Members met for the first time last Tuesday, when a goodly number of old veterans and raw recruits went through their evolutions. The game of the evening was that played between Mr T. Humphries (Chief Surveyor of the Provincial District) and our Vice-President, Mr W. G. White. The Hawera calibre proved too heavy, for the Taranaki man was beaten. Two games were subsequently played, with the same result.. Thus, in addition to claiming the championship of Football and Cricket, as yet we have not found a match at Chess. Truly, “ Hawera is all the go.” We confess to a little humiliation for our town at being outrun in the literary race, b} r our Manutabi friends. Could we

only spur up our young men to activity in this direction, in conjunction with the various Clubs now in existence, it would be a source of great profit and no small amusement, to have tournaments —Manutahi taking one side of a debate and Hawera the other. Manutahi being in training, would have to make due allowance for its juvenile opponent, should such a society be instituted in our town. We read, with pleasure, the reports of the mootings of the Manutahi society, and hope it may continue to prosper. By a commendable mutual arrangement services are hold once each Sunday in the Presbyterian and Wesleyan churches ; morning and evening services being taken alternately. The Sabbath-school, which has been conducted for the last three years under the diligent superintendence of Mr R. Dingle, lias been discontinued, owing to the removal of the Blockhouse, in which it was held. We believe it is the intention of those interested in the work, to organise a Sabbath-school in connection with the Presbyterian Church. There is a largo field of labour for those anxious to instruct the rising generation in Bible truths. The directors of the Town Hall Company, have, agreeable to the general wish of the shareholders, decided to accept the second tender, and thus avoid any further delay. The Hall is to be completed by the i'sth December, 1877. The site of the Hall has also been changed, it will now face towards the Post-office. It is the opinion of not a few, that, legitimate and determined agitation is not always without its reward. MENTOR.