The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1879.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 463, 1 October 1879, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1879.

The business done in Parliament last week was of the most formal character. Mr Seymour was re-appointed Chairman of Committees of the whole House, this being the third time that gentleman has held this honorable office. Out of nine Committees proposed by the Government, seven were appointed ; the other two, being objected to by Mr Hall as not containing a fair proportion of the Opposition, had their appointment postponed. One Committee of twenty members, for instance, contained fourteen Government supporters. A number of private Bills were introduced, four or five of which related to the City of Auckland. Mr Saunders particularly wanted to know who paid for the celebrated telegram sent to Mr Ingles by Colonel Whitmore ; was it franked as on public service ? The Postmaster-General said he had seen the telegram, and it was not franked in the usual way ; he had also seen Colonel Whitmore abontthe matter, and that gallant gentleman said it was to go as a private telegram, and that he would have to pay for it. We cannot but admire the virtue and patriotism of the Colonial Secretary—it is to be hoped that a special Act of Parliament will be passed to indemnify him ; at the same time we would have been still more gratified had we been assured that he paid for the telegram when he sent it, and did not wait for a public scandal to help his honesty. A little was done to help to advertise the Victoria Loftns Tronpe by a Southern member, who reminded the Government that in the Provincial District of Otago, at least, they had power to stop immoral and indecent theatrical performances. Mr Macandrew promised that steps would be taken to protect the virtue of Dunedin. We are not sure that Mr Dick has not spoiled his chance of re-election by moving in this matter ; besides he is fanning the flame he wished to extinguish. This is the very kind of notoriety most sweet to the vulgar and shameless creatures that compose the troupe in question. A wretch called Herostratns burned the world-famed temple of Diana at Ephesus for the purpose of immortalising his name, whereupon the authorities published a decree that the name of Herostratns should never be mentioned again, and the result is that we are affloctcd with the villian’s name to this day. We have no doubt that the remaining part of the tour of this despicable company will be more successful than the beginning has been.

The Governor’s Speech, which was delivered on Thursday, contains very little that is fresh. It carefully avoids all reference to the result of the appeal to the country. The Electoral, Redistribution of Seats, and Triennialßills, are again trotted ont hand in hand. Plural votes for local bodies using public money are condemned to condign annihilation. The celebrated cloud-catching West Coast Railway is to he referred to a select committee. The Income Tax is conspicuous by its absence. There are to be no more Piako jobs ; and“as for land rings, they shall utterly cease. In future, all land purchased from the natives by the Government shall bo sold by public auction, and in small lots. We are evidently approaching the. time when history, in repeating herself, shall bring back the brave days of which the poet says :

Then lands were fairly portioned ; Then spoils were fairly sold ; The Romans were like brothers In the brave days of old. But by far the most gratifying piece of intelligence contained in the Speech, is that • * The assurance which I was enabled to give to the members of Parliament at the opening of last session, in regard to the peaceful and loyal action of the native people generally, has been borne out by the results.” The “assurance” given in the last 1 speech’ was that there might possibly bo a peaceful solution of the difficulty. Put some additional emphasis on the word “ possibly,” and we are prepared to agree that this assurance “ has been borne out by the

results.” It is very ingenious, after two paragraphs on matters of detail, to refer quite incidentally to “ two intertribal disturbances. Firing on a survey party is henceforth to he regarded as a mere tribal matter. Protecting the would-be murderers, gathering in supplies, building fortifications, and telling the pakeha to come and take any men they wanted, providing tbey are able, is an “ intertribal disturbance,” and a bearing out of the assurance given last session of the friendly and loyal disposition of the native people generally. As a matter of fact, our readers know perfectly well that the Ohinemuri outrage was simply the armed resistance of the natives to the advance of civilization, and their way of emphasising what they had said ineffectually before, namely, that they wanted to be let alone, have no roads, and to “ have nothing to do with that man Grey.” As to the West Coast difficulty, the Maoris have carried their point—they have asserted their right to the Waimate Plains, and as long as they are let alone, as they have been, and are, they will do nothing more. Te Whiti advanced a piece, and cried “ Check.” The Government have studied the position for three months, and now they pretend to forget that they are “ in check,” and that it is their turn to move, and are beginning to boast that Te Whiti has not moved for three months, and has therefore given in. Meanwhile, the amiable savage sits stoically silent, not even deigning to say, “ Your turn, gentlemen.” He knows he has the game well in hand, and pities the opponent that takes so long to consider.