PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1881.

Patea Mail, 19 March 1881, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1881.

HOPES AND FEARS. The district is to hove a dose of politics. Major Atkinson promises five speeches in one week. It is not for ns to say whether the same speech is to he repeated in substance at each township, or whether (lie politician’s kaleidoscope is to present a fresh and novel view at every turn of the bits of colored glass. A politician who represents so large a district as Egmont will find his chief perplexity in the number and variety of the local demands for something to be done. Government in this colony is a huge machine to be milked. They who get the first and longest pull arc the best off. We complain that they are the very parties who stick to the teats, and won’t let others have a turn. Major Atkinson will find that each township in this district believes itself to be the special object of his official neglect. We have all been neglected, but each township thinks it has been treated worse than the rest. Having this conviction, each of the five townships lie has promised to address will be preparing a lively reception. Each will welcome him warmly, for the pleasure of roasting him well.

These addresses will be the first Ministerial utterances of a political nature during the recess, and unusual interest should attach to them. The session being almost due, there may be in lications of the direction which Ministers are taking in preparing measures for the session. Major Atkinson may push into prominence those questions which the Ministry intend to deal with, and watchful politicians may have a now stimulus given to their speculations. It is quite as likely, however, that the Ministry have no desire to promote discussion of measures which arc drafted only in the rough at present. A leading member of the Ministry can hardly interview his constituents at this time without discussing what is called party policy; demonstrating that the Opposition must remain utterly dished. He will be conscious also that the Ministry need defending, and may deem it necessary to demolish a number of imaginary assailants--those sawdust dummies which an orator sots up to show how successfully he can knock them over. As to general politics, this district is interested firstly in a readjustment of representation. We want to put an end quickly to an arrangement which makes the whole of this Coast down to the Patea river a dumb and helpless appendage to New Plymouth. Wo help to return a member who is, as every fair politician can see, a representative of New Plymouth interests. It is manifest that New Plymouth is trying to prevent Patea from developing its river trade, merely because a harbor is to be made at New Plymouth through which our produce ia to pass. Now this is a question of giving fair-play to each district : and the people here will expect Major Atkinson to declare for or against this Taranaki scheme of stopping the railway at Hawera as a quiet means of choking Patea. It is as much for the interest of Hawera and the Plains as it is for Patea that each port should oiler cheap and quick facilities for trade. Till this district lias a voice in Parliament free from the suspicion of making local promises to the ear but breaking them to the hope, there can be no confidence between Patea and the Egmont member. Put us on equality with other harbors by getting a fair endowment ; and do this by not merely promising to help, but by working for it with honest energy. Ho this, and we shall cease to suspect that your voice is with Patea while your heart is with Taranaki.

It may be useful to say, once for all, that this journal does not object to Major Atkinson as a politician or ns a Minister, but to the present political arrangement which places Major Atkinson over ns to make sure of New Plymouth interests as against the interests of this district. The whole Egmont district has grown so much, that competing interests can no longer be kept under, but must have equal and independent voice. Let Major Atkinson

say whether ho will give ns that independent voice. So long as lie also represents New Plymouth and joins in Taranaki manoeuvres, he will continue to he suspected of insincerity. He might be happy with either, wore t’other dear charmer away. He is too much married, politically. The same member cannot fairly represent Patea interests and New Plymouth interests. The issue must be fought, and Major Atkinson would act judiciously by recognising that fact. Let him use his voice in Cabinet to got this district—say this County—created a separate constituency; and if he will solicit our suffrages on that basis, he may reckon on a triumphant return. We sincerely believe this to be the general sentiment of the district. The Ministry prepared a Redistribution Bill last year, and though it did not reach a first reading, some of its provisions became known. In that Bill, tins district was to remain as it is, an appendage to New Plymouth. Now for goodness’ sake don’t insult this district by repeating that proposal to the people’s faces.