THE STANDARD. WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1873.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 74, 30 July 1873, Page 2

THE STANDARD.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1873.

“ We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

It is a matter for congratulation that the small show of opposition made at the meeting on Monday afternoon, to the adoption of a Petition to the House of Representatives, praying for financial Separation from the Province of Auckland, was withdrawn on the one hand, and overcome on the other. Indeed it is difficult to understand how, with the arguments advanced in support of the prayer of the Petition, and with, a Resolution having for its object the same practical effect, Mr. Gbekne should, until the end of the meeting, have

indirectly espoused the cause of those who pronounced emphatically against the movement, and of those who wanted the question shelved for a period of six months: he did wisely in withdrawing hie proposition in preference to having it cast out by an adverse vote.

Mr. Reeves did not advance a single valid reason in support of his motion for relegating the Petition to obscurity for another six months ; and Mr. Parsons, with the experience of economical Boardworking before him, seconded Mr. Reeves’ endeavour solely on account of what he considered the great expense an entire local management of our affairs would entail. Mr. Wyllie, more reticent still, moved a bare Resolution, unsupported by a defence of any kind; and we were glad to see thatamong the good sense of the meeting it found no seconder. The above in fact constituted the summwm malwn of the opposition; and if these gentlemen really hold the views expressed by their action they have a clear right to be heard. But can it be true that we have old settlers, long resident in the Bay,—men whose groans have been both loud and deep;—men who, victims to the iron grip nf Governmental rule, have raised their voices many a time and oft’ against it—and are contented to give a quiescent obedience to further impositions, and a longer continuance of evils too grievous to be borne ? “ ’Tis true, “ ’tis pity, and pity ’tis, ’tis true 1” But they are few in number, and we may hope that even they will eventually join the strong progress party.

The Rev. Mr. Root endeavoured to pour “ oil on the troubled watersbut, although with the best intention possible, without success. The rev. gentleman said, in other words that all changes do not, merely as such, carry improvement with them. He also took up Mr. Greene’s idea, and with great alacrity pounced upon the thinly-attended meeting as establishing conclusively the fact that it was indicative of a want of interest in the matter. The rev. speaker rather infelicitously, we think, also supported his view of the desirableness of deferring to a “ more covenient season ” a consideration of this momentous question, by telling us of the result, —familiar in fabled history—of the appeal that was made to Jupiter, and instituted a comparison between the reply the House is likely to make to our Petition, and the “ King Stork ” sent by the supplicated god. We cannot see it. Our political King Storks have had it all their own way, without much entreaty from the settlers of this district; and if we do not bestir ourselves quickly, and beat them out of the field, we shall be in the position of those who trust to others to do for them, that which they should do for themselves.

Now let us meet the argument which opposes itself to this movement on the ground of expense. Mr. Step art conclusively proved from statistics, which are rather under than overstated, that, taking the last three years as a basis, we should have had some thousand of pounds to expend in the district, and that at present the revenue taken from us is £2,450 per annum. Suppose then, we have a Board of Works, assimilating to the present Highway Board, bnt with extended powers, what necessity would that create for an additional expenditure beyond a pro rata one—an augmentation that must, even under present -circumstances, come sooner or later? Assuming that the district remains as it is, the governing machinery we possess would supply all our wants, if fairly paid. And being remunerated for public duties performed, does not imply the appropriation of large salaries which, while it detracted from the dignity of the position, would, as the Rev. Mr. Root justly observed, cause it to degenerate into one of mere money scramble. An Engineer, and Secretary with proper allowances to live upon, and a Chairman with a half salary,' would be all that is required in the shape of paid officials. Granted that the cost comes up to a thousand a year; shall we not then be gainers ? Even at the present rate of revenue, we should have as much to spend as now. And who will say that in a prosperous, rising district like this, we are going to decay or that our revenue is likely to decrease ? But the district must not remain as it is. We must have the boundaries extended so as to include within the rating focus all who enjoy the benefits of our money expenditure, and local rule, whatever

they may amount to. This phase of the question is forcing itself upon our consideration: it cannot be delayed much longer; and we hope that those, who really study their own interests, will help willingly to promote the cause now afoot. The advocates for delay seem entirely to overlook its consequences. One of our chief grievances, is that already some £4,000 or £5,000 have been extracted from the sale of lands in the township of Gisborne alone, without any appreciable money vote being made in return; while the remainder of our lands, which should be conserved for the present, are slipping gradually away into the Provincial Crucible. We believe the General Government would be disposed to treat us liberally if we undertook the liabilities and disposition of the Patutahi Block; and we feel confident, if a successful appeal be made to Parliament, that the Government, so long as Mr. McLean is at the head of the Native Department, will strive more than it has done to acquire lands from the Natives here, as a political necessity, of which we cannot but reap the benefit, and as a consideration the settlers are entitled to who have struggled manfully against Provincial meanness and desertion.