The Standard AND PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.) SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1876.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 415, 30 September 1876, Page 2

The Standard AND PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1876.

“ 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.”

While we wish to do all in our power to support the member for the East Coast—Captain Morris—-we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that he is, insensibly, it may be, gliding into the slippery path of allowing himself to be dictated to by the Government. He has already declared in the House that he will support the Government so long as they do the thing that is right; consequently, the Government has added his nose to their list, and, in exact proportion to the amount of ‘•‘buttering” that he can stand, will they depend upon his allegiance. The nervous, undefined, actions of young, inexperienced members are the food upon which veteran politicians fatten. So soon as a man declares his “ independence,” and proclaims that he belongs to no party, he is practically lost, for both sides lay in wait privily to catch him ; and his very inexperience in parliamentary tactics clouds his mind, and involves him in an inextricable maze of doubt as to which is the proper path to take. The Government can, invariably, reckon upon a “ no party ” man as their own, and any little seeming opposition he displays is very soon toned down by promises, which, in ninety cases out of a hundred, are never fulfilled ; while it becomes their duty to make him believe that they are, in opposing his suggestions, doing what is right. We regret being forced to the conclusion that such is Captain Morris’s position in the House, at this time. There is no electorate in this colony that stands more in need of the services of a staunch advocate than that of the East Coast. Vacillating action, - tedious . delays, and broken faith, are the things that w’e do not desire to see perpetuated here; and

the electors look to their member for redress for, not a repetition of, the. wrongs they have suffered from but too long already. In contrasting the “no party ” man, without friends, with the sterling man, whose friends stick to him in the. fight, we have a case in point, which we shall presently allude to in support of our argument. The middle man goes about the House with an aimless, inane, idea of his duty. He has but few sympathisers, and no followers. He dare not trust himself alone, and he can get no advice, because his object is undefined, and his intentions doubtful, if not deceptive. He is forsaken by those who might become his friends, and is distrusted by others who are forced to be bis enemies, or remain neutral. As in the social, so in the political circle, a man who pretends to be “ all things to “ all men ” —who runs with the hare and hunts with hounds—is, of all others, the one on whom the least reliance can be placed. No one can “ get at” such a man. He is a myth that no one can understand. He may gain his point for a season ; but as time unfolds his true character, it will be found that an assumed amiable disposition, with a smooth tongue, does not make up for straightforward conduct, and an unflinching adherence to principle. We do not say that these are Captain Morris’s characteristics, but be is fast gravitating towards that state of things, which will, undoubtedly, bring him to grief if persisted in.

Recently, Captain Morris moved in the House of Representatives tw’o very good resolutions, first: “ That in the opinion of this House, it is undesirable to offer for sale the Patutahi Block, Poverty Bay, until the bridge over the Waipaoa river has been constructed, and the main drainage of the Patutahi Block commenced ; and that, on Wednesday next, this House do resolve itself into Committee of the whole to consider of an address to the Governor, requesting that His Excellency will cause that provision be made for these works on the Supplementary Estimates.” Second;; a That this House will, on Wednesday next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole to consider Of an address to the Governor, requesting His Excellency to cause to be placed on the Supplementary Estimates the sum of £4OO, for the purpose of putting in repair the bridge over the Waioeka river, Opotiki.” Captain Morris’s remarks were blandly replied to by the Government, and the motions were withdrawn. Now let us look at the opposite, and judge by results. Mr Sheehan, the member for Rodney, moved ” That this House considers that the provision proposed 1.0 be made for roads and works in the districts north of Auckland is entirely inadequate to meet the requirements and necessities of those districts, and very much smaller than the share to which those districts are fairly entitled, regard being had to area, population, and contributions to revenne.” On a division the motion was carried by 23 to 21, the Government again opposing. Here we see the difference in value to a constituency between a member who is identified with a party, and one who is not. Captain Morris’s business was disposed of in about two hours, while Mr Sheehan entertained the House during three sittings, and finally gained his point; and it is quite upon the cards that the Government would have been worsted on both questions had the member for the East Coast acted with greater persistency. In the debates on the foregoing motions we have a vivid illustration of the unreality of political promises. On one occasion the Minister for Public Works says : —“ Unless the “ House saw fit to place an additional “ sum of money for roads generally in “ the North Island on the estimates, “ the Government had no funds out “ of which they could carry on such “ works as the hon. member referred “to ” —the Waioeka bridge —which was, certainly, an implied promise that the Government Mere favorable to the motion, which they vehemently opposed when put to the test by Mr Sheehan.