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South Canterbury Times, Issue 2439, 12 January 1881, Page 2

The Hon Mr Bryce’s resignation is the sensation of the hour. It is said to have taken everyone by surprise. We do not know -why it should produce such a startling effect. It is accompanied by none of the striking episodes that marked the resignation of Mr Ballance. The Taranaki members seem to have a faculty for resigning. Mr Bryce has undoubtedly been a valuable member of the Ministry. His presence as Native Minister has given a new tenure of life to an office that was rapidly falling into disrepute. He has done good service to the colony and better service to his constituency. This latter fact had possibly something to do with his resignation. Taranaki has of late been a sore thorn in the side of the Cabinet. In every part of New Zealand outside of that favored provincial district there has been a prevailing feeling that Taranaki was being too well represented. Between

Mr Bryce and Major Atkinson it lias been receiving 1 the lion’s share of the Treasury pickings for a long time past. The Armed Constabulary movement is a laughing stock at Lome, and it has brought the colony into derision abroad. It is impossible that this semi-military luxury can live much longer. The departure of Mr Bryce from the Cabinet marks its downfall. Mr Bryce could hardly give the Maori shepherds their coup do grace, and at the same time sustain the good opinion of his constituents, It is alleged that Mr Bryce wanted to capture Te Wliiti, and seize Paiihakn. This is prosposterous. Mr Bryce knows well—no man knows better—that Te Whiti and Parihaka are essential to the existence of the armed constabulary and the prosperity of the Taranaki grog shops. If Mr Bryce wanted Te Whiti he would have secured him long ago, instead of waiting till “ the potatoe is cooked.” Te Whiti is Taranaki’s pet scarecrow. He is as useful to that district as the sun and moon are to Professor Proctor. Without Te Whiti the people of Taranaki would be unable to bask in the sunshine of the Colonial Treasury. If we were told that the Government had been impelled at last to do what should have been done long ago—to enter into negotiations with Te Whiti, with the object of an amicable and permanent arrangement that will enable them to dispense with their mongrel army, we could believe it. The plain and straightforward meaning of Mr Bryce’s resignation we believe to be that the Cabinet have arrived at the conclusion that the Armed Constabulary must be disbanded, and that the reckless squandering of public money in the Taranaki district must be put an end to. Mr Bryce has done much to improve the native department ; at all events he has rendered it less corrupt and less criminal than it was in the days of the Hon. John Sheehan. He has reformed a good many tainted offices in the north in the only way in which they could be reformed —out of existence. Having led the last big malefactor—the armed Iconstabulary—up to the scaffold, we arc neither surprised nor disappointed that he should retire from the stage. The executioner has to do his duty, but Mr Bryce will not be present. It is unfair under these circumstances to sow emnity between Mr Bryce and his friend Te Whiti. Mr Bryce would not hurt a hair of To Wind's head. The words of the venerable Maori were not without significance. “ The potatoe is cooked.” Yes, the green potato—the native department, including Taranaki, the Armed Constabulary, and the Maori scare. One member of the Cabinet, however, will be absent from the feast. We commend Mr Bryce for his discretion. His retirement at the present juncture was about the best thing he could do.