The Colonies and "Home Rule."

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 243, 25 February 1888, Page 7

The Colonies and "Home Rule."

Tiie following correspondence from the " Scotsman " may prove interesting :— qj rj — I have received the cnclo&ed from an old friend who has been many years a member of the New Zealand Legislature, now on a visit to this country, and as he takes a keen interest in all that pertains to the unity and welfare of this great Empire, kindly print it for the benefit ot your readers. Although a thorough Radical in politics, you will observe he is utterly opposed to Mr Gladstone's separatist policy, as he be- ! lieves it would be disastrous to the Empire and ruinous to Ireland. I It has been often stated by Mr Gladstone | and his supporters that the colonists are in favour of his» Home Rule bcheme ; but this ! is absolutely without foundation, as my friend informs me that, outside of the Irish, the colonists are almost io a 1 man opposed to Mr Gladstone's daugcrous scheme of attempting to reconcile the irreconcilable. I I commend to the careful perusal of those | fussy politicians who have been shouters from platforms and press for some months 1 back, on the subject of Home Rule for Scotland, the views of my New Zealand friend on the subject of Local Government versus Home Rule, as I consider them.of no I small value, coming as they do from an unprejudiced onlooker, who has had such a lengthened experience in one of the most go-ahead colonies. — I am, etc., Jas. Mur^Xy. In view of the early meeting of Parliaman, men's minds are concerned with important issues, the most momentous being now to preserve the unity of the Empire. Intimately involved with this is the question, of local government. Colonists of Australia an d^ New Zealand are almost universally Liberals, and, though democrats, many of them almost to Republicanism, are loyal to " national unity ;" this feeling places them as Liberals in- the anomalous position of being supporters of those moderate British Conservatives who have invariably shown a desire to regard the colonial interests with fail" consideration, while unfortunately Liborals have generally a somewhat contemptuous inclination and set purpose to "get rid of the colonies" and thus to sacrifice, not even for a " mess of pottage," the splendid outlet for surplus population and common inheritance of the whole British people. Britain and' the colonies might yet retrieve past errors, but what hope can wo have when, not content with the virtual disruption of the Colonial Empire, the process of disintegration would now be applied to the United Kingdom itself were it not for those Liberals who preferred patriotism to party and principles to persons, and who, while they ceased to be Gladstonites, were all the more true Liberals for the noble stand which they made in trying and painful circumstances. But reform is an absolute necessity, and, if witheld, the "Patriotic Liberals " will be put in a false and difficult) position, and a grave responsibility will lie upon the Government. Before the British. Parliament can imccessfully conduct Imperial affaire and needed reform, truo local government must be established, as it is of as much importance to England, Scotland* and Wales as to Ireland that the people -may be enabled to conduct their own affairs, which they can better understand than London lawyers or Westminster politicians. The system of local might be so simple, elastic, and expansive that, while following general principles, it might oventually adapt itself to the varied local requirements of most parts of the Empire? j\a essential, whether in local or geiier,al government,, being that the taxpayers should have a direct and effective control over the tax-spenders. , ' Till true local government, more like that designed by Sir George Grey in the original New Zealand. Constitution Bill, but not) Dublin or Edinburgh centralism under a guise ef "Home Rule," is substituted for jLondon centralism, it> -will be difficult' tocomprehensively refoi m internally or to deal with Imperial, colonial, and foreign affairs with systematic wisdom. The ratepayers to some extent in proportion to the rates they pay would elect the local government*, The electors of Parliament, excepting minors, criminals,' undischarged bankrupts, lunatics, and habitual.drunkards, should be all whom the proceedings of Parliament affect. ' To me as a colonist many things present themselves as needful subjects for reform, and I may again address you upon some of them— sv^ch as simplification of land titles and tenures, modification and revision of statutes, emigration and colonisation, tariffs and restrictions to commerce, impediments to national progress and welfare.

I A correspoiidentf relates -the following:-— ; I was once at a. dinnor at Buxfcon, , given in honour of < a.- silver, -wedding. , Among the |, guests wa¥a> fine' 01d\ Peak parson, ,belo.ved bysDepbyshire^Freemasohs, ,: In tlm,,course of $a speech, full of arrowy wit and drydrollery, alluding to his ministrations in the Church,, .he renm^d,, that if, his porpaons had nob'beeri effectual hi saving many souls »§;.' at lea^,%ad beeix the,nieans, '.t through the n marriage service,!' 1 of 1 bringing- uiany/ people"to (<< Wstfate of repentance r tw*» .' .» »