The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1880.

Temuka Leader, Issue 224, 15 January 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1880.

A IEEP lethargy seems to have taken possession of the whole political New" Zealund world'. Like the usual calm which follows the storm, the violent action of the machinery has so overheated it, that it needs rest. The iest,however,is dangerous to health of the national constitution, as dangerous as a sudden cessation after violent action on the part of the mind, or the body of the human macliiue. It is dange.ousin many ways : dangerous—Fivsi., because while the e.."-" hausted party may be sleeping the enemy may be sowing tares ; dangerous, because for want of vigilance much mischief ni?,y be done, that cannot afterwards be remedied, and dangerous because it -leads to. indolence, which, in it's tarn leads to neglect and a waste of precious time. New Zealand just now needs to be on its watch tower. The attempt by the Governine.rit to buy up the distiict railways' shows what "unscrupulous men who are not burdened with a too tender conscience will do. The attempt to perpetrate such /monstrous job shows how far the present Government can be truster. in power by four or five individuals who sold their birthright for a fancied advantage, the country may rest assured that any men who could thus barter this right j on the one hand,and the party, who could j so, with open aims, receive such traitor*?, tan not safe to be left plone to do as they choose.. That Auckland was promised some particular, advantage in exchange for her support no one doubts, and- the very 6ibt; oppbVtimity ' which tha Government lay hands-.upon ,wiU bo used to fulfil mien. pr>>misq>.,An effort njay at first be made to do'something that wilt not bring it under the ban of the House, but if need be it .wili adopt the advice given, by the pater, nal fahter, honestly if we can but by any means do it. We have often wondered at the apathy of the colony «t this attempt on the part of Mr Hall and his friends to bolster up a band of adventurers who ruehed into such extensive speculations to enhance the value of their own property. Many wondered how these district rail, ways wtre started ; the immediate necessity for such was not apparent, and the prospect of every one of them being a payable speculation was in the opinion of commercial men, very remote indeed Now. the whole thing isoHt: the promoters were men who were possessed of large properties in the viciuity of such railways, to enhance the value of such was their aim. When we state this we give a due to the whole cause of Mr Hall's auccenß, to the determined effort of a certain class in Christchurch and elsewhere, and to the principal reason for Mr Hall's de. scending from, the Legislative Council to enter the arena of public politics anew, as the champion of Conservatism. One thing we wonder at, that the Minister for . Public Works would have allowed him- ,' sulf to be thus-dxawri aside from the path of commercial morality. The Hon. Mr has ever borne a high character for dealings ; how he could have

gono so fur i:< a puzzle to us, Even Mr Rolleston.wo always considered ahonst inan. Their leader mnst have used great ingenuity in throwing so much dust in tl.eir even a*-to blind 'hem to adopt such ;m iniquitous courso. It is Romo comfort, however, fco find that thorn was Hufli'ient honesty in the House as to put. a stop at oTice to such nefarious practices But although baulked '"in a first attempt, tha enemy will agnin return to the charge, The promoters of those lines now see that they have put their foot in it (to usaa colonial expression) " ruin stares them in the face,'' and we may rest assured every effort will be mide to saddle the country with this " white elephant." Is it not time, therefore that Liberal politicians wore put upon their guard, lest they be caught napping? The friends of the Conservatives are not saying much about their leader's justness. Ev.m they or some of them were at first si locked at the boldness of their leader ; but a second onoountor may (as often is the caße) le.id tho lovera of fair dealings to givo way. DuriDg the respite that is now given to the ministers of the Crown, politicians may rest assured that every offort will be mado to make their fortifications invulnerable. Yet the old saying—"theracois not always to the bwif.t, nor battle to tho strong," may bo found a certified fact in their case. There are public men yet in New Zealand j who will not tolerate such-selfish proceedings, and it may be that after the breathing time is over, tho war may be renewed with redoubled energy and determination to sweep the cabinet free of such drags to tho progress of tho colony- In-a few months,Assembly meejta again. The pre - sent is too busy a time for any organisation of forces, but it would be well for the forces to keep under drill, so that when thf term for mustering comes again, they may be ready to fall into their places with the least possible delay. The schemes of the lute Government will shortly be put to the test, some of which will doubtless open the eyes of the people to the fact that they Are to be unnecessarily mulcted in a good share of their income and in many cases havd-working men will have to contribute the 1 " 1 * quota, who have no income at all. Tho Property Tax, unless the Government withdraw it, must come into operation soon, and the iuquisitorial nature of the same cannot fail to open the eyes of the victims to the stat-i of things, which hithertoi they have ndt troubled themselves to enquire about.