NEW APPOINTMENTS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2156, 29 January 1891, Page 2

NEW APPOINTMENTS.

The Government Gazette to hand yesierday contains the uamee of 105 new Justices of the Peace. Amongst these are only three Canterbury men, viz, Rookwood Comport Bishop, of Christchurcb, William McMidan, and William Morgan, of Methven. There is one thing the late Government did before leaving office, and that was to make all the appointments possible. Not satisfied with flioding the L'gislative Council with their purchasable political supporters, they have «lso flooded the Magisterial Bench with others of the same class. The very fact that out of the 105 new Justices of the Peace oniy three have been allotted to Canterbury shows that the appointments have been made through political favoritism. Canterbury has been most determinedly opposed to the Atkinson regime, and consequently Canterbury has been punished in this way. Really the way the Atkinsonian party behaved during the last days of office looks as if they had £>iven up all hopes of ever again returning to power, and were determined to do as much as possib'e for their friends in the short time at their disposal. The present Government are in this way deprived of cultivating the good-will of friends by confering favors on them. All the favors have already been conferred. Still there ought to be room for a few more Justices of the Peace in Canterbury, and as this province has stood well to this pirty they ought not allow it to be left out in the cold. If the doctrine of the "Spoil to the victors" is to apply to the appointment of a Justice of the Peace, then the present Government have as good a right to confer favors on friends as lheir predecessors. As regards the making of new appointments to the Legislative Council, we should suggest to the new Government to abstain from making any unless they find it really necessary to do so, If their measures are blocked in the Upper House the country will forgive them then for making fresh appointments, but not otherwisp. We hope, therefore, the reports about fresh appointments are not trup, as we brieve to add another to the Council would be very much opposed to the wishes of the country.