The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1891. NEWFOUNDLAND.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2180, 26 March 1891, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1891. NEWFOUNDLAND.

I We are fortunate in this colony in j having no foreign neighbors to quarrel with. If we had we should find the Mother Country not the gentle, kind, loving parent we are so fond of making ourselves believe she is, but a veritable step-mother, if she were to treat us as she is treating Newfoundland at the present time. The only trouble we have, and we are likely to have, is the yellow plague of China, and so far as that is concerned England will not allow us to do exactly as we wish. We have no other trouble on hand in this colony, but we can sympathise with Newfoundland inasmuch as that we know if we had been in the same position we should be treated exactly in the same way. Newfoundland is the oldest British colony in the world, and has had responsible government, much like our own, since 1832. The country was discovered in 1497 by the great French navigator John Cabot, and the first settlement was formed there in 1621 by Sir Q-eorge Calvert. In 1708 the French partly conquered the country, but a few years afterwards England obtained full sovereignty over it under the articles of a treaty, and has retained it ever since. The area of Newfoundland is over 40,000 square miles, and the population about 200,000 souls. The interior of the country has not been touched yet, but a railway has just been commenced to open up what is said to bp splendid agricultural and pastoral land, and consequently the people are looking forward to prosperous times. The chief industry is fishing, in which about one-third of the whole population is engaged, and it is over this the whole trouble has arisen. By some old treaty, which is about J7O years old, the French have some fishing rights there, and baye freon pushing these rights further than tfre pojpnjals wish lately. This is especially the case with regard to lobster-fishing, which has been specially cultivated by the colonists in a place .where the right to fish m disputed. Last year it will be remembered that tfre dispute took a very serious tqrp, wb.efl the j colonists began to arm themselves to 1 defend their rights against French : encroachments. Efforts have since been made to settle the dispute, and as one time it was said that the English (government bad given some I place in Africa to the French on condition that the Newfoundland fishing i rights were ceded. Now the English : Government want to settle the matter j by arbitration; the colonials decline, and the latest proposal is to pass a Coercion Act compelling them to do so. This is a high-handed arbitrary step, and one winch is nor. j to promote loyalty amongst colonists \

iriywhere. If we in this colony had jeen similarly situated we would have jeen similarly treated, for all the jolonies are the same to England, and sve should think it very hard if we were forced to submit to foreigners coming in and monopolising our means of living. There is no doubt but the matter is fraught with some difficulty, but the proper way to settle it is to give the French land in Africa or somewhere else in consideration of giving up their rights in Newfoundland. This, however, England will not do, because someone at headquarters is interested in any land which could be given, and his interests must be studied before those of the poor colonists England’s policy is a foolish one. Ihe United States is anxiously watching her opportunity to secure dominior over all North America, and there car be no doubt but she would willingly take Newfoundland under her pro tection in the hope that Canada wouh soon follow. England could not g< about driving Newfoundland into th< arms of the United States mon effectually than. by adopting th< proposed coercive measures. Not onl; that, but it would send Canada head long to the United States, too. Wha would Canada think if she saw Britisl bayonets enforcing coercive measure in Newfoundland ? She would simpl say, “It will be my turn next, but shall not wait to be thus treated,” an she would throw in her lot with th United States. Many'* of the othe American colonies would soon follow and then England would realise he foolishness, as she did 100 years ag when she lost the United States.

“JUDGE” EDWARDS.

“Judge” Eewaeds still supplies pablum for the quidnuncs. The Otago Daily Times recently made a very severe attack on the present Government on the ground that they are to blame for the whole muddle because they did not allow the appointment to be confirmed by the late Government. It is really amusing to find* the whole blame thrown on the shoulders of Messrs Ballance, Beeves, and the other Ministers because the late Government were not able to legalise their illegal transactions This certainly approaches clos ly the height of assurance. This brought out Sir Eobert Stout, who in a letter to the Otago Daily limes held that “ Judge ’’ Edwards was no Judge because his appointment was illegal. No doubt with the view of paying off a part of the debt be owes to the late Government for having settled him very comfortably for life in the Legislative Council, Mr Downie Stewart rushed into the breach to defend Judge Edwards’ appointment. He says it is perfectly legal, but we must confess that his arguments were extremely feeble. Passing that point by, there can be no doubt but that the Edwards business is a gross piece of scandal. All the other five Judges told the late Government that there was no necessity for a sixth Judge—yet in the face of this they saddled the country with £2500 a year by making the appointment. This is the way they carried on retrenchment! It is alleged that the legality of Mr Edwards’ appointment will soon be tested, as the friends of some prisoner who has been sentenced by him contemplate moving for a writ of habeas corpus to get the prisoner out )f gaol on the ground that be was sentenced by a Judge who was not properly appointed. If so, the case will prove interesting in more ways than one, and it will relieve the Government of some disagreeable work, for if Mr Edwards is pronounced no Jndge the whole question will be settled.