THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3748, 31 December 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1880.

It is well, that now the year 1880 is fast drawing to close, we should take a retrospective glance at the past twelve months, and the, various circumstances of general importance that have occurred. When the year was but a few hours old all parties were bound up in the political position of the country. The Grey Government had become a thing of the past, and the Hall Ministry'had obtained the reins of power. At that time people were engaged in discussing the chances of the various political parties, and while supporters of the existing Government boasted of their security, the Grey party were equally sure of upsetting them. When in their second term of office the Hon. Treasurer issued his financial statement, which gave rise to such columns of comment in the newspapers, and his earnest desire to place the finances of the colony in a more healthy condition, by cutting down expenses in the various Government departments, sent a thrill of uneasiness and apprehension through the various Government departments throughout the length and breadth of the colony. The Government servants looked at one another, and at first considered it as a rather, good joke, but later on, as discussions in the House arose as to the manner of reducing the salaries, and the amount to be deducted, the joke began to take a more serious exterior. The ten per cent, quickly followed, and was subsequently succeeded by an almost wholesale dismissal of overpaid and underworked civil servants. Happily, the Thames escaped this general slaughter, so far as dismissals are concerned; and we congratulate ourselves on not having Government employees thrown on our hands. The Hon. Mr Bryce who succeded Mr John Sheehan as Native Minister, inaugurated a different mode of procedure with refractory natives than his predecessor in office, and the first step towards overcoming Maori opposition was the force despatched to Parihaka, and the formation of the road through the Wuimate Plains, which will, we hope, ere long be under the proper care of European farmers.and men' whose ambition is to raise themselves above.the sensual and brutalisiog condition bo enjoyed by the Maoris.' Te Wif'ti, although by no means silent, is nor." not so obstructive as he was, and, although he still harangues his motley crew of dusky supporters, he carefully refrains from saying or doing anything which would place him in the grip of the law. The Thames has during the past year forwarded sufficient petitions to almost paper the House of Representatives, and hes obtained a quest.onab!# notoriety

by so doing. The Komata Poad difficulty still continues, and residents at the Aroha do not fail to anathematize Tukukino as lustily as their Thames brethren. The most deplorable circumstance that has occurred during the year was the brutal murder of Miss Dobie, who, poor your. 3 lady, was about to pursue her favourite amusement —sketching—when she was attacked by that unparalleled ruffian Tuhi, who paid the penalty of his crime on Wednesday morning. At Home, the country has passed through the throes of a general election; and the Liberal Gr rernment has completed its first sessic ■•... Mr Bradlaugh defied the law, by refusing to take the oath, such being contrary to his religious opinions, and his refusal gave rise to an almost interminable amount of discussion. Ireland is still in a state almost rivalling chaos, and everything appears to be in confusion in that country. The Land Question will prove a hard and difficult nut for our legislators at Home to crack, and great will no doubt be the excitement and interest taken in their deliberations. In Europe, Turkey has pursued the same obstructive policy, and the powers had much difficulty in preventing the followers of Mahomet coming into bellicose contact with the modern scions of Helen, and the combined fleet was I considered necessary to be present to force Turkey and her sensual ruler to submit to the conditions imposed by the Conference in connection with the TurlsoGreek frontier question. Russia has kept wonderfully quiet, and with the I exception of a conjectured clash of Russian and Chinese arms, she appears to have completely retired from the political arena. At the Cape, the colonists are again troubled with a rebellion by the Boers in the Transvaal, who have already succeeded lin gaining several slight victories. In Afghanistan affairs appear to be in a critical condition, but are said to be in a fair I way of settlement. America has changed her Government, and Garfield has been elected President in the place of Hayes. Coming nearer home, Australia has not escaped the general elective contagion, and Victoria has rejected Mr Service's Government, taking in preference that of Mr Berry. As to our own township, we have to look forward to the rapid development of the Te Aroha Goldfields, and trust that they will prove all that is hoped for. Our own gold returns appear to be about the same as last year, so we have not much cause to grumble in that resI pect. Let us now look forward to the New Year, trusting that the condition of things will improve, and that the infant I 1881 may be the herald of a better and more prosperous future, and that, when in the winter of old age, the year will be able to show us a more satisfactory retrospect than the year 1880 has left on the sands of Time. In conclusion, we cannot do I better than reiterate our wish to our readers made in our issue of the 24th— that they will all have a " Happy New Year."