Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1880.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 91120, 21 May 1880, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1880.

On this day week remarkable symptoms of spasmodic vitality were exhibited by tho people of Nelson in public meeting assembled. Some of the great men of that usually peaceful and apathetic locality made speeches which, taking Into account the place where they were delivered, may almost be termed inflammatory. According to these orators the New Zealand Sleepy Hollow has been treated with the grossest neglpct l>y successive Governments, in the matter of public works expenditure, and the time has come when a bold game must be played to ensure different usage for the future, and perhaps some sort of compensation for the past. The speechifying does not seem to have been wanting in apparent earnestness, which might lead people unacquainted with the facts to believe that the truth was being spoken, and that Nelson has suffered such grievous wrong as to warrant extreme"?measures on her part to secure its redress. The crowd applauded to the echo, and at leDgth relieved their overwrought feelings by unanimously passing the following resolution :— " That inasmuch as the Nelson district has not received its share of the expenditure under the public works policy, although in common with those of the whole colony its inhabitants have had to contribute towards the whole of the expenditure, this meeting hereby calls on the representatives of this constituency to strenuously oppose any Government, by all constitutional means, till justice is meted out to Nelson in the matter of public works." It is very fortunate that such a safety-valve as the above was discovered in time, for without it there is ho telling what these furious and benighted market gardeners might not have been goaded on to at» tempt. They would evidently not have stuck at trifles, and, following the example set them in Otago many years ago by Mr Vogel— not then a X.O.M.G.— they might have threatened to plunge the colony into a civil war for the purpose of obtaining their " rights." Speaking seriously, everybody at the meeting appears to have been in a great rage, and much elaborate scolding was got through in a manner which was satisfactory to those who were present. The terrible resolution in which all this expenditure of wind was finally focussed, is untruthful in its first half, and thoroughly disreputable in its second. It assumes that the Nelson district has been neglected in the public works expenditure, tut this at once suggests the question — How should that expenditure he apportioned to the various parts of the colony ? Is it to be on present, or probable future population, on customs revenue, or gold or wool export, or land sales, or on the necessities of the district, as measured by the residents themselves? Judged by any standard but the last, Nelson has received far more than her share of loan expenditure, and the last standard is obviously one which cannot be accepted by disinterested judges. But in our view of the case, the expenditure on public works ought not to be apportioned ou any one or on all of the above Labe.s. Public money is. set apart for the use of the colony as a whole, and iv its appropriation to varU ous works and localities ilie general good of the colony should never be lost sight of. Jt is no answer to this to say th.it such a rule has never yet been put in force. Uut as a fact, although there have beuu notable exceptions, the general good had been the guiding priueiple, and where that consideration has been departed fioin mise'iiei' am! ]o«s j !i:ive ulmoft inv.u ia!.;y ensued. A suilicient aut-wu 1 t'i ihe howls (.■!' the Nti-ion ni'i-ti'.g is. thiii :i Ju.gtT ex- ; lvi". c in I" ; i.-iiii" v.i.u 1 - 1 . nc i jmVi! j<a:d — »>i,iilil li.ivy ri nulled in iv.;-, to the colony, anil w.,uld liavo left utii'.T important auJ remunerative

works in abeyance. The basis of the resolution is therefore cut away. Tho Nelson people have in reality nothing to complain of, and have therefore no occasion for a remedy. But if we suppose for a moment that there has been neglect — that in Nelson the general interests of the colony have been allowed to suffer — still tho resolution is unjustifiable. The people of Sleepy Hollow say, "We have been badly treated in the past and therefore we call on our representatives in Parliament to strenuously oppose any Government, by all constitutional means, till justice is meted out to Nelson in tho mattcrof public works." We never before heard of representatives being hampered by such insolent and extravagant instructions. If they really embody not only the sentiments and wishes of those present at the meeting, but of tho electors generally, tho members for the Nelson district should show their sense of the indiguity put on them as units of the Legislature by vacating their seats and allowing Little Pedlington to send to Parliament persona holding views more iv accordance with their own. The resolution makes it clear that those who pnssijd it have no regard for the progress* and welfare of the colony, aud that even for Nelson itself they wish and hope for nothing but a larger expenditure of public money. Their representatives are instructed to oppose everything that comes before Parliament until Nelson's money' craving shall have [ been supplied. There are no exceptions whatever to the sweeping and disreputable mandate. Nelson is to be auctioned like an old chest of drawers, and knocked down to the highest bidder. These are politics with a vengeance, and show that the geographical isolation of Sleepy Hollow has already liad the effect of blinding the residents to an apprehension of their duties as citizens. To them none of the great questions of the day is of any interest whatever. Give them money, and they will agree to anything and everything ; refuse their demands and for all they care the country may go to the dogs. If tho Nelson members are base enough to accept the ignominious trust which it is thus attempted to impose on them, they will assuredly achieve nothing but total failure in their efforts to carry out the wishes of their constituents. We can scarcely understand such dense ignorance of the financial position of tho colony as is displayed in the resolution of last week. Supposing that the speakers at the meeting had made out the clearest case of gross wrong and neglect with regard to public works expenditure in N elson, there would have been not the slightest hope of obtaining redress. They would have been compelled to content themselves with, lamentations over their ill-fortune, or could, have- availed themselves of a splendid opportunity for the forgiveness of injuries. Cash out of the Treasury they could not have obtained, because there is none in it. But they have no grievance, and we {should hope that, for the sake of their own respectability, the Nelson members will abstain from a process of stonewalling which could by no possibility lead to a good result, but would simply bring down on them the ridicule and contempt of all rightthinking people.