Wanganui Chronicle. AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4,1887.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 11631, 4 November 1887, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle. AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1887.

The seoond reading of the Wanganui Harbour Bill was carried in the House last night, on a division, by 39 to 31. If only aB a matter of courtesy, the second-reading might have been allowed to pass on the voices, bat, as if to emphasize Wellington hostility, Dr News man, the member for Thorndon, called for a division, with the. result stated above. It is hardly necessary to add that all the Wellington members voted against the bill. We regret exceedingly to pote that Mr Ballanoe invited further dismemberment of the rating district, by proclaiming his willingness to have that portion between the Wangaehu and Turakina struck out of the schedule. : Why did he do so ? It qould not have been to ensure the carrying oi the seoond reading, because we are very sure that it could have had no effect upon any hostile vote, save indeed that of the member for Waitotara. So fen: as we know, Mr Ballanoe had no authority for surrendering a portion of thft district, and certainly not for doing so before he was asked, The Harbour Board decided that the district should extend to Turakina, and Mr BallaDce has not played fair either to the board or the community in giving away a portion of their claim without making some show of ah attempt to retain it» In our opinion, the action whioh the member for Wanganui has taken is as absurd as it is suicidal. Suoh opposition as he has to face in the new House is not directed specially at Wanganui, or at any particular boundary lines of our rating district, but rather at the practice of local borrowing generally, and therefore the propitiatory sacrifice which Mr Ballance has offered up to the opposition is botb foolish and reprehensible. It is foolish, because, although intended to deprive the board of certain prospective revenue, it could accomplish no commensurate good ; and it is reprehensible, because it may be expected to have the effect oi hardening and intensifying local opposition, and because it puts into the mouths of antagonists ia the country a strongei argument than they have ever been able to weild before. If we had not before ue the remarks made by Mr Hutchison, we should have found it difficult to fathom the meaning of the line pursued by Mi Ballanoe, but it iB now made perfectly clear that the two members are simply playing in to each other's hands. Mr Hutchision took up the extraordinary position of warmly approving of the measure, but of declaring his inability to vote for it in its present state, beoause of a pledge he bad given to a section of hie constituents on the subject. In plain words, Mr Hutchison approves of the works, and approves of the bill, but in order to secure votes at the Turakina end of his constituency, during the late election, he promised the people of that district that he would not consent to any part of the Ilingitikei county being included in the Wanganui harbour district. If the principle is ad...issabla that all who object to being mii luded in a rating district are entitled to be left out, there will very soon be nothing left to rate. However, it seems to suit both Mr Hutchison and Mr Ballance just io promise as much and as little as they deem necessary, first to win their seats, and afterwards to keep them warm.