The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1879.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 232, 7 August 1879, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1879.

"We must suppose that there are Liberals and Liberals. We believe all the candidates coining forward to contest the Wairara-pa election will hoist Liberal colors, Mr Beethara professes Liberal views, Mr Bunny is a 'pronounced Liberal, Mr Pharazyn is an extreme .Liberal in theory if not in practice, and Mr Charles Booking Carter, after travelling round the world, ■will probably return with not a bit of Liberalism rubbed off his old coat. We wish the word Liberal could be left out of the election, as misguiding, delusive, nnd embarrassing. We arc all Liberals in the colony, and even if one section of the community comes forward and calls itself the great Liberal party, it does not get over the difficulty. Another section has as much right to call itself" the greater Liberal party," and a third, possibly, would would then come out as " the greatest Liberal party." If we are to have three parties it might be a distinction to call them respectively the great, the greater, and the greatest Liberal party, but then we think, in common honesty, they ought to draw lots for the biggest prize of greatest, as it could hardly be awarded according to merit. We are not quite sure that before the election is over we shall not have in the Wairarapa " an Immense Liberal party," and if it be possible to go fceyoud this we shall probably iind some man willing to go even to a greater and still more ridiculous length. We trust, however, that sensible people will not be misled by catchwords, or allow themselves to be carried off their feet and heads by unmeaning party cries. There are serious matters at the present time which demand careful consideration,/ The Native difficulty f« I

The finances of the colony are embarrassed, Employment throughout the colony is scarce, Day by day the muster roll of bankruptcy and assignments grows larger and larger. New tees are being laid upon us which are hard to bear. Arc these things the outcome of the triumph of the great Liberal party? Are these tilings the result of the three years' administration of the Grey Government 1 If so, Liberalism will soon be a word of reproach and shame rather than of triumph, A public meeting is convened in the Town Hall, Masterton, for Saturday next to sound, we presume, the key note of the election. What that key note will be we do not venture to say. It is rnmoral that Mr Bunny and Mr Carter are to combine forces as Liberal giants, but knowing that these gentlemen have no very strong regard for one another, we doubt the consummation of the union, and if Mr Carter's friends have pledged him to the match we fear fcliey will find they have been too precipitate, Then, again, it is said that Mr A W. Kenall is not unwilling to come forward if the public voice of the public meeting calls him forth. As lie has the confidence of small farmers, old settlers, and the working classes to a considerable extent the call will probably bo made, and lie will sound the key note. Wo sincerely trust that the key note will be something more original than a Liberal peal or appeal. We arc, like everybody else, linn believers in Liberalism, but just now the thing tastes bitter and smells nasty. After three years of Liberal triumph the country is rotten and bankrupt, employment scarce, and wages low, If this is Liberalism we would be glad of a little Conservatism for a change. Mr Renall might give us something better than Liberalism, lie has. seen fertile spots in many parts of this provincial district successfully colonised and settled, He has watched for a quarter of a century the English working grub go through all its stages from its arrival in New Zealand till it came forth as a butterfly colonial fanner. If lie can teach the people now to make the metamorphis, ho may benefit his fellow settlers, Liberalism is just about to borrow five millions more to till up public worlcs gaps and keep salaries going, We ask Mr llcnall if 50,000 families could not be successfully settled on land in I\ T ew Zealand with such a sum, and whether the successful settlement on land of such a host of sons of toil would not be better than spending the money in steam-engines, We like to see old settlers of experience and capacity come forward as Mr llcnall is now doing, especially if they avoid foolish pclitical cries which have little meaning, and stick to those practical questions of settlement and colonisation which they really understand both in theory and practice. If Mr Renall must have a party let him start a country party or "a Small .Farm movement," and leave Liberalism alone for unsuccessful politicians to cherish.

We are glad to notice that Mr J. S. F. Holmes, one of the candidates for the Masterton Hiding, has published an address iu which he indicates his opinion on county matters. It is satisfactory to find that lie is favorable to counties relieving the Government of certain responsibilities which can be better attended to by the local administration. . On the relative position of Counties and Highway Districts he is silent. The importance of the County system in the future depends mainly on its relationship, lir?fc, with the General Government, and, secondly, with Highway Districts, and on these two points the views of candidates must be of interest to the electors. MrD. McGregor in an address published in our issue of yesday is much more explicit on the future relations of Counties with Highway Boards, and he deserve credit for facing a difficulty which is hardly yet perceptible, but but which is certain to grow larger month by month and year by year. Highway Boards are, iu the Wairarapa, both popular and efficient, and to hint that they will at some future date be merged into the Comities is not likely to bo well received in many quarters. But, may vre ask, is there any other solution of the difficulty ! Is it possible for strong Counties and vigorous Highway Boards to co-exist permanently ? The question is ouo that will presently be forced upon the consideration of country settlers, and wo regard it as an advantage that so intelligent a man as Mr McGregor should raise the point, so that it may receive long and careful consideration, and men's minds will be prepared either to adopt the alternative proposed by Mr McGregor or to suggest some other course. County bodies are now more or less in a state of transition, but it is essential that they should be reduced to a condition of permanency j ill order to secure efficiency ;md development. We expressed, a few days ago, an opinion that the interests of the Riding would be better served by the return of Mr D. McGregor, simpiy because this candidate has proved himself to be an efficient public man; and the other aspirant for county honors—Mr Holmes—is as yet unknown to fame in political life. The former is a journeyman; the latter can only be regarded as an apprentice. The Upper Valley is not so strongly represented at the Council tlmt it can afford to put in an apprentice when a journeyman is obtainable. • Of course, every public man lias, at some time or other to serve an apprenticeship to pnblic life, and we are always glad to sec any settler outer upon his novitiate—we are always pleased to see another volunteer step forward to recruit our somewhat thin ranks of public men. From this point of view we thank Mr Holmes for coming to the front, and hope, sooner or later to see him enrolled in that noble army of martyrs which devotes time and ability to the public service of the colony. But in the present instance there is a special reason why a journeyman should be preferred. Anyone familiar with the 'personnel' of the present county members, must be aware that the Lower Valley section of it is stronger in influence and debating power than the Northern portion of it: if, at the present juncture a strong man is not sent into the field, the County will be too much likfi the Bridgenorth election," all on one side." It is for this reason that we recommend the electors to return Mr D. McGregor, because we know him to be strong man, In doing so we are unselfish, because should Mr McGregor take a seat in the County Council he would probably more or less give up his work in the Bofough, and

The KM, Court sits atMasterton to-day We call attention to an advertisement in another column of scholarships offered by tlie Education 'Board, and open to the children attending tbo schools in this district,

Tor some reason or other which has not transpired, the Greytown Borough Council did not hold its usual, fortnightly meeting on Monday last.

The only case decided at the R.M. Court at Caiiei'ton yesterday, • was James Baggerly v. G. Whitakery Debt, £1 8s Od Judgement for amount and costs The Greytown Rifle Volunteers paraded on Tuesday evening for inspection, which they passed satisfactorily. There were a good number present, and after inspection they were marched out, and had some blank cartridge practice.

The first creditors' meeting in the estate of Thomas Hope Murray, farmer, of Te Ore Ore, was held on Tuesday afternoon at the Supreme Court. Mr. Vile was voted to the chair. A large number of creditors wore present in person and by proxy. Mr. Buckley represented the bankrupt. The proceedings resulted in in the appointment of Mr, Sellars as trustee. The assets were stated at £5193 5s Id, and the liabilities £2391 lis Id.

. Some of our Scandinavian subscribers misunderstood us the other day when we said that Mr Beetham would not stand with Mr Bunny. We did not mean that Mr Beetham would not stand at all, but that lie would bo in opposition to Mr Bunny. Mr Beetham is against Sir George Grey. Mr Bunny is for linn. Perhaps our Scandinavian friends are not aware that recently Sir George Grey denounced the introduction of Scandinavian immigrants into the colony. They will be able to judge for themselves whether they will or will not vote for a Sir George Grey candidate.

It is stated that on account of ill-health Mr George Hunter will not seek re-elec-tion to the House of Represetatives. By an error in a late issue, the great turnip grown ot Gladstone was put. down at 271b., whereas its weight was 371b. Home papers please copy. An excited correspondence sends us the following " The Featherston Local Board is ploughing up the town. They are going to lay it down in grass next year The ratepayers are very indignant and threatening to seize the ploughs and send the members of the Board down to Wellington jail, to take their trial with the other Maoris, The streets are in a terrible state; they have not commenced to plough the foot paths until the dry weather a'f the horses would bog In Fox-street boards are laid along as the foot paths are impassable; the street is connected by shingle paths 9 inches wide. The Board got hold of £3OO from the Government to keep them from ploughing, but fresh teams are put on in ft out of the new bank; great excitement in the township.

the taro plalited, and wliilo doing so were •attacked by their opponents. A sort of free fight ensued, and ono man was killed by two blows from a club, and another seriously injured, The chiefa of the two towns appear to be more to blame than their followers, who only obeyed their orders, All parties concerned in the fray have been taken into custody, and no doubt those most deserving will receive well-merited punishment.