The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 929, 19 November 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1881.

Mr BucnANAN in his published speech took a broad view of local self-govern-ment in declaring that it was one for town, as well as for country settlers to determine, He is right in preferring Major Atkinson scheme to that ot Mr Ormond, but we trust that when Parliament meets, an honest effort williie made to carve out a better one than either. His views on the land question are sound as well as liberal, and we concur in his suggestion for the appointment of a minister of agriculture. He is of course a hearty supporter of the new Rabbit Act, and he has been fortunate in putting the measure before his hearers in such a way that they could not as rational men refuse to admit its necessity. On the railway tariff question he considers that the local effort made a short time ago to obtain a general reduction of the tariff was highly imprudent. We expressed a similar opinion at the time. The fault did not lie in discussing such questions at a public mepting; this is always a gain, but in taking hasty action beforoall sides of the question had been fully considered. We quite concur with Mr Buchanan in preferring a property to an income-tax, although we are opposed to both, believing that a new country like New Zealand ought to manage without such levies. The tone of Mr Buchanan's', speech is an excellentione; He is no croaker! He

and takes a cheerful view of its future, He is confident and self reliant, and should he be returned to the House his force of character and industry would make him one of the most useful and influential members in it.