The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 1883. THE ROCK AHEAD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1417, 29 June 1883, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 1883. THE ROCK AHEAD.

: The'sensation Bill of the' present session is reported to be the New Zealand Native Lands Settlement Company Bill authorising the said Company to extend its operations over the North Island of New Zealand, and to change the situation of its registered Office, and -to acquire and hold lands as trustees or agents, and to manage lauds on terms to be arranged with the owners thereof, and to guarantee payment of liabilities of persons transferring lands to it, and to purchase i its shaves voluntarily and compulsorily, and to borrow money, and to issue debentures,' and 1 create debenture 1 stock, and to ■ mortgage its lands and unpaid capital, and to contract with the Crown or the''-Minister of public works,.or the public officer for the 'Construction of Roads, bridge,, and works, and to appear' in the Native Land Court by counsel, agents, and witnesses, and to make application thereto,,to, haye its interest in land 'defined and vested in itsel;', nnd ,to: amalgamate with other companies, and to confer and vary other rights, powers, and privileges. We understand that the object of this bill is to enable a certain Auckland ring, j of which one Mr Thomas Russell is supposed to be the presiding genius, a ' iiaiiye"iands i of th'e Nortiilsland; We ■are told the promoters of this company have aunexed the Poverty Bay Land 1 Company, and are-' even ''absorbing Sydney Taiyyhanga's project, that they are in'a position, as it were, to do the whole of the landjobbiiigof thislslaud, Two millions of capital is 'supposed'to • be ; a't their command, and with this they will 'buy lands' and bring out ;and settle their territories. .Their objects are philanthropic,;',but at, ;the same time we need hardly saythey intend making " a' pile" out of' the : l)usinessi : ; Now, wo have not, tjie : slightest objection to this or any other company raising money for colonisation purposes, we do not object to siee Maori territory converted into homesteads for men : who are fcapable of doing justice to tHe soil. ' We do not even grudge a jCompany like the .one;• in question : the :handsonie'profit which its promoters anticipate. ■ J As a'private enterprise ! it has .ourbest wishes, but - when it'approaches Parliament for special legislation to carry but its designs we cannot be too guarded. The. question that n&turally arises when Parliament is asked to give exciusivo privileges to a private company is whether the great Thomas Russell is able to bend the legislature of the colony to carry out his will, and if so whether the real king of New Zealand is the legislative Council, the House of Represen'the people, or a wealthy private: gentleman. A question of 'principle' is involved in this issue which will practically determine the value of our parliamentary institutions, and the character of our'publife men. . Of course it . is out of the, question to suppose that any ordinary man or. any ordinary Company should be invested with exceptional powers by let of Parliament, but oah a principle which t bars concessions .of such , a oharticter be waived or broken, at the instance'of a big company officered by a big individual. If any (small',Company "or " any, 1 uriinfluential peraon approached Parliament for special 'legislation; in ordor to 'acq'iiire. Native nd^itjor,lie would, be* 1 simply,•laflgHed 1 ,. at. Will our Parliament.take, ,upi;the' position - that' it will concede to. a .'jßf^ltir^- ; corpqfatioii, thaiwliictij ( i£ would I refuse, to fi poor, it will bend to the will of a colonial Crcesus, biit be m .adamant man.ofsmall this colossi Bill divided the ,llouse' jintoWw.ilines.'-f lts promoters be denied,-and theil' .chances'of success j may, uW deemed Wte fair! We shall probably

see when it is before the Houae which avo the real and which are ehara purists amongst our, Legislators, and we shall , find, out&whether I ', our parliamentary virtue ran )vithstandUmptation. r We hope tteVMinistiy andLegislaturewill come well- through, -this ordeal, and be able to'fesiaftlie tempter.