The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17,1883. THE COUNTY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1537, 17 November 1883, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17,1883. THE COUNTY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

The career of the County Settlers' Association so far has been an unqualified success. It has, however, been sailing in comparatively smooth water, and the rocks it will have to navigato are still ahead. We hope it will weather thorn, because it has already done good by infusing some little political life into tho community, and if it survives it will probably do more than this—it will stimulate other districts to organise in a similar manner and create a public sentiment in the country districts which lias hitherto not been very apparent, Mr Hawkins hit upon a truth when he declared that Ministers sought to pleaso large towns and were comparatively indifferent to the opinions of country settlers. If political unions, such as settlers' associations, become common in New Zealand, Ministers will have to consider the country equally with the big towns. Our own Association has gone so far as to record an unanimous vote of censure on the land administration of the present Government. Tho next question is whether it is in favor of turning the Government out of office 1 Mr Hawkins has evidently made up his mind on this, but other members of the Association will hesitate a good deal before proceeding to such a length, The Ministry is getting into disfavor, but people want to know what men are to succeed it] For Our own part, if we thought Sir George Grey were likely to again come into offiee we would do all in our power to keep tho Atkinson Ministry in office.. While sensible of grave faults on the part, of the present occupants of the Ministerial benches, we know by experience thai' there are "lower; depths," that there have been in the past more reckless and imprudent cabinet ministers than any who are now in office, If Mr Montgomery could form a decent Ministry wo should not be sorry to see himin power for a time, He Is not abril-

liant man, but he. riyjit^uTiWp^^^ regret Lad K; p eii'Mof seel ut st'oii"' &fe tionso that refle'cti'ons'jme of tTieliiisty; : aiid!j§c|i Eidered changes they have about during their term of power,- ,'lt. ia rather a humiliating position_ to New Zealand -that there, should ;bo only one public man—Major ATKiNsqif —who :can,- be. trusted ito' : foriA-"ji Ministry, Wo ought to have at least one spare, man to take his place when occasion requires.;. We are not certain that we possess ;a= second; man fit for the premiership, l but the hour, very often briny the'' man. ; TheAssociation will we. trust; take:sbme c .depidqd.'cptirse. Is.tHe prdseht Ministry hopelessly demoralised i If so, let the Association; do its best to turn it out. If, on the other handj it is capable of being-.improved, of being 1 brought into harmony not only with public feeliug iri big towns, but .with the'■ public sentiment in country: dis--tricts, then let it be the task of tho Association to use its influence to bring tho;Ministry:to: its'- bearing's.' There will be some division of opinion in the Association on such points; but wc hopo the members of it will not be deterred, from taking' a vote .upon, thorn. •■•'•■'.■• "".,