The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1884. THE GOVERNMENT MEASURES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1819, 21 October 1884, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1884. THE GOVERNMENT MEASURES.

O - The Lyttelton Times, which supports the Stout-Vogel Ministry, aptly illustrates the strength of the Government by declaring that they " have bound their measures together in one solid block of policy, and are steadily driving that policy through the House of Representatives as a whole, The policy' consists of a number of measures, each ot which has fanatical adherents. The result of binding them together is that each fanatical adherent of each Bill has to become a fanatical adherent of the whole bundle. Some protest, and the Opposition rages, but the business of the country goes on. It is the first time during; a large number of yeara that a Government has had bold ideas for the advancement of the country, the determination to place them into the run of business, and the intelligence to make them sure of success." This description gives the favorable view of the Government policy. The reverse side of the picture would be to point out the element of jobbery which pervades the whole scheme, Sir Julius Vogel is certainly displaying a generalship of which Major Atkinson is incapable. If it leads to the advancement of the colony the colossal jobbery incidental to the carrying out of his plans will be forgiven. We are taking, as it were, a big risk, and in calling upon Sir Julius Yogel's aid we were well aware that we were committing the colony to a speculative venture, If the direct and indirect borrowing that is being authorised during this session in connection with railway construction, and a perfect shoal of harbor board bills were all added up into a grand total a good many who are regarding the career of the new Ministry with complacency would be Bomewhat frightened. The colony, however is committed to a policy of progress, and the close of this session will, as it were be only the beginning of the work. Our new ventures will Drove a source of embarrassment rather than profit to New Zealand unless steps are taken to increase the productiveness of the soil and the number of settlers on it in a corresponding degree, If Sir Julius Yogel's policy is to bear fruit we shall want next year to see active measures taken to settle people on the land, and to furnish them with a system of local self government which will enable the Waste Lands of the colony to be profitably occupied, The Grand Trunk Line through the North Island will, for example, be only another millstone round the neck of the colony unless it is fed by settlement, and a speedy and satisfactory settlement cannot be secured without efficient local self-government powers, The policy of this session entails a serious addition to the burdens of the colony, and unless this is met by a considerable increase in the productive power of the land we shall have blacker clouds ahead of us' m the future than any which have overshadowed us in the past, [We do not desire to see the progressive policy on which the colony has .entered? checked or reversed. On the contrary jt is necessary to supplement the steps already taken by further ones in the direction of settling the land and establishing some simple but effective forms of local self-government which I

will open up and maintain the lines of communication, which are essential as feeders for new railways and new harbor works.