The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1890.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3617, 18 September 1890, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1890.

If the Atkinson Ministry is to bo ■ judged by its works during the session which has now closed very little can be pot to its credit, It maybe said that if it has done little- in has at least been out of mischief, and has kept the Opposition at bay. It is, however, hardly fair to judge the . Ministry by a closing session iu which exceptional difficulties have had to be faced by a sick Premier, and somewhat sorry colleagues. If, instead, the Ministry be judged by the term of its existence, by the three years of its power, much may be said in its favor. It is true that there was a bad initial blunder in the selection of Mr Q, Fisher for office, and generally speaking Sir Harry'Atk'inßon made some curious and Indisoreet choices when he formed his Ministry. There was a reason, however, why he did not take the best men in his party, and this was that he deaired to please the people, to propitiate the democracy, and a nice mess he made of this business. The Lyttelton Times, a leading Liberal organ, ridiculed this attempt on the part of Sir Harry to popularise his Cabinet, and called it'? the blup shjrt Mjpistry." But,' apart from these blunders, lias not Sir Harry succeeded in the majn in carrying out tl|e task to whioh ho set Jiis hand? TJiree years ago lie promised effective and substantial retrenchment, and it must be admitted that ho labored hard to fulfil the pledge. Again he promised to give settlers a choice of tenure in purchasing land, and this promise has' been kept and has generally been regarded as a great bopn. fyy |}]p working men and men of linked weajwlip hayo acquired Oiwn lands. He" also has redeemed, a promise he made to unlock native lands wllich had been tied up injudioiously by Mr Ballance. Again he promised to remove the railways from political control, and this engagement has been fulfilled and every man in the colony is thankful for the ohange, These were the salient points of Sir Harry Atkinson's policy when lie took office three years'ago, and whatever mistakes ho may hayp committed, it is only fair to .cbncedp" t'haji as a practical politician he hag made his mark and scored a success. We find some fault witl) blm -■ fop' the democratic tendencies ana- for the unwise manner in whioh lie selected the tools for the work he undertook, but he certainly has succeeded iu accomplishing the work, and though he may now be ill and worn out he probably is a more capable Premior whon sick than filiy other man in the'Housewouldbewhenliale and well

i FoßXY'yoarß ago, in an Amerioan Bketob, G. A. Sala desoribed a Metbsm preacher bailed up by a pugilistic blaokamith who had made it his : forte to whip -all the brethren that came near his smithy. "Will you take it fighting, or will you take it tying down?" pdthe blacksmith,and tor hia surprise the minister said he would take it fighting, and forthwith opmmenced tsrain a shower, of blows on the proboscis of the man of iron who finally sucoumbed to the ministerial persuader, and at the next meeting of the brethren was led to the penitent form as a covert. The message of the Commissioners to the Railway Executive, published in our last issue, reminds us of this old jam. The Executive clearly expected the Commissioners "to take it lying down" but the latter to their consternation prefer to " take it fighting," and this they did not bargain for. Still, those that play at bowls meet with rubbers. The Commissioners had in the first instance been attacked and retreated in order to put themselves into a position of defence. When they recoiled from the first blow aimed at them by the Executive the. la tter concluded that they were "taking it lying down" and acted accordingly. They have now found out : their mistake and will no doubt in due oourso be brought .to. the penitent form. Fighting has been forced upon the Commissioners,'and if they hit hard they will not have to hit often, After this bout they will have no trouble in matiagiug the lines. They have shown that they possess grit and backbone, and even our political jelly fishes will be indispqseo} to meddle with them.