PLACEMEN AND GOVERNMENT EXTRAVAGANCE.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 775, 11 February 1871, Page 2

PLACEMEN AND GOVERNMENT EXTRAVAGANCE.

Mr Bunny, in addressing the electors of Wairarapa, said :— " He objected to the native office altogether, and to our present mode of dealing with the natives, which they looked upon as the result of fear on our side, and while they hold this opinion native outbreaks would continue. The murper of Mr Todd was no murder in their eyes, but an emphatic declaration on their part that they woald not permit the survey of confiscated lands. At the commencement of the session of 1869, the natives were being successfully followed up, and were beginning to have a wholesome fear of us, but since then the case had been very different. If we showed a bold front as Colonel Whitmore had done—if we showed a determination to put down native outbreaks with a strong hand—it might cost us some money, but on the whole not so much as the present flour snd sugar system costs us. So long as we keep up these native commissioners, assessors, and whnt not, all interested in maintaining the present state of things, we should always be subject to these native difficulties.—jHear, hear.) If elected he would do his best to put a stop to the present native expenditure in the shape and direction which it now tak<-,s.—(Loud cheers.) Our Government was a great deal too costly. The staff of officers comprised at present between 6000 and 7000 persons, and there was hardly a day passing without hearing of some one or other being added to their number. Commissioners we e appointed time after time, and no sooner do we hear of one returning, than we hear of another departing. It was time Parliament checked this expenditure. (Hear, hear.) He denounced the appointment of Mr Sewell as Minister of Justice. On re-

turning to tho Colony be expressed himself as perfectly appalled at the financial difficulties of the country, and yet he had no objection to accept a well-paid office which was not wanted, and thus to make these difficulties still greater. These are not the sort of men we want. Nor did he approve of a Premier who had nothing to do, except to go about the country lecturing on Teetotalism. Much lectures might be very good, but the country expected other services at his hands : it required its affiairs to be more economically and efficiently administered. After referring at some length to the present state of the province, and stating he should do his best to put a stop to the present disgraceful state of affairs, he alluded to the return of his Honor the Superintendent, and said we find that Dr Featherston, on his return, instead of trying to help a province over which he had exsupreme control in her hour of need, accepting the office of A gentGeneral and preparing again to leave the country. Before again leaving the province—which had one foot in the grave—and accepting a new appointment, he ought at least to have stayed and seen it decently buried."