MR SHEPHARD'S POLITICAL VAGARIES.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1025, 26 November 1872, Page 2

MR SHEPHARD'S POLITICAL VAGARIES.

{To the Editor of the Weslport Times) Mr Shephard, in his dual capacity of M.H.R. for Waimea and Nelson Provincial Treasurer, has addressed his constituents, aud the world is now in possession of his deliverauces ! The burden of his speech relates to the two principal subjects discussed in the late session of Parliament, namely the causes which lead to the extraordinary ministerial, changes and the discontent among the miners of the Nelson SouthWest GoldOeld, including the consideration of the bast means necessary to be adopted to remedy those discontents. Mr Shephard as a Colonial politician has been warmly handled by the New Zealand press for his conceited vaccilation between the two parties during the recent political contest, and his no less equivocal conduct in the divisions which took place. Into the merits of Mr Shephard's parliamentary conduct it is not my intention to enter, at least for the present, except, perhaps, in so far as the same may assist us in reviewing his conduct there in relation to his expressed policy with regard to the West Coast. Mr Shephard has stated that, " It had seemed quite clear to him that if Mr Pox were removed from power their province (Nelson) was com parativcly safe, and thus ho had voted against Mr Fox." This I conceive to be the key to the whole political character of Mr Joseph Shephard. His colonial sympathies seem to be confined within the colored map of the province of Nelson, and his provincial politics within the still narrower limits of his Waimea constituency. What does it matter to him, that the valuable time of the parliament is wasted, the policy of the colony endangered, or the fate of political ministers jeopardised ? absolutely nothing ! so long as the interests of Nelson are pcrserved, and the unity of the province maintained, i The votes of Mr Shepherd and others, which lost to the country the valuable services of Mr Fox, as premier, while it may afford special satisfaction to Mr Shephard, must remind your readers of the great misfortune this district sustained by losing the influence of such an able abvocate. I am inclined to ask why does Mr Shephard so dread the influence of Mr Fox 1 In pity I would save Mr Shepherd the humiliation of a reply. Because the whole Nelson party knew that Mr Fox, from personal inspection and official enquiry was in possession of lull particulars regarding Nelson mis rule here, and could have successfully exposed, while ho had the power to remedy the evil. However, having satisfied his conscience that Mr Fox could not succeed in carrying the prayer of the West Coast separationists, Mr Shephard, as would appear, was the first and principal mover in persuading the Government to advance the loan of a sum of £25,000 per annum, for two years, to complete the main roads through the Nelson South-west Goldfields. An action more creditable to the policy of Mr Vogel, than to tho intentions of Mr Joseph Shephard, as your readers may understand from the following extract from his speech at Waimea. " He would remind his hearers that the discontent of tho South-west portion of tho province had grown from year to year, and in spite of all they had been able to do, it must eventually have come to au eruption, under this idea it was that he had proposed the borrowingof a sufficient sum of money in order that they might complete the several main lines of road requisite to connect tho Goldfields with the interior, and both with tho Nelson settled districts " ; and eventually " be able to run a coach from Nelson to Reefton, thence to Grey and Hokitika. without difficulty." Worthy ambition, for such a political Jehu ! Then he adds " connecting the producing and consuming portions of the province together, which he considered more importaut than political union," and concludes much after the style of another unfortunate visionary "If the province is permanently to succeed, it must be opened from sea to sea." This is no new or hastily conceived policy, but the secret policy of the Nelson Provincial Executive for the last five years. Centralization in favor of Nelson aud the settled districts, which has been the main objection against Nelson supervision of the South-west Goldfiolds, ia hereby craftely sought to be further carried out. No doubt mnch to the benefit of Mr Shephard's constituents, but to the very doubtful advantage of the Upper Buller ; and necessarily to be carried out at the expense of the Port of Westport. On these statements of Mr Shephard's, we may fairly assume the Provincial Government will act, as he assures us that if acted upon they will allay the discontent on the Southwest Goldfields. In this, Mr Editor, I am much afraid he will be mistaken - If Mr Shephard persists thus to ignore tho claims of Westport to regulate communication with the Lyell and Inangahua and will force an unnatural alliance between his constituents and the miners at the Reefs, involving, as it must do, an enormous loss of time aid waste of monev; he

will continue to exhibit a culpable ignorance of the causes for discontent here, and finally succeed in producing an exhibition of public indignation, from this part of the province which even he, with all his sophistry and Jesuitry, will be unable to allay. I must Beriously suggest to your readers, that unless action is at once taken to establish some public body in this place, who will be able to represent the wishes aud claims of this district, and be recognised as a properly constituted authority amongst us, this selfish and short-sighted policy of the Nelson centralists will be inaugurated, aud every effort made to connect, the goldfields of this district with Nelson at an enormous cost, leaving a debt upon the South-west Goldfields which must become a source of trouble aud complication when separation is consumated ; without conferring any commensurate benefit upon the goldfields. I do not consider I require to refer to our history for the last four or five years as a reason against any more intimate relationship with Nelson Government than we have had. They have not only treated the miners with indifference and neglect, but spoken of them with contumely, and the secret policy which has dictated this continued and consistent contempt is to be found in the centralizing principles declared at the Waimea meeting.

There can be no doubt that the settler and not the miner is the particular care of these centralists. Mining is an occupation which they conceive should be a source of revenue alone. A Provincial lioyalty in fact; attractive as a field of labor for itself alone, and requiring no special fostering or demanding no special responsibilities from the Governor's delegate. --Such has been the practical effect of Nelson action on the West Coast, and so it will continue to be as long as such men as Messrs Shepherd and Curtis have authority over us, or influence in the councils of the colony. From a full consideration of these circumstances it does not at all appear hopeful to expect any redress for our grievances as a portion of the Province of Nelson from those at present in authority. Had we petitioned to be connected with Nelson by a public road, running through Matakitaka, so that coaches might be .laid on from Nelson to Greymouth, some propriety might have appeared in the suggestions of Air Shepherd, but the petition of tho South-west Goldfields is —" That provision should be made for its future government, so as as to insure a local expenditure of a fair proportion of revenue in the districts where it is produced." Until that has been acceded to, any temporising, however ingenious, will fail to satisfy the people of this important mining district. J. M.