"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1873.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 156, 8 May 1873, Page 2

"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1873.

The disgraceful state of some of the roads and bridges has become a most serious matter. One Board has been compelled to advertise that one of their bridges is in an unsafe condition for vehicles to cross. The road, therefore, between Hamilton and Ohaupo is impassable, and the Alexandra and Te Awamutu mails in consequence are carried on j horseback in place of by coach. This is not an isolated instance of xinsafpfcy ; there are at least a dozen bridges equally, if nofe quite, ad unsafe as tlie one advertised. The Boards, from want of funds, are unable to repair or replace them ; the pittance doled out to them by Government, supplemented by the limited rate leviable by law, is quite insufficient to keep the roads in a safe condition. We can get nothing from the Provincial Government for the simple reason that they have no funds at their disposal for such purposes; it ia, therefore, abundantly clear that the General Government will have to do the work or very shortly it will be impossible to cart a ton of goods from one placo to another, a state of affairs that could only prove most disastrous. There has been some talk of co-operation for the purchase of steam machinery adapted to the wants of the settlers. This laudable proposition is likely to fall through ; in fact it must do unless the bridges are made sufficiently strong io bear the weight, which in no instance would be excessive. If a district is to progress, more particularly one set [aside for agriculture, it must have at least passable roads. We trust that this matter will receive the early attention of the Government, as, allowing thatjthe different Boards bad the power to levy sufficiently heavy rates, we consider it would bo unfair to ask them to tax themselves to keep the main postal roads in order. Whilst writing on this subject, we may as well again call the attention of our member in particular, and the members of the House generally, to the absurdityjof restricting the Boards* powors of rating. A rate can only be passed by a majority of the landlords who will not tax beyond their ability to pay. The restriction, so far as we can see, only benefits the non-resident ' landholder, tho drone of the hive, who should be improved out of the country as speedily as possible. The heavier he is taxed the sooner he will find out that to keep land unoccupied is not so good a speculation as at present. In addition, we consider that parliament Bhould appropriate a sum for tho payment of i-he rates of absentee landholders, who at present pay none, such payment to be a first lien on the land ; and, after a limited period, the laud itself for which rates have not been paid, should be liable to seizure, or a portion of it, sufficient to realise the amount due. The absentee landholder is the last man in a colony who is entitled to consideration ; he is little else than what is known in the colonies as a "loafer;" — we mean a man who is prepared to benefit by tho industry of others, but never to contribute his quota of labour or money to tho common weal if he can possibly help it.

Our special correspondent has curtly telegraphed to us the proceedings of a meeting' held by the settler 3 at Te Awamutu. We generally endorse their sentiments, bat as regards the immediate establishment of a Btrict aitkati; we havo two questions to consider. Iv the first place, by so doing, thould we not overstep the dictates of law? and in the pecond, is such a proceeding likely to prove useful ? As regards the first, we raasfc not forget that the native's, equally with ourselves, are the subject.) of Great Britain ; they caunot, therforo,

legally speakiug 1 , become belligerents. The highest standard :o which th<*y can ri&e is that of rebels, whose oujncod are pi obabiy condone 1 to a very slight extent by the prejudices natural to their race. In considering this question we mint nc\er lose sight of the f tct that one subject of the Qaeen has been murdered by another; this in the eyes of the law is ouly an offence on the part of the individual who committed the deed, and 0:1 fcb.it of those who were accessories eirhei* before or after the fact. If we proclaim Aixaukati as a people through our Government, we practically nd nit tlmt (he murderers are not. altogether unjustilbd (:ju political grounds) in their act No !wo muftfc insist upon the particular individuals biing delivered into the hands of the law to bo dealt with as common criminals. If the natives will arrest them, sa much the better ; but if they will not, we must d» so ourselves, and treat all who opp>sc u<, as re'jols to tho Q teen, and deal with them siccor lingly. The i'arce.'of the King's supremacy over certain districts has been played to the utmost limit - t the time has arrived .when it is necessary to make him and his* followe'rsiiwlerstand that there is only ono Government in this colony) - hi I that if they will not obey it wo shall strain' every nerve to convince them of the error they aro committing". It is perfectly right that the -settlers should moet and express their opinion on the s'tHte' of affairs ; bub the time' for action 'has* .not. arrived till they find that all , Government negotiation has proved nugatory. The eyes of the wholo colony are upon u.s. Lot us be careful ! Let us do nothing in haste ! When it is clear that the GoVernment will not. support us in our proper position ' as 'Settlers on a- frontier line, then, and not till then, will it*be6ome our duty to act for ourselves. Wo feel confident that if this duty is forced upon us we .shall receiyo the support of every true man in the eulony. Tll v" wish" is probably " Father to the thought," but we have uot yet abandoned all hope that the murderers of Snllivan will be delivered into our hands. The cowardly and brutal attack upon Mr Mackay is evidently not countenanced by the respectable portion of the nativs3. The very fact of its commission can be taken as evidence that the murderers, who are hiding under the wing of tho " King," are becoming aware that his protection is likely to be withdrawn if pressure be brought to bear. The interests of the actual murderers are of course to in-vo-lve- the country in war by any means in their power, as, if successful, they will delay for a period tho doom that is ultimately in store for them — an ignominioua death beneath a scaffold. Mr Mackay has, as will be seen in another column, run. grave risks in the interests of the colony. He has placed himself at the mercy of the most savage enemies of his people. Whether he succeeds in his mission or not, he is entitled to the hearty thanks of the colonists, and to the respect that is duo to all possessors of courage not stimulated by selfish motives. > A

TJio Lyltellon Times, writing pf Now Zealand public 11190, bays : — '' It is ridiculous to talk about statesmen and statesmanship, as if every Minister ought to be, at the very least, a Gladstone or a "Disraeli. What tho colony wants in a Government is practical businoss capacity and. broad honesty of purpose There are no ' large questions ' to bo dealt with,, no. great ' constitutional ' problems to soltc It follows that there is no demand for eminent financiers and philosophical theorists,, whoso belief in. themselves, their far-sightedness, and 1 tlioir political nostrums, is not rnct with a-corresponding-belief on the part of the public." • ' Perhaps the following may bo worth making a note of. .A gontleman was observed the'otber day, by tho -Eorih Otago Times reportor, busily 'engaged 1 boring Jioles in a potato. Wondering what he was about,, the scribbler watched, and presently saw him take a number of rose-cuttings lying on the table and. insert them in the holes' of the potato. He then rolled them up in a paper and stulfed the parcel in the leg of a Wellington boot. EJero was a " wrinkle, " for it appears that cuttings can be carried fresh, and ready for striking, hundreds of miles — kept for months, in this way.