Correspondence.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1138, 11 October 1879, Page 2

Correspondence.

(Oar correspondence columns are impartially open to all, bat we do not in any way iden'i/y ourselves with opinions expressed therein).

j Sir, —All who have the true pi'ogress of j the colony at heart must deplore the I position of affairs at Wellington, aud the causes that have led to it. It is sad to thin* that with all the advantages Sir George Grey has possessed, he has so signally failed in doing anything for the permanent good of the country. The Governor's speech, as everyone knows, is, in fact, the speech in which is contained the combined ideas of the Ministry, and measures that are to be discussed and made law during the session. Now, after hearing, as they did, the said speech, the Opposition deserved praise, rather than blame, for the prompt action they have taken. Asa whole, the speech is without one single redeeming feature, and a more puerile effusion (considering the expectations that have been raised, and the pressing requirements of the country), could not have been read. It commenced with a very proper and " earnest hope that the session may be distinguished by the enactment of measures that will conduce to promoting the permanent happiness of the people " ; and goes on to set forth, at comparative length, the three great measures that are to effect this permanent happiness, viz. :—Manhood Suffrage, Triennial Parliaments, and a re-Distribu-tion of Seats. I am not prepared, at present, to either acknowledge, or otherwise, the gre*t pressing necessity of all of these measures —that is beside the question. But, to my thinking, a measure that takes precedence of all these, is one that provides for a re-adjustment in the incidence of taxation. Tet, from the beginning to the end of the speech, you cannot find the remotest allusion to either a property or an income tax, or a combination of either. Yet a property tax, of all others, is the measure that claims the attention of practical Liberals, and one we have been taught to consider as about to be dealt with this session by the late Government, 'x'his omission alone, in my opinion, was amply sufficient to warrant the action taken by the Opposition. The only wonder is, that that action was not more strongly supported. Apart from this grand defect in the speech, there are others of minor individual importance, but, when taken collectively, ought to have been enough to have brought about an identical result. The bill to suspend plurality of votes at local elections is unfair, and even brought a remonstrance from the Auckland " phalanx." Next, in sequence, we are told that the public works are being prosecuted vigorously ! We in tha Waikato, at all. events, have neither seen or heard of much vigor being displayed in that direction; unless the fact of turning a sod here and there for political purposes indicates vigor in the Public Works Department. Next comes a piece of barefaced logrolling in the mention of the West Coast railway "to conueet the East and West Coasts of the Northern portion of the Middle Island." It must indeed have been a desperate case with membeis ; when they had to iu.uke mention, of

this iu the speech in order to soeure I Nelson votes. The last clause that I shall take exception to is worded thus :—" The assurance which I was enabled to give the Members of Parliament at the opening of last, session in regard to the peaceful and loyal action of the native people generally, has been borne out by the results." .And this in the face of the outrage at Mo Aroha, and threatening disturbances elsewhere. The only portion of the speech out of which any glimmering of satisfaction can be got is that which refers to the monetary condition of the colony aa "thoroughly sound," and even in the case of that bit of information one would have liked to have had the data to have verified the statement. lufact,sofullof bad statesmanship is the speech that I repeat, it is only a Wonder that the no-confidence vote was not carried by a much larger majority, however practical, Liberalism, as represented by the party now in power, has achieved success, and it only remains for them to : overcome all chance of successful attack by meeting and settling those' difficulties that have arisen during the two years mifl3rule of, the late Government, and bringing down at once " liberal measures" in their entirety. They have an example before them in the shortcomings of the late Ministry, f one thing they may be sure, that in their case, if they succeed in temporarily overcoming the new-born opposition, the public will not be so willing to gloss over their errors as it has those of the late Government, One false step, or the faintest suspicion that they are not using the people of the country fairly and they will be hurled from power, just as readily as those whom they have surplanted.—l am &c., Tbub Liberal.

Sin, —Permit me to ask how it is-that the ordinary meetings of the Waipa County Council are not regularly reported in your paper. Our representative, Mr Patrick Corboy, had a deal to say to the Newcastle District Board, on account of " the ways that are dark," therefore, I am rather surprised that he has not kept the Council up to the mark. Rumour says that Mr Steele tabled a motion to alter the present representation, and give Chairmen of Town Boards a seat in the Council. This most desirable motion was lost, I understand, by Mr Corboy's vote. Perhaps Mr Corboy would explain his opposition to Newcastle Riding getting an additional vote in the Council. It is possible that Mr Corboy will be called upon to resign, and go out as he got in, "By the skin of Ms teeth."—l am, &c., Whatawhata. [We have made arrangements for the regular reports of the Waipa County Council. The report referred to, is unavoidably held over to our next.—Ed. W.T.]