The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1827, 22 March 1884, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal -md c\art jusfire to .ill men, Ol \vhitsoo\or state or persuasion, religious or politu al Hitp shall the Press the People's ri-jhf maint lin, Unawprl by influent o and unbribcd by {f.iiu.

SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 18SJ,

Ti anybody anticipated that the recent s>udden changes in the railway tariff would bo followed by a general howl of indignation, he must have boon sorely disappointed. For oui selves we never expected anything- of the sort. Class leguJation only meets with violent opposition when it threatens to jn-ess, unduly on the people of large towns, and the new tariff just introduced by the Government does not appreciably affect this class. The people prejudiced by it are the farmers and' (.he rural population generally, and*we all know how difficult it is to get these to rouse themselves to a sense of their rights and obligations. The country settler is prone to take everything, except the weather, as a matter of course. We pointed out in a previous issue that the alteration' of the railway | passenger and freight rates had apparently been framed in the interests of the large towns, inasmuch as the

increase was not to ipply» so speak, to the suburban linos. H»ul che increase been made general there can be no doubt that it would havo been successfully resisted, or maintained only at the cost of the lift* of the present Government. Par bo it from us to accuse Ministers of buying the support of tins many at the expense of the few ; but it is, nevertheless, significant that many of our city con temporaries whose daily occupation it h.is been to find holes in thp Ministerial coat, find nothing reprehensible in the new railway policy. When most city journals are either defending the new tariff, or keeping discreet silence on the topic, it is time that all the mouthpieces of the agricultural interest spoke out openly and determinedly against the injustice which is sought to be inflicted. Regarding the question, Ought the railways to be made to pay interest on the cost of construction 1 we do not propose to enter into that at the present. It i-? one which must before very long form the subject of an animated controversy in Parliament. There is much to be said on both sides. But whether it be decided that the lines shall be used for the purposo of raising- revenue, or whether they shall be regarded as a moans of developingthe resourses of the colony, and so promoting settlement, it is quite clear that the interests of colonists in general, and not those of any particular class, must be consulted. At present this is not done. The additional freight on agiiciltural produce and on merchandise is not fairly distributed. The fanner has to pay it all. The merchant will give him so much less for his wheat, and charge him so much more for bib sugar and tea. T.ie loss falls exclusively upon the prodiuci 1 . Let tho producer, thore fore, wake up and assert himself ; let him demand fair treatment ; lot him deinind that tho railways must ce.ibe to be a political organisation !

Tawiiiao returned homo on Thursday. His visit to Auckland has Kern a most eventful on<» in many respects. The kin^'o demeanour was dignified and correct, and he thoroughly enjoyed himself without getting intoxicated. Hf) went to the open and came away delighted with the spectacular displays in the Cloches do Corneville, — the music, no doubt, was beyond his reach — rambled over the North Shore with all the joyaunco of a freshly liberated bird, anJ wound up the programme by signthe temperance pledge with Sir George (rrey at the Kawau. Every good friend of the Maori race must rejoice at Tawhiao's new departure, and wish him well. The old chief is not without the finer qualities. Tie is frank, generous and good tempered, and freed from the fe-tters in which drink has enchained so many of his unhappy people, no less than himself, may yet discover signs of prudence, the opinion of his father, old Te Wherowhero, to the contrary notw ithstanding Many people were curious to know the precise object of Tawhiao's visit to the Kawau, but whatever notion the king may have had in his mind, his vist to England was a foregone conclusion, and Sir George Grey did not seek to dissuade him from his purpose, though he very properly pointed out that any representations to the Imperial Government on the subject of Maori grievances, would, as a matter of course, be referred to the colonial authorities. It is right that any false hopes which nny have been cherished by Tawhiao and his advisers should be dis^pated at once, that every care should be taken to guard against disappointment, and the consoquent creation of further grievances ; but, on the whole, it is well that the titular king of the Maoris should visit Great Britain, Apart from the wholesome effect the trip will have upon Tawhiao himself, in enlarging his ideas con cerning the great nation from which this colony has sprung, the presence in London of the chief of the warlike ra.ee which warred agai st us, the head and front of the offending, will disipate for over all fears concerning " a native difficulty," which have sufficed to turn the steps of many worthy emigrants to other lands.