The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1848, 10 May 1884, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Pqu.il and exact justice to <ill men, Ot whatsoever st.itc or persuasion, religious or pohtiral Hoio sli ill the Press 'he People's righ> maintain, Unawctl by influence and unbnbed by

SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2884.

The speech delivered by Sii" George Grey ax Christcluirch on Wednesday must have come as a disappointment to nearly everybody who calmly read the telegraphic report the ni-xt morning. That those who listened to the old knight's pure diction and gracefully rounded periods should have been carried away by their feelings, would surprise no one who has heard Sir George's flo<}iienee. But the applause of an enlviptured audience is no sufficient test of merit, and the most fascinating oration often dwindles clown to a bundle of idle platitudes when perused during the calm five minutes after breakfast. For several reasons the country looked forward to what Sir George would say at Chriistchurch with interest. The members of the present Government, justly or unjustly, are losing caste, and people are looking about to find successors to them, with, so far, no very conspicuous good luck. That was one reason, ! Another was that Mr Montgomery has altogether failed to map out a policy upon -which any respectable section of the Opposition can agree, and stili another was ±hat everybody was particularly desirous^ to know Sir George's feelings' on < £li©

tingeneies involved in it; Save and except that we know that the two leaders of the Opposition will continue to act independently, and, therefore, in. opposition to each other, the Christchurch address enlightens nobody concerning Sir George Grey's views on the main questions of the day. In an historical souse the account of the settlement of the Province of Canterbury is sufficiently interesting, though it would have boon more acceptable had it been less partial : had the deductions drawn from it been more logic il : but its apposiceness in the present juncture of ad'airs is, to say the least, questionable. Our duty as colonists, striving to advance our own and our fellows' interest, is to work with the materials to hand ; not to indulge in unavailing regrets. The same want of practicability is to be seen in the argument that all lands benefited by the railways should be taxed in order that the State might get the " unearned increment." Sir George forgets, or docs not choese to think, that much of the land so benefited has been sold it its enhanced value, and to tax the purchaser would be utterly unjust. The principle lie advocates is fair enough, but it ought to have been applied fourteen years ago. It is too late to do so now . But it is possible to make belter provision for those lines which are to be carried through native country. On one question Sir George Grey's opinions are acceptable to .ill classes : we allude to that of education. It is an everlasting pity that a man of Sir George Grey's weight, culture, and intellectual attainments does not abandon the habit of mourning for the past, which is dead, and direct his energies to the im provoment of the masses by educating them and instillinginto the minds of all men a proper sense of the dignity of labour. We shall never prosper by robbery or the confiscation of other men's property : there is no limit to the height we may attain by industry, sobriety, and a just extension of knowledge.

Some of the communities of this dis trict avo veiy happy under the inlluence of local self-government, but it is very peculiar at time' 1 , to witness the apathy with which ratepayers treat tin; business of meetings in which they are greatly interested, though they will not deny, that, should the resuhs of the.se meetings go against their interests in any material way, they would be exceedingly loud in their complaints about injustice, partiality ,md bad management on the part of tho.se to whom they had left the dis posal or arrangement of the work. A meeting of the ratepayers of a certain district is called for a cer tain day to dispose of important business in which the whole district is concerned. It is never expected that the whole of the ratepayers will turn up, but it is expected that a large percentage will manifest their interest in the proceedings by being present. But how oft^n do we hear of these meetings falling through for want of a quorum ? Very often indeed. At the annua meeting of the ratepayers of several of the distiicLS about Cambridge, held recently, it was "urious to note how few manifested their interest by being piesent. At the Pukekura annual meeting — in a very popnlous district indeed, — held on Wednesday last, there were only six ratepayers present, and of this number only two members of the board. There are always a few men misery district who may be termed " public spirits " and -without whom the business of such dis trict could not well be conducted. The others come to look upon the chosen few who consent to be elected year after year as the servants of the ratepayers, and as having no right to refuse to bo elected. They do not think that they themselves are called upon to share the burden of public business, but go on imposing upon the good nature of the few above referred to. If settlers would exhibit more interest in the affairs of the community which they constitute, instead of leaving it to others to act for them, there would bo fewer complaints about the selfishness of those in power, and less grumbling about injustice and neglect than is often heard, principally on occasions when such matters ought not to be referred to, or introduced as subject matter' for discussion.