ADVICE TO HAMILTON.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2284, 1 March 1887, Page 3

ADVICE TO HAMILTON.

■ + TO THB.EDITOK. Silt,—What I am going to say is dictated by iio ill-feeling, malice or envy. I do not like to see persons, districts or countries throwing away advantages by being greedy and grasping. Wise is the man who thoroughly understands that honesty is the best and surest policy. It is equally true that greed brings its own retrubution. Don ? t we see. it is so ? Travel through our own district and what do wesee? Abandoned homeateads, families broken up, wasted time and money ; whereas if men had been moderate, there would now have been peace, plenty, and happiness. Ido not blame the unfortunate; tbey were misled. Our political madcaps, or to be'more correct, rogues, so shaped the poliuy of the country that men were led astray. Vogel, merely to keep himself in power and to serve his own ends, gave us his spirited policy, which had the fascinating madness of playing high jinks, and having glorious times with other people's money. But mark the end. We have sowed the wind, and we are now reaping the whirlwind. As far as Vogel is concerned I den't blame him very much ; he was a political adventurer, he is a .man who would make a spoon or spoil.ahorn, but these men always spoil the •horn and do not make a spoon. He had no.thing to lose and had everything to gain, and for the consequences he did not care a dump. But what are we to think of Sir G..Grey? With the great advantages he has had for the gaining of knowledge and w.isdom, he ought to have foreseen the disasters which would follow by continuing Voxel's policy. For the time being he had tmtimited power and influence. He had agreat chance of being a blessing to his adopted country, but, no, he exceeded Vogel in madness and foolery. What great professions he made ! But it is always so, the more professions the less reality. A far greater authority than I has said so. The De'il when he skinned the sow said there was more noise than '00. Sir George was all noise, but no wool. You never hear Sir J. Hall make professions. He makes no noise, but we are made warm by the wool that comes from him. The only time I ever heard him make a boast was when he was be.ing badgered and howled upon by the Greyites when he brought in his 10 per cent, reduction on salaries and wages—his own included. He said : "You do not believe in me, but the time will come when you will do. so." Prophetic words ! That

time has now come. The Hamiltonians >yant to have the delight of spending other people's money. It is allowed and conceded that Hamilton is the best centre for the hospital; and. of course, if for the hospital also for other institutions. From being the capital of the four. counties,.. it will have bailiffs, jailers, judges and juries. It may eventually be a cathedral city, when it will lhave a lord bishop, dean and chapter, ■jbw will all bring grist to its mill, but, by being too greedy, I warn Hamilton that it may loose all. The people must understand that the money to keep up the hospital comes from the tour counties, not from Hamilton. Therefore the four counties have the right to determine how much or little is to be spent. The payers, and not the spenders, are the proper party to decide whether economy or extravagance is to be the order of the day. It may suit Hamilton to do the thing grand, no doubt 01 it; but once more I warn it that if it has not. the wisdom to keep in harmony with the districts the worse it will be for it. Its people muMt give up the idea that Hamilton has a divine right. This idea of divine right cost Charles I, his head; it may also cost Hamilton the being the head of the district. Let Hamilton be wise and have the institution, so conducted as to suit the present times. As population increases, the institution can be increased. Economy! Economy ! Economy ! Retrenchment! Ketrenchment! Retrenchment! must be the. order of the day. Rich and poor, all alike, must retrench.—l am, yours obediently, , Hakapipi.