THE IMPRESSIONS OF A VICTORIAN LEGISLATOR.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2583, 31 January 1889, Page 3

THE IMPRESSIONS OF A VICTORIAN LEGISLATOR.

Thk Hon. J. Vj. Patterson, member for Oastltmiaine in the Victorian Parliament, ha<, after a brief sojourn in Dunedm, like many other vi-itors, formed an o|iinioti ..I his own aliMiit us. Mr Pultursoii, wild by the way represents tlio constituency which first returned Mr Vincent l'yko, writes to tin; Otau'o U.iily Times :— Li, tliu la-gmige "f the IV xo Curt, " from informati'.n received, , all tlie be>t ■iueount< of New Zealand have, been writtrii by travellers who have been in vo'ir country tiboiit twenty minntiw, ami b -iiiß preset, by your energetic intenioivor to cliroii'cle ni'y first impulsions, in a tiiou-htle-s moment. 1 fooli.-hly consented to .-peak (,{ vi.iir climate, your country, and your public affairs, after a whe e "week's travelling to and fro. As to your climato you <io not appear to have any ; but what is better, you have all sorts (if weather. Everything depentls upon t!ie situation. If you want wind you can Ret it, if you want calm yon on get it, if you want rain you can Ret it, if you want h«;.t you can pet it, if you want c .It you can «et it: and when weaned with all the variations from balmy to breezy, for a change I will buck Puncdm to get up a dust .storm against Melbourne when Dunedin is so "disposed." There is notliins uvmotonous about your so-called climate. Your country is beautiful, your country is trand. You lr.ve the extremes and plenty in the middle-froin tlia rich iitjiuultiual, fl.-it meadow land to tlio torriMo, towe:iii(? ru"tred, barren mountains, i our lakes and sounds-zounds ! let only poets wntoo their loveliness. What is most delightful to the visitor may not be considered so complimentary to yourselves-yon are so lovely and "reen. But an experience with a !ii"tpif;e carrier at Invcicaruill indinos me to modify this view. "When the chart'e for can .yuis: luKt'iißO comes t» more lliaii the lu-'a;;e is worth, what is the value of the town win re it is carried .' should be a question for the next State school examination at invercarßill. A few words on your prospects and public affairs. This opinion is formed from the intercourse- I have had with tlio few I have met, and of course I know they are liable to be totally •'ronir. In tlio words of one of your esteemed public men, you have got into the habit of '■iiioaniu;? and wroanui','," Everybody instinctively exaggerates the dullness of the limes—a habit contracted from the leaders in politics—and hence things become duller and duller. The tone y<, in Diineilie at least, too Scotch, too canny, too mueli of "wave the bawbees," and too little of'"sow that you may reap "—too much of that kind of parsimony which is the Kiire.st waste. A miserable fear of w ,mj times never did bring better times. HamiiiL' " I told them so, I knew it would le'.l to ruin " and by taking ruin as a companion into the house it becomes next to impossible to kick him out. .Now for the preemption of offering a few words of ad vie • As I will be north when the scream c-cincH.'lwill chance it. First, tlie newspapers nowadays are not mere records of events but leaders of public thought, 1) .n't follow the. Mdgar habit r.f mo.mi nß aii.lßn.:u.in«";i>i.|.i-vc ! !!>« tofin and y,,u v.ill tlie iiro-i.e, : s of y..ur n-intrv. V ■•' "I- „-.•!.•■• ••;•..(■.■'■ by !•»••* km'w '".I 'ii'io '' il (|,....t i ,ge.s y.'H tan offer they would icadily cast, m thenlot and thi-ir wealth with you. If tlio press will risi! above localisms and patnotienlly jletermine to paint, >'ow Zealand, au it w,

thu work is done, tiio future assure). Adnpt a cheerful and hopi-ful tnne, in luce young men to outer pnlilic liFo to hut. vi(?"r, unci venerate the old pioneers ; let your course iio hetwwn Vt>Hi-"'i. which win reckless, and I'ollonism, which is stagnant. Don't -stop th.: regular conch because the horses once ran away. Lut ynir p.iec hi! sunrt and your drivers safe. If you kin-owed too much a I one time, «a> that ii«ood reason for stopping all public works—that is the policv that drove your people away. Progress is the word. The moaning of'it all is—lnduce population to coma and to stay ; and the carpers and harpers about dull timcM, if your don't cist them out, cast their moaning and groaning into tlm lake which, &l\, &c. ; then you will have a bright future, forming a valuable outpost to the empire, and one of » crou|) which promises to pm>e'uato the 'Hnglish language and the English race m all their glory. At Soirie future tune I may attempt comparisons between the two colonies, at present only observing that Victoria is accused of vanutinsr, New Zealand charged with griunbling. In Vic toria gold is found at the lowest depths 5 u> N"ew Zealand S''ld is found at the tops of hills; in Victoria irrier>tion l.s the primary requisite ;in New Zoal.md drainage is indispensable. We have too little water, you have too much ; there are cliife-ences and special advantages. Both have a great future. Already look at the (Treat cities m both. What wonderful results in 40 or uO years. The question is how to maintain a continued prosperity, Remember that the only wealth, is men anil musc!o. _ Ihe measure of pn.speiity in the colonies is ganged by the nvmloer of comfortable hoinfis established, by the employment you can give to the people. Given these points, you can look forward with pleasure and will) confidence that, dulltimes will come again only like angel's visits.