The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1874.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1492, 21 November 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1874.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wroritf that needs resistance, For the future in the distance. ___.__.«_ th* jreod thst \re cmi do.

It is surely ominous to see the Government journals all belabouring the GovernmentThe alleged nepotism in the appointment of a relative of Sir George Bowen's to a seat in the Ministry, has been made the occasion for an unwonted display of virtuous indignation —whether real or assumed, remains to be seen. One would think that no such thing as a job had ever defiled the hands of this immaculate Ministry from the holy horror with which the ministerial journalists raise their hands and eyes at the translation of Mr Bowen from the judicial bench at Christchurch, to the treasury bench at Wellington. Never heard of such a thing before. Could not believe the Ministry would do such a thing. be pleasant for these

papers to enjoy the luxury of airing their independence, and we Bhall not be surprised to find that poor Bowen has been selected as a victim on which to sharpen their instincts, as we might suppose a rat would be thrown to the dogs to worry. He has probably no friends in the colony—none but Sir George, and he is not in the colony either. So the kindly compliment is paid to an old friend and master, probably on his persistent request, and while a very high honor is conferred on the relative, a splendid opportunity is afforded for giving wind and vigour to the Ministerial beagles who were becoming somewhat mangey. We hope Mr. Bowen enjoys the distinction, The enemies of the Government

iare sure to be into him, and now all those Ministerial journalists whom he might have expected to befriend him—every one of

whom probably sees in the appointment a bite in some way taken from his own hungry chops,—appear bent on tearing and shaking him to death. Poor devil, how happier was it to go on from day to day deiling out the law to drunkards and squnbb'ing neighbours than to have all this di&tioction thrust on him.

The political meeting convened at tbe Mechanics' Institute last night to listen to an address from Mr H. JH. Lusk, was as we anticipated a great success. Half-a-dozen persons we are told by the morning papers assembled the numbers being such owing, as the Herald facetiously puts it, to tbe " inclemency of the weather." The terrific gale blowing last night, and the fearful rain were enough indeed to damp political ardour ; still a larger number might have been supposed t 0 feel curiosity as to the cause why, in Mr Lusk's opinion, the provincial system ought to be abolished. But, seriously speat - ing, it is painful to see the rapid descent of the New Zealand Reform League. Originated with the intention of protesting against the grossly unjust proposals of Mr. Vogel's resolutions, fixing and endowing for ever provincialism in the South, while insultingly taking over the lands and the Government of the Northern provinces, as if the men of the North were unworthy of selfgovernment, the League was at once crawled up upon by the parasites who infest and seek to live on every plant of political growth. We are often twitted with our inability to sustain any political organization in Auckland, or in fact any organization for the public welfare. Here is the secret of it. We have a number of men who cannot live by legitimate work, and aie on the look-out for anything, it matters not what, which catches the public attention, and seek to turn it to their own selfish pur. poses. This Befortn League, which might have done a noble work, and which certainly began with noble and disinterested objects has met the fate of all its predecessors. Such a state of things is really painful to contemplate, and we are reluctantly compelled to the belief that it is not possible fcr any well - designed and genuinely - disinterested movement for the common good to sustain existence amongst us. What could have induced the League to have consented to putting forward Mr. H. H. Lusk as the first exponent of its principles we cannot conceive. He is known to have abandoned Provincialism only because Pro vincialism abandoned him. He has pub lished a pamphlet, he has stood on the platform iv defence of Provincialism, while he was living on the fat of Provincialism ; and it was only when the province refused any longer to sustain him that he took a "skunner" at the system. Do the League suppose that convictions so formed could have any influence over the minds of men ? Last night's meeting supplies the answer. Mr Lusk is prepared to rido on any wave that bears him towards a desired object. He became a Good Templar that he might use it if possible, for his political purposes. He became a Centralist when Provincialism ceased to pay, and he saw Centralist feeling becoming predominant. What is the testimony on this subject of Mr Hugh Carleton, Mr Lusk's personal and political friend ? Say s Mr Carleton in last Tuesday's Herald, " I am confirmed in that belief by a most instructive leason read to us during Mr Lusk's canvass for the Superintcndency. That gentleman's utterances in Council and elsewhere had been strongly provincial ; but during the progress of bis canass they became modified more and more, until at last he admitted that the abolition of Provincialism was only ague stion of time. We are surely justified in assu miiig that he found this to be a predominant feeling." Such is the estimate formed by Mr Carleton The League, like Templarism, seemed on the top of tbe wave of public feeling, and MrLusk became a Leaguer. We do not bject to his doing so. If Mr Lusk, who has not been a successful man, elects to live by what he can pick up off the public and in public life, no one can blame him. Next to the winding up of companies (and Mr Heighton tells us that that was profitable), he has found the public service the most payable business in his life, and he is quite right to take advantage of every wave of popular feeling that may restore him to public confidence. But the misfortune is that his contact with any public movement seem 3 death to it, and flowers of promise mature into Dead Sea apples in his band. It seems the last stage in the history of the Reform League when the Provincial " Undertaker " was called in to inspire it with animation. One of the dreariest and most uninteresting lecturers that ever stood upon the boards in Auckland Mr H. H. Lusk, has the conviction that he is destined to be a leader of men. Incapable of any enthusiasm himself, his lecturing has a lethal influence on his hearers, and conveys the idea of a man whose blood is the blood of a fish. After last night's event we think the JReform League might wisely retire from public life. Provincialism, as we have ever unvaryingly maintained is doomed, and the sooner it gives place to consolidated, if honest Government,, the better for New Zealand. But as the League only proposes to assist in bringing to pass the inevitable, we think that after the enthusiasm of last night it may honorably rest from its labours ; and if any one asks why the Reform League ceased work, say it was " because of the inclemency of the weather."