The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1890.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5950, 1 October 1890, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1890.

Mb Henky Bonny is one of the old settlers of Wellington, and in tho years that have long passed away he was one of the most promiuent men in tho province. For a very considerable period he had a seat iv tho House of Representatives, and the constituency that he represented had every reason to be proud of him. Intimately associated as he was with the early settlement of tho province, with the opening up of. the country, and the introduction of suitable immigrants, thero was probably no man since the death of Dr. Featheratou who was more capable cf linking the birth of Now Zealand with the lusty youth of tho colony of to-day. Mr Bunny was not a man to talk bunkum; he never dreamed of

insulting the intelligence of the working classos by talking about " their cause" in contradistinction to that of the general welfare of the country, but, earnest and devoted to the interests of all, he labored for the best of all causes, namely, that of theland he had adopted for his home. It is difficult in these days to convey an idea of the disinterest(sd patriotism which animated the pioneers of New Zealand, a patriotism that now cannot be understood by the blatant, pennilesiß, and, sometimes, dishonest adventurers who seek to enter Parliament for their own selfish gains. Mr Bunny is one of the old school left amongst us ; a little bit of the original leavea which has worked so hard to create in the lump a sense of that patrioti.m without which no national feeling can be developed. Like all such men, ho was in due course relegated to pri .'ate life ;he did not fit in with the times; he was an old "Tory fossil;" he refused to pander to this or that class, and so loj. the support of both. Every now and again lie offers to represent his old Wairarapa constituency, but he if: always rejected. Iv his former manly way he has i-:-u>-d his address to the electors. He declines the modern hocus-pociw methods of winning votes, speaking on the platform one thiug, and telling his committee another, so as to be all things to all men, but he publishes his political opinions to all who will read them, He is the last man in tho world to deny what he.has said, or, like some politicians we know, to wriggle out of an awkward position by throwiug the blamo on a reporter. Mr Bunny now comns forward and states for tho information of the electors that the principal points of his politicfil programme are to repeal the Property Tax Act, and to abolish all Customs duties except upon wine, spirits, and tobacco. To provide for the deficiency in the revenue that would be occasioned by such changes he would favor a land and income tax. He also favors a change in the administration of the waste lands of the colony. He would borrow money to open the country for settlement, nnd not sell an acre until the land is made accessible by roads and bridges, and then dispose of it to the highest bidder. Mr Bunny was defeated at the last general elections by 128 votes, 1730 being polled. It is impossible to say whether he will be more successful this time, but though we do not altogether believe in his political platform, the new Parliament will be all the better if ho and many like him get returned.