The Lyttelton Times. SATURDAY, JAN. 4, 1879.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5575, 4 January 1879, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times. SATURDAY, JAN. 4, 1879.

Thi political condition of New Zealand during the year just closed, though not remarkable for startling incidents, is suggestive of important considerations. The year commenced with a change of Ministry and a new political programme, The country had become weary of a Government whose sole policy, after tearing our Constitution to tatters, was to do nothing but remain in office. After a severe struggle, the most adhesive administratration which this Colony had ever known, was torn from the Treasury bench and thrown into the outer darkness of Opposition. The party which had supported it—-bound by no principle, and inspired by no loyalty to its nominal chief—became a ropo of sand and was scattered to the winds. The people generally, relieved from “ poli-

rest ” eagerly welcomed the Grey and the prog of its leader. B«* bod before ii no «W the Opposition, as « coherent p»«3% was no disorganised the House °* tives, and Sir George Grey had to struggle through the cl ®J? ® f . th session like a sminmer a dangerous surf. He wm thrown on the rocks of the recess, almost a gowned man. Bui his energy, when most men would have had no hopo,ntfJ« fad«d him. His party was m a mSflonty m the Legislature, Hews* dissolution, which would wabtohunto appeal to the people. His Ministry was scarcely more, than half-formed, and it consisted of untried men. Financial dangers threatened whole Public Works. Policy, and had been put in the front of the battle, # with one hand, as it were, tied behind him, by an insufficient loanT Hii opponents were formidable, an£ while they interposed every obstacle to his progress, heaped upon him every kind of personal vituperation. BOt Sir-George Grey at that time proved himseil equal to the occasion. Physical .. infirmities and increasing years had not 1 deprived him of that mental vigour, and indomitable moral *courage. which, Aom his youth upwards, had sustained him in times of dire extremity ■, against all opposition. Denied electoral recourse to the people, he personally appealed to them at every'oentwr of population. He had a policy, and he hid a remarkable gif tof popular eloquence. We all can remember the universal success'of his political crusade. Fortune helps those who help themselves, Au extraordinary run of parliamentary vacancies took place, and almost in every instance a pledged supporter of the policy of Sir George Grey was returned. That policy was financial retrenchment, adjustment of taxation, electoral reform, local selfgovernment, and improved administtn* tion in the disposal of land and 'in general affairs. In addition to this great work of political education from the public platform, Sir George Grey. specially devoted himself to the Native question. At great personal inconvenience and at, no doubt, considerable personal risk, he had two meetings with the Native King in the heart of a disaffected district, and one with Hewi at Waitara. The results were, to all appearances, satisfactory in themselves, and preparative of complete success at ho distant date. When the session was commenced the political sky, which was so dark and menacing at the close of the preceding one, was clear, and glowmg with hope.

But as the session advanced, weakness in the Ministry rapidly developed itself. The Premier on the Treasury Bench was scarcely recognisable as the Premier on the platform. He committed two great errors. When he explained his views during the recess, he should have remembered that he was speaking as actual Premier, and not as a party leader aspiring to that office. He should have settled his Ministerial policy beforehespoke,andnot hoveled his hearers to expect more than he knew his Government would even try to perform. The second error was that he ever consented to an emasculated programme for the session. A thorough policy would have probably commanded a majority in Parliament, and would certainly have been sustained by the country. As it is, he has let, “ I dare not, wait upon I would," and has materially damaged his cause. One substantial exception to the general hollowness of the session was the partial adjustment of taxation. And 1878 will long be distinguished as the year in which commenced the era of fiscal reform by reducing taxes upon the necessaries of life, and by compelling landed property to contribute its fair share to general taxation.

Another characteristic of the year which has gone, is the farther derelop* meat of Provincial Abolition. ®ie poisonous seed which was sown bj our great constitutional reformers is fast sprouting into deadly vegetation. The blighting shade of centralism has crept over our local institutions. Local self>govenunent, once a reality, how lives under Ministerial tutelage, and on eleemosynhry aid from headquarters. It is included in the list of charitable institutions; and a great multitude of impotent, local bodies patiently wait around* the Bethesda of Parliament till a Treasury Angel at a certain season of each year, from July to November, goes down into the Pool and troubles the water. We have looked in vain lor that millenial time when, as was predicted, Parliament would devote itself to great Oolonial subjects, and its attention thereto would never be disturbed by the buzzing of local works. In 1877 the Atkinsonian private order of the day was—- “ Take thy Bill and write fifty roads and bridges. When the session is closing, and our seats are secure, we shall consider what we shall select for the supplementary estimates.” This tacit understanding naturally produced a luxuriant list of appMcotions, and the succeeding Ministry found it in a pigeon hole, and had no titue to do more than submit it in its entirety to the House, which, in its torn, “ at that late period of the session,” had no time to do more than blindly pass it t» ghho. The unfulfilled remainder of this list has been re-voted, and will carry on local works more or lees through this financial year, but as, in tbe course of last session, the present Government hare laid down a principle of leaving local works to local bodies, we trust to see the question of local self-govern-ment, at least on this point, soon brought to some definite issue. The bright colours of the Native question, plainly visible during the greater part of Is7B, have, lately laded into rather neutral tints. It is difficult to say, when so much depends on nogooiationa which have not been made public, what the result may be. But appearances tendto aprobabiiity that some great change is coming over the relations of the King Natives to ourselves: and that there vfill bo a distinct division of their force so long comMued agaihsT ns in imllen opposition,—one portion of which will

! return to its allegiance to the Queen, and actively aid os in the adwement of colonisation. The yew I just ended witnessed, at the meeting, ( Q f Qij. George Grey and Mr bbcehan with Tawhiao and Bewi, the first direct caoae of the approving.. crisis. During the year, 1878, we hare also bad a ipartaro of the Public Work. Policy, in the projection of another railway system, a* it may be more correctly called, than a mere extension of that already existing. Bailway, hitherto had merely scratched the coast of the Colony. Parliament ha. now emotioned a seriea of new lines, which wfll penetrate the interior, and crow the breadth and length of both Island,. The conception is bold, but not bolder, if caution and prudence be observed, than circumstances justify. Especial Iy go, when we take into account the new feature, that their gradual construction is to proceed hand in hand with the sale of the Crown Land* which they open up, and with the progress of settlement which they create. The flourishing state of the revenue, | both ordinary and territorial, during I the past year has also been a just can** of congratulation. It has tided ns Over many political difitfritses, and has testified to # a#*® 1 prosperous condition of the Colony. That we cannot anticipate the same continuous and ever abundant flow of money into the public chest for the future, especially from the sale of land is no reason why we should not be grateful lor the past. In our Public Works policy, costly as it has been, we have, as we believe, deeply laid, during a time of prosperity, the foundations of the per* mahent welfare of the Colony; and the year which has now passed away hears ample witness to the progress of the work. It is absurd to suppose that this Colony will not, like other countries, have to struggle occasionally against adverse winds todtides. J lt is our part, as prudent men, to be always prepared for that straggle. Come what may. what we have done in the promotion of real settlement cannot be undone, and in itself is a material guarantee, if we do our duty, lor the conquest of future difficulties.