MR ROLLESTON'S ADDRESS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7227, 29 April 1884, Page 5

MR ROLLESTON'S ADDRESS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—Of course it is generally!'understood that Ministers of the Crown, as is the case with other lesser Parliamentary lights, are glad to leave certain things unexplained when meeting the ejectors. I know that' the Hon W. .Rolleston is no exception to the baneful rule. Suppressio veri, suggestio falsi is a common adage tacitly followed under those circumstances. But, then, Mr Rolleston made ji definite statement at Papanui last weekj which, _ I think, invites contradiction. |He said that an impression existed that the South Island was the milch cow of the North Island, and he; referred to the Provincial district of Taranaki, where he said, .£300,000 worth of land had been sold. Now for his suppression of certain naked facts. The Harbour Board of New Plymouth absorbed no less than .£78,000 of that amount for the local "political" breakwater alone, while ,£40,000 were' expended besides oh public works in Taranaki. And the Blue-books show that another ,£160,000 Were disbursed for multifarious local f wants" there. Yet the population of that Provincial district is exceedingly small, its exports are almost nil, while its geographical position renders it a somewhat unipportant slice of the Colonial estate. For years past the acquisition of its lands from the Natives cost untold sums of which sums were charged against the Colony at large. Fortunately for the Taranaki people, they have long been represented by Major Atkinson, and I think they have to thank him for the prospective ettjoyment of that scandalous, if large, job, the New Plymouth breakwater, paid for; by the Colonial ratepayers at large.—l ain, &c, WALTER H. PILLIET. Christchurch, April 24.