THE COMING PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 117, 12 July 1873, Page 2

THE COMING PARLIAMENT.

(From the N. Z. Hebald, June 23). Parliament is summoned for the despatch of business at Wellington on the the 11th July, and will contain several new members, modifying very materially the constitution of parties. Whether this will be for the good of the country, time alone can show. Meanwhile, all must regret the absence of several wellknown members, the most notable of whom, Sir David Monro, is not again likely to take an active part in the politics of the colony. Having earned his honors, he retires with dignity from public life, carrying with him the respect and good wishes of all with whom he was brought into 'contact. Of the questions that are certain to engage the attention of Parliament, the most prominent will be that of native affairs. We have no doubt an assault will be made upon the Native Department, and that Mr M'Lean will find, in the coming session, the fickleness of public opinion in New Zealand. Last session, when Mr Stafford moved his want of confidence resolutions, Mr M'Lean was excepted from the censure passed upon his colleagues, and every effort was made to detach him from them. There cannot be a doubt, howev-er, if a coalition Government had been formed with 'Mr M'Lean in the Ministry, that his native policy would have been continued. Therefore, when the House meets in July, and the Native Minister is attacked for not preventing Sullivan's murder, or improvising a force to capture the murderers at a moment's notice, it will be quite proper for Mr M'Lean to reply that this murder is not the outcome of the policy of conciliation pursued by him since 1869 ; that it is an isolated outrage, arising out of some real or fancied grievance, and should be dealt with as a police case, pure and simple. In truth, the murder of Sullivan was a protest against the success of Mr M'Lean's native policy. The old Maori party found their influence waning. The native policy pursued by Mr M'Lean was sapping their fortress. Isolation was becoming less and less complete. The Ngatiraukawas, who occupy the key of the position between the Waikato Delta and Taupo, had begun to survey and lease their lands; and it became necessary to stop this. Hence Sullivan's murder; hence its political significance.

But the Native Minister is not to be blamed for refusing to attach political significance to Sullivan's murder. It was sound policy to treat it as a crime, to be dealt with by the ordinary tribunals. Enough has been done in the way of securing life and property in the Waikato districts, and for repelling any attack that may be made. This attitude of the Government has been denounced in n© measured terms. Its " want of dignity" has provoked columns of censure; but we confess to being unable to see in what the want of dignity consists. We think, on the contrary, that the attitude of the Government has been most dignified and conciliatory throughout. Ministers acted under a sense of responsibility in the discharge of their public duty—a duty obligatory towards the two races forming the bulk of the population of these islands. But this side of the question appears to be altogether lost sight of by writers who censure the Government for " want of dignity." It is one however, that the Native Minister could not afford to lose sight of. If he did so, he would soon plunge the colony into a war of races, in which untold miseries and losses would accrue. There is a Maori side to every public question that crops up in New Zealand, and this fact must be borne in mind by public men, or they are certain to commit an infinity of blunders.

Viewed as a whole, therefore, we do not hesitate to aver that Mr M'Lean's native administration during the current year has been as satisfactory and as successful as it was in any previous year. It has enabled private persons to pursue their ordinary avocations in outlying districts without any greater risk than is j always created by proximity to a warlike and partially civilised race; and we contend that it is the true policy for this colony to

pursue. Assuming that there will be a fight over the native policy, and that some

skirmishing will take place over the recent Frauds Commission in Hawke's Bay, we are not aware that any question will arise on public works beyond a desire that they may be carried on with greater speed, and also for their extension. Auckland has unmistakably pronounced in that direction. We want the Waikato railway extended to the confiscated boundary; we also want the Kaipara line completed to Auckland ; and we want a branch through the country from Waiuku to Pukekohe, and another branch line from Papakura to Wairoa. The Thames and Waikato line must also be sanctioned.

But the weak point of the Grovern. ment will be the Agent-General's department. On that department a great deal of debate will doubtless take place, and we confess we cannot see how Ministers can defend their position. The Agent-General's department in every particular has been a costly failure. The Postal service will also be a bone of contention, although we do not at this moment see how the Government is to be censured for what has taken place. The Assembly approved of the Webb contract. It simply rests with the Government to enforce its conditions ; but if we understand the position of the American side of the contract, it will not be at all possible to recover as against Webb. There is a clause in the contract enabling Webb to sell his ships and transfer his contract. He proceeded to form a company, to which his contract was transferred j and 'that company, when General Burnside out-lobbied Webb in Congress, sold the steamers and the mail contract to a person largely interested in the Pacific Mail Company, to which association he without loss of time, sold his purchase. The Pacific Mail Company has the boats ; Webb's mail contract was repudiated previous to the sale to that company, and the Wall street speculator has since most conveniently become bankrupt. If we mistake not, he was for some time Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pacific Mail Company, and was known as a great " Wall street operator." He is now undergoing the process of whitewashing ; and comparison of dates alone will show Webb and his associates can succeed in evading their liability to the colony. However, Mr Thomas Kussell will be able to satisfy the Government on that point. Our own opinion is that the Yankees have been too " smart" for us. Should it prove so, it will simply prevent a tender from any American firm being received by the colony for the performance of a mail service. Of course we shall have the usual jumble of G-oldfields and Waste Lands Bills; and a new Native Lands Act is threatened. Bankruptcy and insolvency will also come up for amendment and further confusion; and the irrepressible member for Oamaru will fight the battle of those who have a desire to marry within the prohibited degrees. No constitutional amendment will be proposed, we are told; but doubtless an assault will be made on the provincial citadel; while Mr Fox will lead the charge against the liquor trade. Then, we have finance and the annual scramble for " a fair share of the plunder;" and, to complete the budget, a whole list of private bills. The attention of the Assembly is, therefore, likely to be fully occupied. We can only hope that social questions may not be lost sight of in the struggle for office.