NEW M.L.C.’S.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 360, 4 January 1879, Page 9

NEW M.L.C.’S.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND MAID, gin,—l, in common with other people, like always to get the best of an argument, but I ■hare to confess that the other day I was most completely floored. The subject under discussion was the relative claims of Mr. Wood and Mr. Dignan to the honor of being called to the ■Tipper House or Chamber of our Legislature. I took the side of Mr. Wood principally on the ground that he had in some form or other aeen considerable service as a public man. I was met by mv opponent with the clinching rejoinder that Mr. Dignan had been much longer in the public service as a public—an. Heeling myself completely bested, X yielded the palm to my opuonent; what else could T do ?

You editors knowledge of things being sup<posed to be all but infinite, I would ask you, 3s it true that Mr. Barff, member for Hokitika, is al-o to receive the like honor ? If so, he will beyond doubt be a great acquisition to that body in vocal power, for while asleep the strains of music from his nasal organ Sf not of the sweetest, invariably arrest and command public attention; I judge from his performances in the House of Representatives. It is beyond doubt a fact that like not only begets but also attracts like, birds of a feather ilock together, from which we may fairly and reasonably infer that the recent and yet contemplated appointments to the Upper Hou-e, all of them good men in their proper sphere, are gentlemen affinity of feeling; a strong moral aud intellectual re-semblance to the Premier. . Great must be the pride of those gentlemen to be so closely allied to so great a man, and to be bent on so great a work as that of building up a great nation. Although I am not blessed or cursed, as the .case may b , with over sensitiveness, nor am I at all fastidi-us about m n and things in general, yet I eonfess I do not much like the architect, or the workmen by which this new state of things is to be built up. As far as I can understand when completed we are to have all things in common. This, in practice, would snitmeroostadujirably ;possessing nothinginthe shape iif property, any redistribution of wealth would of necessity leave me the richer. But, in all seriousness, when and where i* this blest-ing of his own creation by the Premier to end ; when are the public of this colony to .cease to be gulled by such cant as the people -of the Thames were again treated to the other day ? Are there none of our public men in whose bosoms there yet exists enough of patriotism to lead them to come forward and lift the v»il aud dispel the delusion, and at the same time lay before the people of this country an unvarnished statement of the present state of our public . flairs, with the character and tendency of the present administration, together with the legislative aud administrative reforms that are necessary to secure and perpetuate not ouly our present prosperity but yet more rapid advancement ? Or is our. buoyant little state ship to be left in the hands of tho-e who, reynr less of the public weal, would not hesitate to run her on to the srocks should such a course be the surest means • of securing thtir own ends.—l am, &c, Patriot.