The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. TUESDAY, JULY 8, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1003, 8 July 1879, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. TUESDAY, JULY 8, 1879.

' Tit ERE t3 to be a gathering of the discon- ; tents on Friday evening next at the ol- ! unte«r Hall. Qamaro is then to publicly | say " Anwn " to the numerous newspaper | comments on the shabby treatment it has received from the Government in the [ matter ot' public works. There is a long | list of charges against the Government; | and, even if it i* too late to bring the prejaent administrators to a sense of their :dttty, the public will have the satisfaction ; of expressing their disapproval, which will b« registered for the guidance of future ; administrations. It would appear that the Government have been too appreciative of their few good qualities, or rather, of the excellence of some of their political measures, and have persuaded themselves that a good programme on paper would cover a multitude of broksn promises and neglected obligations. The Government seem to think that their bill of fare is so good that they can stop at the soup, and yet satisfy the public appetite ; but they are mistaken. Our members may have been j loyal to them ; they may have overlooked shortcomings, as being inseparable from all government, and been willing to continue their adherence through evil report as well as good, for the aake of the cardinal features trt a liberal policy. But, when the Government, presuming upon the belief that they have considerate men to deal with, '„'i> so far as to violate the most valuable principle in government, as well as in everything else, and make promises which, if not made for the purpose of misleading, are broken without the least compunction, it is time for adherents to enquire whether their confidence and support have not been misplaced. Representatives hold an important position of trust. They are the intercessors between theirconstituents and the Government, and, if their Ljbors bear insufficient froit they are brought to account. The members for Waitaki have worked well for their district. There is no district more highly favored in ths Colony than this in this respect. But the government have been more thoughtful of their enemies than their friends. They have acted under the belief that IWaarc Hialop and Shrimski would re-

main thick and thin supporters, even if trampled underfoot Messrs. Histop and Shrimski hare, however, more thought for their constituency than for the Government. Their appreciation of, ! an ,i fealty to, the Government, very pro- : pcrly depend upon the treatment the Government mete out to those whose interests they are pledged to jealously watch and protect. Have the Government treated us well * "VS e shall hear something on thi3 point on Friday evening next, and we think that much will then be said condemnatory of the treatment this district has received. Liberalism would be non-existent if all fared as we have done, and the Government would meet without a single supporter in the House. If our members had consulted their own feelings rather than those of their constituents, they would have tried the ISatlance dodge. Indeed, they might have done so without any great injury to the district, as it is rather difficult to discern any benefit in being represented, under the present regime. Have we not seen our representatives set at ncught, hoodwiukedand misled bytheGovernment, and treated with necessary discourtesy by their constituents, who have themselves pleaded, times out of number, with Ministers for necessary works which their representatives have failed to secure for them I We hope that next Friday's meeting will be a large one, that the opinions of the public will be fully expressed, and that good will result.