Poverty Bay Herald.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4314, 13 June 1885, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald.

PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING

GISBOHNE, SATURDAY, JUNE 13, Igßs.

The Vice-Regal speech of 1885 calls for little or no remark. It hud been anticipated that it would be more exhaustive than usual, tind that it would indicate in a more than ordinarily clear manner the intentions of the Government. Instead of this the address was brief, hollow, and more than usually platitudinous. The Governmont, so far from announcing plainly in what manner they intend to deal with the questions that are to be put before Parliament, have been cautious to a degree, in carefully keeping from publicity anything by which they could possibly be held to have committed themselves. On no single point of their policy have they let loose the slightest hint as to the provisions of the Bills they intend to introduce, merely stating broadly that Bills are to be introduced for certain purposes. A Yogel vein runs transparently through the whole composition, which consequently contains frequent allusion to the " vast resources " of the colony and its " enterprising settlers." Such phrases as the following form a considerable portion of the speech : "In order to enable you to deal with this subject my Ministers will submit a Bill for your consideration " as if it were possible that the subject could be dealt with in any other way — ■ but what shape the said Bill to take is not in any way foreshadowed. We cannot help drawing particular attention to another sentence contained in this disap. pointing speech : — "The construction of the North Island Main Trunk Railway, which waa happily inaugurated near Kihikihi in April last, cannot fail to have a most beneficial eftect on the European and native races ; and as land is provided for settlement along the line, the North Island will doubtless make great strides in permanent agricultural settlement." That the construction of the line should have a beneficial effect both on the relations between the two races and on the progress of settlement must be the devout wish of all the taxpayers of the colony who have to bear the responsibility of the million loan ; but we fail to see that, under the existing state of affairs at any rate, either the one or the other is to follow as a matter of course; although, if care is taken that the native part of the business is not bungled, ultimate advantage to Ihe country through agricultural settlement is sure to result. The whole tenor of the speech indicates that the Government, so far from presenting a bold front and throwing down tho gauntlet at oncß as it was stated they were prepared to do, have decided that discretion is the better part of valor ; and that their decision on this point has been arrived at from knowledge of the fact that a Cabinet divided against itself cannot stand.

One of the first Bills introduced this session is to exempt Sir G. Whitjnore from the operation of the Disqualification Act, under the provisions of which he would otherwise be unable to sit as a member of the Legislatire Council, in consequence of holding a paid appointment as Commander of the New Zealand Militia and Volunteer forces. It is natural to suppose that such a Bill should njee^; with opposition. The precedent is a dangerous' one, and great car© should be

taken that the measure is not passed without due consider ition. Under the circumstances, however, the proposal seems reasonable. Sir George Whitmore's appointment was mads at a time of emer gency, and in anticipation of a crisis in connection with which the appointment of a practically qualified officer was doomed urgent ; and no better selection could have boen made by the Government. The Act provides that " All civil servants are and shall be incapable of being Bummoned to, or of holding a seat in the Legislative Council,". md the word " civil servant" is held to apply to officers of Militia and Volunteers receiving annual or permanent salaries. An exemption is however made in favor of members of the Executive Council ; and as the appointment of an officer was necessary in order to efficiently carry on the executive of the Defence Department, an exception may fairly be made in his favor.