South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 1883.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3128, 12 April 1883, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 1883.

The progress through the colony of Major Atkinson is a very good move indeed, the object of which is transparent enough to those who watch the “ signs of the times.” But, unfortunately, only a small proportion of the people ever do watch the signs of the times, and are therefore at the mercy of ministerial conjurers, who hold their attention, and—the portfolios of office. We should have no objection to the Colonial Treasurer making a tour of the country, familiarising himself with the people, and obtaining an insight into their condition and requirements, with a view to future legislation. On the contrary, such a proceeding is praiseworthy, and a Minister of the Crown could hardly employ his intersessional leisure to better purpose. Nor is there any objection to be made to his addressing the people if he be so minded, though we cannot profess to be ardent admirers of ministerial stumping. A Minister of the Crown has been placed in his responsible position by the will of the people, and there is not the slightest occasion for him to be perpetually holding himself forward for approval. The man in the “ billet ” has in this respect the advantage of the expectant and hungry office-seeker. What is quite allowable in Mr Edward Wakefield among -the Inangahnans is not seemly in Major Atkinson, Colonial Treasurer. We are not favorable to this sort of thing ; it is undignified, or tolerable only in a Gladstone or a Bright, and the Major is “ none of these,” If, however, he has something good to say he should be allowed some latitude. All he has to say is to unfold his anti-pauperism scheme, his State pensioner project. We put it to any reflecting individual, not whether the subject is important enough, but whether the Major’s nostrum is of sufficient merit to justify him spending so much of bis time and taking up the public attention so much with his oratory, and we warn the people of Canterbury to look to themselves and be distrustful of this misleading talk, which is only part of a political dodge. It is all very well to come down here and amuse ns with fancifal sketches, and Utopian schemes —but it was just under cover of that kind of thing that our land fund was quietly swept away into the bottomless pit of the Colonial Treasury. The affable gentry who while conversing with you contrive to help themselves to yonr pocket hankerchief or your watch have a remarkable resemblance to those politicians who with fair words beguiled the people into parting with their land fund “ for the good of the country at large.” For the good of the country, yes, if we could trust the sounding phrase,—but we find it on trial to mean merely for the enrichment of poverty-sticken Northern settlements dear to the hearts of individual politicians. And what do we get in return ? Let the recent Bailway Commission episode answer. We have a Canterbury man in the Ministry—who differs from Judas in name certainly, but who has a good deal of the Judas in his political nature ; and who, when he might have put in a word for the West

Coast Railway, was speechless. We shall be delighted to hear the Major on Monday night, and we trust a good body of the public of Timaru will be present on that occasion. But we want them to perfectly understand the trickery of the whole affair, so that they cannot be misled ; being so forewarned,they will do well to give the bon. gentleman a cordial welcome. A successful quack is always good company.