THE GOVERNMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1951, 3 October 1889, Page 2

THE GOVERNMENT.

Sib Habuy Atkinsoh has thrown off the veil of the false prophet and now stands before the colony in hia real character. He has hitherto posed as a Liberal, who has never done a Liberal action, except in the way of buying out the strong men of the Liberal ranks, and taking them into the G*overnmeat. He bought Messrs Bryce and Bollestou; and ruined them; he bought Messrs Hielop and Fisher and ruined them, or they ruined themselves. He has changed his policy now, and taken in with him one of the most thorough-going Conservatives in the colony in the person of Captain Bussell. That gentleman is very wealthy and very respectable all wealthy men are respectable—and a very good sort of a man taken all round. But he believes that Hew Zealand was made for sheep, and sheep for Captain Bussell, and a few like him. He is one of these who if he saw a poor man hungry would give him something to eat, certainly, but he would not do anything to enable the poor man to look after himself. He believes that the poor shall be always with us, that the everlasting presence of the poor is a dispensation of Fro* violence, and he believes in doling out chanty to the poor. He will add to the respectability of the Ministry, but ho will keep a curb rein on any impulses to extend human liberty. In fact he is a very respectable, thorough-going Conservative, and we are glad that he has been appointed a minister, as Sir Harry Atkinson can no longer lay the slightest claim to Liberalism, while surrounding himself with men of that stamp.

CRIME IN IRELAND. A cabieoka-m; received yesterday states that a verdict of wilful murder has been returned against a police

officer and a constable for shooting a boy at an eviction in Tipperary, Ireland. There is nothing in this. Several times during the last few years Coroner’s juries have convicted policemen of wilful murder in the same way, but nothing further came of it. Similar verdicts were brought in by Coroner’s juries at Mitchelstown, Youghall, and other places, but in all cases the Government did not allow the police to be prosecuted. The fact is that it is no crime in the eyes of the present Government of Ireland for a policeman to shoot down people. Mr Balfour is in the habit of regarding sucb things as fit subjects for jests, and never fails to raise a laugh at the expense of the friends of those who have been shot by the police. We do not suppose that there is a civilised country in the world where policemen have such extraordinary powers as they have in Ireland. They can shoot, and maim, and injure at their pleasure, without any fear of being called to account for it, and the verdicts of Coroner’s juries are things that do not trouble them in the least. There is, therefore, nothing in the cablegram, and it is improbable that the policemen will even be asked one question about it. If they are brought to account for it we must regard it as a change of policy.