The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1890. THE GOVERNMENT IN A QUANDARY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2056, 7 June 1890, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1890. THE GOVERNMENT IN A QUANDARY.

The other day through the columns of the New Zealand Times the Government intimated that they intended:to borrow money for buying up native lands. The announcement met with a howl of indignation from end to end of the colony, and the Government denied that they were responsible for the Times’s article. Mr Fergus, in addressing his constituents, announced that they were going to issue laud debentures for r the same purpose, and this has been received with another howl, and now it is alleged that Mr Richardson is going to address his constituents in order to authoritatively disavow the Government’s responsibility for the statements made by . Mr Fergus. This is very funny, and shows the terrible quandry the Government is in. It is plain that the New Zealand Times and Mr Fergus would never have undertaken to say these things without having good grounds for it, and that they are being disavowed now because the Government find they are not be acceptable.

THE PREMIER.

It is currently reported that Sir Harry Atkinson will resign the Premiership in favor of either Sir John Hall or Mr Bryce as soon as he has delivered his financial statement, and that in all probability he will succeed Sir F. D, Bell as AgentGeneral. It will be remembered that twelve months ago we prophesied ho would retire from politics and become Agent-General. We shall be very glad to see it. We shall have a firstclass Agent-General in Sir Harry, and the Conservative party will lose the best man they have, and it will greatly weaken them.

IMPENDING TROUBLES.

At the Dunedin Benevolent Trustees’ meeting the chairman (Mr Solomon) said that the number of applications for admission from bid and worn-out men was becoming alarming. It was impossible to deal with them as every ward was full. Only that day six, had applied. The members appeared to be of opinion that it would be nocesary to make a levy on the Charitable Aid Board to increase the accommodaBtion. This is just the thing the people or this colony will soon have to face. Crowds of about the same age came to this colony in the early days, and such of these as made no provision for themselves are just now beginning to become, in the words of Mr Solomon •‘worn out,” and must be provided for. We are just only iu the beginning of the charitable aid trouble.