The Star. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1868.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 109, 18 September 1868, Page 2

The Star. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1868.

$ — A EEFEitE-fCE to our latest telegrams from Wellington will shew that the Government is " now sure of a majority " on Mr Fox's motion of "No confidence." Precisely — they have managed, as before, to secure their men, and the colony must submit to be governed, must Bubrait to be ruined, because, unfortunately, about a dozen political adventurers have contrived to find seats in the General Assembly. It is really time to speak plainly, and to say boMly what all feel — that Mr Stafford and his colleagues are enabled to hold office solely by the votes of men who have been, and who notoriously wish to be, in the pay of the Government. If we deduct all those who have the run of the Government buttery, who are dependent on paid Commissions in the gift of Ministers, and who have no real stake in the country, Mr Stafford is reduced to a minority — an absolute minority. The question is, are we obliged to submit to all the burdens which such men may enable the Government to impose upon us ? Must we sit quietly by, and gee the colony brought to the verge of ruin by means of votes which, in all truth and verity, are " secured " by a process which can easily be understood but which may not be plainly described in all its hideousness ? "We tell the people of thia province, the people of New Zealand, the real colonists who have come out here to make a home for themselves, who have toiled early and late, who have made the colony what it is, who have to bear the burden of taxation now, and who will have to bear it as long as they lire — that they are allowing themselves to be misgoverned by a few adventurers from Victoria and the neighbouring colonies. These men make a trade of politics, and vote with the side on which there is the strongest prospect of favours to come. What does it matter to them whether the country is ruined or not ? They are only sojourners in it for a time, and for as long as there are auy pickings to be had. They can shift their camp — for New Zealand is to them only a camping ground — when they have shared all the plunder, and when there is no longer a chance of employment on a paid Commission, or other ! Government work ; when there is no " place " to hunt for, no " consideration " to be paid for the votes which they can give. It is not necessary that we should write down the names of the men we refer to — most of them are only too well known. Our readers may ask whether there is any way to escape from the evils we have but feebly depicted. There is. The remedy is in the hands of the people themselves. Let them exercise their privilege of meeting in public, and let them untniutakeably declare that they will not submit to be taxed by men who have no real interest in the country, or by men who, if they | have anything at stake, are influenced by circumstances entirely at variance with the best interests of the great majority of the people. Let them aay distinctly that they will have honest und true men for their rulers, that they will be represented in Parliament by men whose interest it is to prefer the spread of colonization to the depasturing of sheep, and that they will not pay a single farthing to back up and protect a few adventurous squatters who have runs in dangerous districts of the North Island.