WESTLAND AND THE GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SCHEME.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 114, 24 September 1868, Page 3

WESTLAND AND THE GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SCHEME.

(From the West Coast Times, Sept. 17.) It appears wholly out of the question to obtain, by means of the telegraph cable, full and intelligible information, as to the real nature of the financial proposals which are before the General Assembly — so far as they affect the position and liability of this county. We have done our best to put the public in possession of the real circumstances of the case, in order that they might not b# led into an unnecessary campaign against the Government or, and in order, at the same time, that they might be alert to protect their own interests. The replies to our questions addressed, whether to ministers or to private members of the Assembly, — have been of a very vague and unsatisfactory, and in more than one instance of an almost evasive, character, as if the desire were to mystify, rather than to enlighten the public here. In anticipation of the public meeting held yesterday, and with a view to supply its promoters with the fullest and moat reliable data upon which to take action, the following telegram was sent to the Hon John Hall : — " Canterbury loan, £850,000, from which Westland received £125,000, balance due to Westland, according to proportion of interest charged, £300,000. "What is the meaning of the £20,000 proposed. Is it per aunum, until the balance is paid up for public works in Westland ? Please answer. Public meeting at four o'clock." To this communication a reply marked, as received at the telegraph office, at precisely four o'clock, and as cleared at three minutes to five, came to hand at the close of yesterday's meeting, as follows :— " The £20,000 to be not an annual payment. The proportion of the interest on the Canterbury debt which Westland should bear has not yet been settled by the Legislature." Certainly no official "information" could be better adapted to deprive the people of a solid and intelligible basis of agitation, or so to mystify them as to render any popular movement they might make abortive. We are left to pass resolutions with referonce to a financial scheme, which is only before us in the form of an. official statement; — corrected and revised by the member of the Cabinet who is responsible for its contents, and who reads it in the House as his budget Bpeech ! And the contents of which - he afterwards confesses were marked by gross blunders in items of vital importance to this district ! And to questions addressed to him at a moment when it is essential that the real and the whole truth should be known to a public whost) interests are so vitally involved we get the most vague replies. Mr Hall, certainly, contrived to impress the people during his visit to the West Coast, of his perfect sincerity and frankness ; of his openness of communication ; of his accessibility at all times to enquiry on matters connected with the public administration, and the ministerial policy as affecting the district. It was this feature in his deportment, this candour and unreserve, that; made him the popular man he was on each of his visits here. Whilst his bill foe creafinga County of Westbiud was passing through the House, Mr Hall courted every opportunity of communicating with tho.se who might be supposed to have means of judiciously conveying intelligence to the public, and of influencing public opinion. At that time the author of the tiew County Act was all that was communicative, and he reaped the full benefit of the almost furore of fnvop* with which his championship of Jrtfe rights of Wentland was regarded Kere. Totes of thanks were transmitted to him by telegraph. The free use of the cable was given to the Council of the League, and their messages, expressive of confiding trust, were free, and wera no doubt, made offensive use of, both in the lobbies and on the floor of the House. Now that the policy of the Government as affecting the finances of this colony, and especially its liabilities as to loans, has met with entire disfavour here, and the probability of a strong popular demonstration being made has by a sagacious minister to be taken into account as one of the dangerous elements in the political situation, there

is a marked change. No free cable is at the disposal of the people or their representatives. No elaborate use is made of the telegraph by the Minister who has the special command of it. Eeplies to requests for information for public use are of the curtest and moat mysterious character. There is certainly in this case no darkening counsel with excess of words. There is a sense in which brevity is the soul of wit, but there is also a sense in which it is the soul of mystery. Language has been defined to be the means given to man to conceal his thoughts. But it may be as skilfully employed for that purpose by an excessive terseness as by a bewildering profu3eness. Who can wonder that doubt and misgiving prevail here, and that doubt and misgiving increase day by day, as attempts to obtain satisfactory explanations are ingeniously thwarted ? Under these circumstances popular feeling is naturally uneasy. This, however, is not the worst of it. Seeing the darkness that prevails, it is quite possible that an astute Minister may avail himself of the very action we have taken to turn it against us. In the message to be sent to-day, in accordance with the resolution of a public meeting, the question of expense ought not to be allowed to be an object of consideration. It should set forth tersely, of course, but with due regard to entire intelligibility, the feeling prevailing here, and manifested at the public meeting, and it should urge such a delay of the final settlement of the question — or aueh a suspension of the provisions of the Act as refer to Weßtland—as will enable the case to be more fully considered.