The Star. THUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1881.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4098, 9 June 1881, Page 2

The Star. THUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1881.

W_ have had rather frequently before ub recently the question of the acquisition and sale of Native lands. Mr Stevens struok a key-note of a somewhat startling character when he told the people of this island that it didn't matter to them what bargains a man might be able to get out o£ the Natives of the North Island. Free trade in Native lands Mr Sbsti-TS contended waa a moßt desirable kind of freedom, but it carried with it the suggestion that, under the enjoyment of this delightful freedom, liberties would be taken of a most demoralising — corrupting — nature, and that in a determination to secure " good bargains " all sorts of ohicaneriea and frauds would be resorted to by a set of unprincipled speculators, and their still more nn* scrupulous agents. Then we had the announcement at Leeston that free trade in Native lands was a cardinal point in the Ministerial policy ; in fact, it constitutes the only point—the only portion — fragment — of a policy to whioh the Government has given expression. Immediately npon this, our lively and veracious contemporary, the Oashel street Government organ, produced an artiole in which it was roundly asserted that the one great evil of this Ooiony had been the system of purchasing Native lands by the Government. AU the wars New Zealand had known, all ihe Native complications and troubles with their heartburnings and expenses, it was lately asserted, had been due to the terribly vicious efforts of the Government in seeking to purchaso, upon fair terms and in an honourable manner, in order to thoir occupation by European colonists, those lands which the Natives were willing to part with. It was even sought to insinuate tbat the trouble with Te Whiti upon the Weßt Ooaßt of the North Island was due to somewioked scheme — never before or since heard of — in contemplation to purchase Parihaka. Probably suoh a oourse, if it ever had been in contemplation, would be just as honest and as honourable ub a project to take it by force of arms. But the people have had frequent and painf nl experience that neither truth, probability, nor the general knowledge of open and notorious facts are allowed to stand in the way when some position has to be asserted on behalf of an " honest," " honourable," and " noble-minded " Government, by their slavish organs in the Press. However, wo have now before us the report of the Bpeech delivered last week by Sir William Fox, at Marton. It oonsists almost entirely of the usual wholesale denunciation of a Ministry that perished two years ago, and a hypocritical admiration of the present Government, the true value of which to New Zealand Sir William Fox must comprehend as well as any man. One point in it, and one only, there is whioh standß out prominently, and seems to us worthy to be grasped firmly by the people; it bears of course upon this question of the purohase of Native Lands. Sir William: Fox speaks as follows ; — "The land sales in New Zealand had always been more or less under the protection of the law. By the treaty of Waitangi no one b»t the Queen oould buy from the Natives, and if anyone attempted to do so the sale was absolutely void. This was a very good law, and worked very well. In 1882, however, under the influence of large bodies of land speculators, chiefly from Auckland, the law was abolished, and the purohase of lands thrown opon to anybody, totally regardless of the Colony being covered with disputes between Maoris and white people." It will be seen at once from a glance at this testimony what our truthful contemporary is capable of achieving in the way of daring and palpable misrepresentation. Truly, as the Premier says, a bill upon the subject of lying would be a real good thing. A return to the principles of the treaty of Waitangi is the policy we advocate, and it should be a leading point in the principles of all Liberals. Why should we shut our eyes to the experience of the past and the lessons whioh it teaches ? As Sir William Fox tells us of a law whioh was very good and worked well, surely common sense would suggest the wisdom of getting baok to it as quickly as possible. We repeat that we are against free trade— another came for indiscriminate j license — in Native lands, and are con- | vi_oed that the f»ture prosperity of | fcV'eae islands is h^und np in anyetrm of tho closest proleetiui; — piote--tio„ to the Nativn yhcp upon tho -'in- !■ :-.;•;', •■.:■<! to the rights of the European Eettler ou tbe other.

Mk J. B. Fishkr has intimated to his constituents at Weßtport that his experience of political life — brief ns it has been — has proved quito sufficient for him. Although this is a matter for rogret on the part of the people who will lose in Mr Fishee a representative endowed with faithfulncßß, shrewd common J Bi.'use, and vory considerable ability, it oannot be said to be matter for wonder, ■

—_— — —^^^t,^ M -____ for politics in thiß Ooiony have little to interest, and very much to disgust ike mind whioh is not animated by motives of strong personal interest. So long as Parliament may be regarded as aa arena to scramble for power in order to obtain opportunities for plunder, it is to be expected tbat young gentle_ie_ like Mr Fishbb, having no logs to roll or petty Bmall ambition to gratify, will tarn away from the saddening spectacle whioh the General Assembly presenter heartsick and diegae'ted. Whafc fresh exhibition- may be in Btore for tbe country daring the session whioh opens to-day, of course we know not, but Mr Fishbb has oerfcainly seen enough in the past to justify the oonviotion that be speaks truth when Le says he is siok of it. He has seen men sell themselves; and betray their constituents in the most unblushing manner, he bas seen them bought by a rotten — corrupt — Government whose : — " Chief characteristics were that they would initiate nothing, stiok to nothing, and steal everything. If they thought Nihilism would go down with the people they would adopfc it." A Government whioh, whilst professing parity of administration, Civil Service reform, and retrenchment, scattered hundreds and thousands of pounds in favoured districts for the purpose of purohasing politioal support. A Ministry which when they came into offioe, stole the measures of their predecessors, without hesitation, and they have since tried to filch from Mr Obmowd and the Opposition the honourable credit due to them for crashing down to its present limits the extravagant expenditure of our Government Establishments. Through incompetent leadership he has witnessed the public time and his own frittered away in floods of talk, for the most part feeble and meaningless, whilst weighty interests for the people wsre waiting for the baUuce. He says he has had enough of that, kind of thing, and we quite believe him. Nevertheless, it is in young men like Mr Fishbb that the hope of tbe country lies, and we oannot afford that those who enter publio life with no private axe_ to grind, and with pure aim- for the people's welfare, should feel constrained to retire just when they might be expected to become more praotioally useful. For our part we frankly confess that we are almost hopeless of any good results being obtained from the old warriors of New Zealand politics, acoustomed as they are to old grooves and tha old shuttleoocks of the Parliamentary arena. It is to the Db Latovbs, the Si-bights, the Fishers and other young and promising publio men that New Zealand must look for her future statesmen, and it is not cheering to find the member for the Buller, at Buoh a time as this, announcing his intention to withdraw from a scene where Buch as he are so much needed. We trust his constituents will succeed in altering Mr Fishbr 's determination.