Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price 1d. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1887. Mr Hawkins and Public Affairs.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2081, 15 June 1887, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price Id. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1887. Mr Hawkins and Public Affairs.

Th* speech recently delivered by Mr R. 8. Hawkins, one of the candidates for the representation of Wairarapa ftorth in Parliament, was remarkable alike for originality, force and ability. Mr Hawkins takes a high view of the duties and responsibilities of a member of the Legislature. He declares emphatically teat a representative should not be sent to Parliament to attend to local interests, but to those of the colony as a whole. This view is, in the main, sound and right, but at the same time it would not do for the representatives of the people to act strictly up to it. It is quite possible for a member of Parliament to look to the interests of the colony as a whole, yet at the same time to pay a reasonable amount of attention to those of the district which he represents. Moreover, in performing the latter duty honestly, it is not necessary that a member “ should crawl up back stairs, sneak about the lobbies, and baggie for corrupt support to corrupt expenditure,” as Mr Hawkins forcibly puts it. An honourable and right thinking man would not degrade himself by doing such dirty work. Nevertheless some members of Parliament are certainly guilty of the actions which Mr Hawkins denounces. Let those whom the cap fits wear it. In bis scathing attack upon the spurious and bastard aris tocratic class now being created in this colony Mr Hawkins will carry with him the hearty approval and sympathy of every right thinking man in New Zealand. It is a piece of cost'y absurdity that in a so called democracy like New Zealand, the people should pay £IO,OOO a year to maintain a goyernor and a vice regal establishment. The colony has no need whatever of a governor appointed by the Imperial authorities. The Governor ought to be elected by the people from amongst themselves and be paid a moderate salary, while all the gewgaws and tinsel of the existing vice-regal establishment should be swept away for ever. There have been and are now, men to be found in New Zealand eminently qualified to fill the position of Governor of the colony, la a real and true democracy it is self-evident that the Governor should bo elected by the people. We are entirely in accord with Mr Hawki.is in condemning the system of burro > ng titles honors from the old c >uiury. It tends to destroy the principle of social equality. There should be no title to honor and respect save " the industry, the energy, the honesty, the wisdom, and the genius of the muu the virtue, the piety, and the modesty of the woman.” These are the words used by Mr Hawkins, and the sentiment which they so eloquently convey will be responded to in the hearts of the people. This conferring of knighthoods is creating a spirit of sycophancy, crawling, and flunkeyism in New Zealand. Walter Bailer got ,jj* knighthood through backstairs influence, * ud .? lio b X S'J in g * big cheque towards tuj Colonial institute. Why Von Haa* f knighted it would be difficult to say, while Dr Hector’s scientific attain ments are not of so high an order as to call for special recognition on the part of the Sovereign. That Robert Stout accepted a knighthood was a shock and surprise to his truest and warmest friends, who had the right to think, owing to his previously expressed opinion, that he despised such Brummagem distinctions, The same spirit ot (lunkoyism displayed in this scheming and intriguing for knighthood cau also be seen in all the fulsome speeches of the promoters of the Jubilee business. Mr Hawkins justly enough wonders “ if all these Jubilee sycophants hope to arrive at knighthood by the ardour of their obsequiousness, the suppleness of their backs, and the figures of their money subscriptions ” It is really delightful to find a candidate for Parliament denouncing sycophants and crawlers in this scathing fashion, and we honor Mr Hawkins for bolding such views and having the courage to express t lie in

We are glad to find that Mr ilawkins is a tree trader to the back bone. Some timid politicians have been “ trimming ’’ on this question

of Free Trade y. Protection M r Hawkins does not waver at all. He | says plainly that industries specially j suitable to the colony will be established and flourish without needing! any special measures of protection. j Our opinions on this question are well i known and have been frequently expressed in these columns. We hold that the existing Custom B duties on imported goods which have been imposed mainly for revenue purposes, afford a quite sufficient measure of protection to the colonial manufac turers. The general effect of adopting a protective policy would be to hamper and embarass trade and to largely increase the cost of living to the great mass of the people. Mr Hawkins warmly approves the Village Settlement Scheme; declaresfora rigid system of retrenchment and reduction of public expenditure, and generally takes up the position of a candidate holding the most pronounced Badica! views. We have no idea as yet what will be the future of Mr Hawkins in this contest. In any case he has made a most eloquent and telling speech, which will go far to give him favour with many of the Wairarapa North electors. The drawback to the speech is that Mr Hawkins has talked a little over the heads of his hearers and that he has said nothing about affairs which are of special local interest to the special body of electors whom he was addressing. Mr Hawkins should supply this omission in future speeches during the contest. Taking the speech as a whole we have read it with the greatest delight. It was quite different from the ordinary class of speeches delivered by candidates. For vigour of language and boldness and independence of views, the speech delivered by Mr Hawkins is i’one of the best we have rend for many a long day.