Wairarapa Daily Times. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1898. "SPEED THE PARTING GUEST!"

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 6111, 13 December 1898, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1898. "SPEED THE PARTING GUEST!"

Tut contemplated retirement of the Hon, John McKonzio from public life will excite much attention, for when it has been effected, tho Colony will realise the fact that lie has boon the keystone of the Ministerial arch. This" plain, blunt man, who loves his friend, and speaks right on" has bis faults, of course j but they are tho faults tbut belong to a zealous and enthusiastic man, who is more» warrior than a diplomatist, a man with a purpose, an ideal—not the slave of expediency. When the present Government came into power, its chief was a patriot and a humanitarian of the purest type, and the Colony was ready for reform. Tho wisest of the reformers had again and again insisted that the solution of social problems in this country was to be found in the opening of tho land to the people. Tho lato John Ballancc entered heart and soul into a system of taxatiou to which nobody (except on purely selfish grounds), can take exception. And with tho taxation of the land came tho administration of tho Lands Department. This was placed in tho capable bauds of John McKenzie; and ono can pay the statesman no higher compliment than to say that tho man proved worthy of tho occasion, That tho Department has been purged as well as quickened and reorganised under tho McKenzie ritjimc, is unquestionable. Wo are aware of the simple fact that never in tho history of the Colony has its Department of Lands been so "live" an institution as under tho Hon, John McKen/,io. Both sides of tho House will testify readily to this, The demand of the Colony for tho opening of the laud to tho people has been royally met by the bluff earnest Minister; and wo are bound to say that no Minister in Now Zealand ever resorted less to artilico and trickery and calck-vnte playing than he. Ho took his stand upon his policy, and threw into his work all the enthusiasm and industry and energy of his race, with a directness all his own. There was a dignify about the land policy which obtained for it a trial, and enabled its exponent to win popular support without resorting to unworthy tactics.

Side by side with tho land legislation, which if drastic was at least practical, came the labour legislal ion. Nobody know belter than tho late Mr Bajlance tho rottenness of the fabric which necessity compelled him to weave, in this matter. No sooner was ho laid to rest and the usurper Richard settled comfortably in bis place than a brisk movement in labour legislation took place, and tho cause of tho enfranchisemeat of the pcoplo was made the pretext for ad aiplamkm addresses, legislative experiments and corrupt government, The cause which had in it dignity and nobility, and the charm of idealism originally, was now adopted by time-servers and I opportunists—with this result, that to-day the land policy bears fruit which testifies to its soundness, while the whole group of statutes dealing with the labour question is falling to pieces.

It is fortuuate for Mr McKenzie that bo seems likely to retire " iD a blaze of glory," as a single-hearted plain mau who has gained his points, for had he remained much longer in the Ministry his rcpatation would have been sadly tarnished. As it

is, he l'olii'os with honour, Ho lcuvos no record of vulgar" posing," of tap-room diplomacy, of bombast, but the namo of uno who earnestly slrovo to loavo Now Zealand" bofctor llinu ho found it." With his rotiromont m shall probably seo tho Govornmont fall to pieces,—see somo mighty changes and obsurvo tho whole tissue of vexatioua legislation crumbling away. Tho hopes of the peoplu rest on tho land; and ho who has successfully and vigorously administered tho lands Department will bo Iho hero of tho hour. Hitherto, his own modesty and tho noise of tho Premier's claqueurs lmvo kept him in obscurity; but he may safely assume that ho will not he pormiltotl to loavo thonromi without at least an ovation. Wo doeply regrot tho cause of his retirement, and wc offer him mir hearty thanks for tho zeal, single-mindedness and ability which ho has exhibited during his term of ollice,