THE KOMATA ROAD Mr. Reuben Parr, who arrived

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1325, 25 December 1880, Page 2

THE KOMATA ROAD Mr. Reuben Parr, who arrived

here from the Thames last evening, says Saturday's Te Aroha Miner, informs us that the blood of folk down the river is now thoroughly up anent the opposition of Tukukino to the Komata road. They see that through the factious opposition of one old savage, they are in a manner cut off from this district— the bright El Dorado of their hopes— and know if the Aroha is to do them any good some better means of communication than at present exists must be provided. Mr Parr interested himself in the matter, and a number of the leading citizens put their names as willing to subscribe £300 to complete the road. The time has come for the Government to make a decided stand in this matter ; the manner His Excellency's advisers have allowed themselves to be fooled and put off by TViukino is a standing disgrace to those in charge of the administration of nativeaffairs, the extreme leniency shown, only serving to bring the British law into contempt with the Maoris. A telegram to the Thames Star says : — •" The Government have sent a message to the obstinate chief Tukukino that they are determined to form the road through the Komata Block, in order to further open up communication with the Te Aroha. Tukukino has been hitherto obstructive." Referring to the above the same journal says :—": — " The Government, says a telegram, have intimated toTukukino that they avo determined to form the road through the Komata Block. We sincerely trust the report is correct, as the need for this road is now far more generally felt than before the opening of the Te Aroha goldfield. We arc afraid such is not the case as tho Hon. F. "VVhitaker declined to decide the matter himself, and Mr Bryce, the native minister has not yet arrived in Auckland. We understand thao should the Government not proceed with the formation of the road at once, Mr. Reuben Parr and a number of Waitoa settlers intend to carry it through. Subscriptions are being raised by them for the purpose.

Toilets for dancing 1 parties have short skirts for young ladies, and deini-trains for young married ladies. In England little boys and girls make their first appearance in this wicked world in a parsley bed. In France little babies are found under the cabbages, and in Germany a stork brings them and drops them down the chimney into mamma's lap. Mr J. A. Froude considers, in the Nineteenth Century, the history of the connection between England and Ireland. He condemns the recent Liberal legislation, actual and attempted. His idea as to the true remedy for Irish grievances is indicated in the following- passage — which may, however, *>c thought to point out an alternative conclusion : — "From the ruined I fields and wasted potato gardens, from a million miserable cabins where human beings have lived under our charge for 20 generations more like wolves than men, the silent cry appeals to us — Take charge of us, rule us, guide us, help us out of our wretchedness ; and the remedy, it seems which we are to try next, is to be the extension of theboroughfranchise. The Irish require order and we give them anarchy. They ask for a fish and we give them a scorpion Let no one say that we li ye in an age of sceptism. The faith of England in the present object of her worship is worthy of all admiration ; but if we offer sacrifices to liberty we should offer them at the expense of ourselves, not of others. It was England which introduced landowningand landlords into Ireland as au expedient for ruling it. If we choose now to remove the landlords, or divide their property with their tenants, we must do it from our own resources ; we have no right to make the landlords pay for the vagaries of our own idolatries. But liberty, asnowuuderstood, is a local divinity, peculiar to the modern English and Americans, and will never save Ireland. Protestant ascendancy is gone. But what Protestant ascendancy really meant must be realised in some new shape, or there is no hope."