Page 3 Advertisements Column 1

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 175, 30 November 1881, Page 3

[Advertisement.] To the Editor the Manartatu Time*. '" - Palmerston Not fh, November 2S. 1881. SIH. — May T ask yon to publish the sub* joined letter as an advertisement.— I am, fee. A. M'DONALD. Awahnri, November 25, 1881. J. G. Wil«on, Esq. Bnlls, My Dear Sir You will/ I know, have heard that notwithstanding my promise to you, it is my intention to vote at the ensuing [ elections for Dr. Bul'er. I did think I would meet you at Wellington, and explain how this came to be, but I missed you there, and ; it is not now likely T shall have any opportunity of inefting either you or my neighbors m and about Awahuri: before polling day. I hope therefore that you and |t,hey will accept through the medium of the Press this explanation of my conduct m this matter. In the first place allow me to say that were I to vote at the coming election simply according to my opinion of the Candidates as private, gentlemen and rettlers, there is not m New Zealand nor m the world, any man to whom I would sooner give my vote than to yourself ;• and when I first heard of your candidature I said, at once, by impulse of private esteem, that I wonld vote for you ; thougbrsorfaras I remember; I said at the same time that I wag sorry you were coming forward, or something to that effect. I have no copy of my note to you. Anyhow Ido not, and will not admit ; that it m the least detracts from my high appreciation of you as a friend, that I do not, upon mature consideration think you the most suitable man to represent us m Parliament just now. I am, and have been for many years, as you know, intensely dissatisfied with our .Legislation' and administration of Native Affairs ; and I see not a glimmer of hope that you, or Biich as you would earnestly try to remedy that which seems to me so utterly wrong ie that Depart"ment of politics. '■- A little time ago the "New Zealand Times,*' which now supports your infftrmert its readers that a "masterly inßctivUy"-was the one and only thing necessary to recover the lost confidence of the Maoris, and restore harmony to the State. : Ajid : you would probably do^ aU othenr have done, via., leave Nafivfe Legislation to person* wbnm you conscientiously think more capable m that Department than yourself. But I ask myself who are those persons ?— Sir George Grey, Sir William Fox, Mr. : Whittaker, Mr . Sheehan, and Mr. Bryce. The three former gentlemen havie been intimately and prominently connected with the making of Native Land Laws for the last 35 or more years, and what has been the result?— l say that at this moment the Maori people, as a people; curse us, the colonists, m their ! henrts; and T say that it is most deplorable that it nhould be so; and I charge those three gentlemen with being by Omission or commission mainly responsihle for that result. Had they from their high and honorable positions, instead of wrangling with each other for place and power, warned us that the laws which were being made were unjust, and the administration m many respects evil, we should not now be obliged to use force to keep the peace, and we should not have the curses of a free and generi ous, though uncivilized people justly resting upon' us^ Our national love of fair play and justice would have been evoked, and public opinion would have compelled the making of more just and equitable laws, and a more consistent and righteous adminis tratibn.' But our Parliaments and people have ltft the making of the Native Land L-iws to a few individuals of whom Sir George Grey, Sir William Fox, and Mr Wbittaker, are among the most prominent, and the result is nearly as bad as; it can be. Then, as to Mr Sheehan I think it probable yon will agree with me that we have had enough, and more than enough of him as Native Minister. And as to Mr Bryce, I think it a most fortunate thing for the Colony that we had m him a man wise, and firm enough :to avert probable murder and outrage by a timely exhibition of superior force. That is to say, when by years of abominable misrule, we had goaded a»d exasperated the Maoris to the pomt of open rebellion, Mr Bryce steps forward 1 and yrevents actual bloodshed by a demon: stration. AH credit to him -for that wise aof,-whatever it may cost the colony m ' mpney. Bnt. Mr. Bryce has been member of Parliament, and Chairman of Nrtive Affairs Committee for many years, and I do not remember that at any time has voice has been heard denouncing the paltry wrangling of our elder 'statesmen ahithe unjust lawi and e^il administration which at last made hiir exhibition of force necefisary^lrCannoV lipwey-er,^ blame him severely ftr-thiip. tt^is probably rather nig misfortune 1 ban bis fault, that be docs not seem to have pbsseßsed the qualities which would have enabled him to prevent the vessel of State drifting so faj^iuto d-jnger, : aEid he b^s shewn himself a cool and ; ;a^kilful ? •oilor and.raaß, yrhen A the s^ip fcadl in-to the .actual breakers, and for ? this I consider bini entitled to high praiie. But