The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1885.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 296, 21 December 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1885.

For tho cauie that lacks aasistanco, For tho wronj that needs resistance, For th» futuro in the distanco, And the good that we can do,

Th« conflicting reports about Mr Gladstone's supposed scheme for the restoration of the Irish Parliament leave us entirely to guesswork on the subject. Taking the telegrams in tho order of time of despatch, however, it would appear that subsequent to Mr Gladstone's denial of tho reports published in the " Pall Mall Gazette" and "Standard," the "Timos" published a statement to tlio effect that the Liberal leader had forwarded to the Queen a plan for the restoration of tho Irish Parliament, which Her Majesty had referred to her Responsible Advisers. There is nothing so improbable about this statement as to cause us to doubt its substantial accuracy, and tho "Times " must have held the same view when lending tho announcement its authority. As tho acknowledged leader of the largest party returnod by tho ceuntry, Mr Gladstone would be fully warranted in exorcising a privilege allowed to tho meanest subject of tho realm - that of addressing his Sovereign. But, of course, he would merely adopt this coureo as a means of bringing about botweon the conflicting parties some solution of a question which has brought party government in England to confusion, and mado tho weaker tho stronger side. In addressing Her Majesty, Mr Gladstone really addresses Lord Salisbury—ho has had too many proofu of Her Majesty's disfavour to suppose that she would prefer his advice to that of the noble lord whom Parliamont has given her, oven if ho woro inexperionced and silly enough to intrigue with tho Soveroign against the party in Power. In a national question of this magnitude it would be consistent with tho broad patriotism of the veteran statesman to place hia advice freely at the service of the nation. Indeed if it be the intention of his party to inaugurate a constitutional change of this magnitude 011 assuming oflico, it is right that Her Majesty and the country should bo apprised of the fact before he is entrusted with the seals of ollico. He might also havo adopted the mode of procedure attributed to him from a knowledgo that even his own party, already less than a clear majority of the House, would be split up on such an issue. The Moderate Liberals are not yet educated up to the point of accepting a restoration of the Irish Parliament as tho right solution of Irish grievances, and even many advanced Liberals have grave doubts about the consequences of endorsing the Home Rule doctrines. Mr Gladstone's conversion, wo believe, is not so recent as some people suppose. Many years ago ho was willing to give a vory largo instalment o£ local Government to Ireland, but found little support among his party. His election speohos, although characterised by that reserve which i 3 observed by-the wise tacticinn on whose utternnccs the fate of a great party hangs, were yet strongly favourable to granting any reasonable demand which a united Ireland might make upon the British Parliament. Wo shall not be surprised, thoreforo, if the policy and the method of promulgating -it attributed to Mr Gladstone by the "Times" receives confirmation. And if so, the details of the scheme, its safeguards for the preservation of all the essentials of union, will be supremely interesting. His plan may yet prove as little satisfactory to tho Homo Rulers as to the Tories. In no case, however, do we percoivo in any accredited schomo of Homeßule the rupture of the Empire lugubriously foreshadowed by tho "Timos."