WHERE IS THE POLICY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 6, 8 January 1891, Page 4

WHERE IS THE POLICY.

It is a curious fact thab in all the politic*, rumours forwarded from Wellington every, thing, and presumably the fate of the country 3 hinges upon whether this, that or tho other set of men shall succeed in forming a Ministry. The question as to what policy these different sets of individuals either have adopted or eventually may be expected to adopt is never allude d to. This, our readers are no doubt aware' is no new departure ; ib is simply playing the same old game that all Ministers have freely indulged in for many years , namely office-seekmg, and office - holding w h S n office is secured. &

Eversincethe broad line of demarcation be tween Provincialisbs and Centralists ceased to distinguish the politicians of bhi« colony there have positively been no party H ne V Any change of Government that has taken' place.smce the provinces were extinguished bar one, has only resulted in a change of the personnel of Ministers. jThe so-called policy of each succeeding Ministry was positively identical.

** P™g* Bt w ® f™ B»ven to understand that-Sir Harry Atkinson's Government have sounded the new and doubtful members, and hare discovered that their party has a clear majority This is nob even assumed to be a majority m favour of the policy of that statesman ; m fact, lasb session he openly declared that he and his followers bad no pohcy-what they desired was political rest. .

Mr Ballance, the presumed leader of tho Opposition, and his friends have also been sounding these highly important doubtful members, and they have, curiously enouo-h, arrived at the same .conclusion as the other side, with this distinction, however—they find that the majority is with the Opposition, and not with the Government. It would be highly interesting to peruse the various communications which have passed between Ministers, the Opposition and the doubtfuls. The English language ie now almost supreme throughout the world, and one of its most excellent qualities is to enable a man to state something which, on being challenged, he can eaeily prove does notmeanwhatitnaturally implies. There are fewcandidatesforparliamentary honours who have not, at one time or another, been more than scared when they compared the promises made to their constituents with the actual performance. Language is given us, it has been said, to conceal our thoughts, and when the doubtfuls get to Wellington and have to undergo interviews with this and the other lot of would-be Ministers there will be trouble; but no doubt everything will be satisfactorily explained, because ihey are all honourable men, and those who win will laugh the loudest. A late announcement by wire from Wellington informs ub that the fbllowiag Ministry is quite on the cards:—John Hall, Bryce c Rolleston, Mitchelson, Captain Russell, Richardson, and Scobie McKenzie, to which was added the following rider:—"lt is not thought that Mr Ballance could select any team from his Bidb of th? House which would have an equal chance of permanence." Again it must be observed that it is the sterling qualities of the team which command eulogy, certainly not the policy that such a team would enunciate ; of that no mention is made whatever—simply because they have none. On the other hand, if Mr Ballance, or any other man politically known or unknown, could got a team together, pledged to thoroughly reform certain institutions of this country which through their existence and intensely selfish application have worked great evil, and oppressed with heavy burdens tbe majority of the population, and which must be alndost revolutionised if Hhoebunliry is.to progress and take its proper position amongst these Southern nations—it any competent man were to come forward and announce a broad, progressive, and practical policy, the country would ab once sea the position, and applaud the mati and the team which brought it forward, and there would be a chance of permanency of office for them, if they succeeded in carrying out the much-needed reforms.