The Auckland Star; WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1903. THE NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 230, 26 September 1903, Page 4

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

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1903. THE NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrung that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, , And the good that toe can do.

> It is very difficult to see what Mr Bedford or auy of those who voted for his ridiculous no-confidence motion yesterday, expected ta gain by it. What the House as a whole thought about it was sufficiently indicated in the division list. Mr Bedford's friends may be inclined to excuse his extraordinary proceeding on the ground of his lack of political experience. But even if the senior member for Dunedin has very little knowledge of public life or Parliamentary procedure, the important interests committed to his charge might

well have induced in him some sense of responsibility. Mr. Mander said perhaps all that was required to explain the feeling of the House when he stated that he would vote .against Mr Bedford "as a protest against irresponsible men moving such amendments." We take leave to remind Mr Bedford that the methods of the debating societies in which his past triumphs have been won are not suited to ihe conduct of Parliamentary affairs, and we believe that he will consult best for his personal reputation and for the dignity of his position as representative of one of our most important constituencies by renouncing such juvenile escapades for the future. As far as. the Opposition is concerned, it can hardly have felt thankful to Mr Bedford for his reckless precipitancy. Mr Massey could not well refuse to vote against the Ministry, but he was careful to disown all responsibility for the amendment, and even Mr Duthie felt compelled to remark that he failed to see the wisdom of bringing forward such an amendment at such a time. A noconfidence motion based on an Imprest Supply Bill was, as the Premier said, ill-timed and unprecedented, and it certainly had the effect of strengthening the hands of the Government at one of their weakest points. No doubt there are good grounds for the objections raised in many quarters to the persocpol of the Ministry, and a little pressure 1 judiciously applied might produce changes in the Cabinet which even the staunchest supporters of Liberalism would welcome. An attack organised by. the leader of the Opposition under suitable conditions against the Cabinet as at present constituted would possibly have gained the sympathy and support of many waverers in the House. But, WJtll the irresponsible levity of youth a*id inexperien'*, Mr Bedford lias thrown that chance away. When Mr Massey was elected leader of the Opposition we congratulated Parliament on the fact that < guerilla warfare Avas to cease, and the orderly methods of ratdonal criticism were to tafce its place. But Mr Bedford's sense of discipline is not yet very acute, and he has rushed in where such "old hands" as. Mr Duthie and Mr Massey feared to tread. We hope that in time the leader of the Opposition will be able to enforce his authority upon his party with better effect. If t\ a time of the House is to be wasted over casual no-conftdenee motions suddenly produced by impetuous young men, over-anxious to distinguish themselves in politics, Parliamentary government would soon be reduced to a farce. We can only hope that even aa young Mr Bedford's astonishing amendment had no precedent behind it, so it will have no successor.