TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph SATURDAY, JULY 9, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3130, 9 July 1881, Page 2

TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph SATURDAY, JULY 9, 1881.

The state of political parties in the House iB so thoroughly disorganised that the Government may receive an adverse vote at any time. The safety of the Ministry lies in the fact that no object could be served by a change during this the last session of the present Parliament. Nor can it be said that on the whole tbe Government is distasteful to the country at large. The Ministerial party is weak from the disunion so apparent in its ranks, and from the plastic composition of the principles enunciated by the Government. "If that which we advocate," Ministers seem constantly crying, "is not to your liking, we will either change it, or you can turn it into whatever shape you please. This is not the disposition expected from a Government at a time like the present when, to pass any measure at all, the utmost firmness is demanded to keep the unruly members in order. Up to this the real business of the session has been kept back, and the time of the House wasted over a Licensing Bill that stands very little chance ot becoming law. The Government is evidently anxious to gain time, either to prepare the more important measures to belaid before Parliament, or else to provoke attack in order to go to the country on a dissolution. The manner in which the Regulation of of Elections Bill was brought forward showed to a very great extent that it was only introduced to occupy the attention of the House, and so kill time. There is no necessity for such a measure; there has been no demand for any change in the existing regulation of elections; there has been no public agitation upon tbe subject. Further than this, the bill provides that in constituencies returning three representatives electors shall only vote for two ; whereas in tbe promised Re-distribution of Seats Bill it is provided that no conftituency shall return more than cne representative. When taunted upon these points the Hon. the Postmaster-General replied that, although last seesion the House permitted the bill to lapse because tbere was no pressing necessity for it, yet it was on the distinct understanding that consideration of the bill should be resumed this session. And so, as the bill left the hands of tbe committee last year, it has been brought up again. Tbe Ministry, instead of governing the House, permits the House' to rule the Government, thus shifting 'he responsibility for measures on to Parliament. " The bill is now submitted to the House," said the PostmasterGeneral, " and honorable members have an opportunity either of confirming the decision already arrived at (last session) or ot modifying it in any manner they please." The Yankee politician who, having expressed his views, said to his audience, "gentlemen, them's my sentiments, but they can be changed,'" bad at least some claim to public confidence in having possession of sentiments to utter. The Hall Ministry, however, can only be compared to the mischievous page boy who placed an empty egg upside down in the cup for his master's breakfast, and excused himself on the ground that it was just as his master had left it. The House, it may be said, wants something to eat, and all that the Government has to offer are the mangled remains of last session. With sucb a prospect in view it is impossible to suppose that the Ministry will be able to pass the Redistribution of Seats Bill, the provisions of which, based on population, will raise a storm of opposition from every centre that is now over-represented.