The Evening Post. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1876.

Evening Post, Volume XIII, Issue 37, 14 February 1876, Page 2

The Evening Post. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1876.

A new phase of a somewhat interesting character, has been developed with reference to the political situation in Victoria. As our readers are aware, the Government of Sir James. M'Culloch are endeavoring to carry certain proposals, including an income and property tax. The Government have a majority in the Assembly, but the Opposition, by the adoption of a species of "Stonewall tactics," have contrived to obstruct the progress of business, and prevent the measures in question being carried. This has made the Government resort to' quite a new expedient, in order to pnt an end to the system of talking against time. At the date of our latest advices, it had been decided to ask the House to adopt a .new Standing Order, providing that whenever during the remainder of the session a motion shall have been moved in the House, or in any committee of the whole House, it will be open to any hon. member to. propose, without notice, • ' ' That the motion be now put ;' whereupon such resolution shall be put forthwith, without Amendment or debate ;

and no motion shall be made or question of order raised until such motion has been disposed of." If the majority should then be of opinion that the debate has gone far enough, that the subject has been exhausted, and that further discussion would only be a waste of time, the motion, and any amendment or question submitted subsequently to the motion and not then disposed of, shall be put in the accustomed order of precedence, without futther debate or question of order being raised until such question t ha3 been disposed of. The same principles are to be applied to proceedings in committee of the whole House. The proposal above alluded to would, if carried iuto effect, render the Opposition powerless, and secure the carrying of the Government measures. The members of the Opposition declare that the proposed changes in the system of taxation should not be made until, by means of a dissolution and general election, the sense of the country has been taken upon the whole question. Whether a majority of electors in the country is with the Government or Opposition cannot well be judged, but in any case the proposed introduction of this new standing order to burk discussion and ] crush a minority, is a course of action which merits the severest condemnation. We heartily approve of the financial proposals of the M'Culloch Government, but it would fie better that delay should ensue before they are made law, than that a dangerous precedent should be introduced into the system of Parliamentary Government, which might afterwards be used for purposes subversive of public liberty. Had such a plan been adopted in the JSew Zealand Parliament during last session, when Sir George Grey and his staunch band of followers resisted the unjustifiable attempt of the Government to carry their proposed Constitutional changes without allowing the voice of the country to be taken thereon, the Opposition would have been crushed, and a most unjust fiable wrong perpetrated. The record of recent events proves this beyond doubt. The result of the appeal to the country has shown that while the abolition of the Provinces may be regarded as 'an accomplished fact, yet the Government will be forced to make concessions in the shape of granting measures of local self-government of a far broader and wider character than they had ever previously contemplated. And the elections, moreover, indicate that the Ministry hi this Colony, which strove b^ brute force to carry out its designs, will probably require to give place to other men who more fairly represent the feelings and wishes of the ceuntry as a whole. The Hon. Dr. Pollen sent in his resignation as Premier this morning to His Excellency the Governor, who was pleased to accept it. Sir Julius Vogel was sent for, and • was still closeted with His Excellency when we went to press. It is understood that Sir Julius will resnme his former portfolios of Premier and Colonial Treasurer. It was rumoured that the Hon. Mr. Reynolds would take this opportunity to carry out his long expressed intention of resigning, but we believe that the hon. gentleman has intimated his willingness to retain his seat in the Cabinet for the present, in order not to cause any embarrassment to his colleagues.