Evening Post. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1885. THE MINISTRY AND THE SESSION.

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 74, 24 September 1885, Page 2

Evening Post. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1885. THE MINISTRY AND THE SESSION.

The Ministry met Parliament at tho commoncement of the lata session with every reason for believing that they commanded the support of a fair working majority, and that they would have a Bafe and prosperous political voyage. During the recess Ministers had travelled extensively through the country, and had been everywhere well received. Mr. Stout and Sir Julius Vogkl, indeed, had, it was thought, disarmed a good deal of tho animosity which Auckland had previously shown to their administration, while Mr. Larnach's appointment as Minister of Mines and his tour through the goldfields had, it was believed, rendered secure the always, to some extent, doubtful allegiance of the goldfields" members. More than all this, the Government had their measures in a state of preparedness, far in advance of anything to whioh Parliament had been previously aocustomed, and it waß generally understood that the real leader of the Opposition, Major Atkinson, was not inclined to make what all believed would be futile efforts to regain power! No Ministry ever perhaps started on their sessional voyage with greater assurance of favourable weather, but they had scarcely got fairly to 86 1 when the prospect changed, and they found themselves buffeted by gales from all quarters, and surrounded by shoals and dangers not laid down on the chart by whioh they were direoting their course. It became painfully evident that the House was out of sympathy with the Ministry on almost every subject regarding which the latter desired to take aofcion Ministers seemed to have lost all "touch" of the Houss, and to bo sadly misinformed as to its feelings and wishes. The delivery of the Financial Statement early in the BesBion showed at once that the Ministerial policy was not in any reapeot acceptable to the party by whoße votes alone the Ministry could keep .their seats. Mr. Scobib Mackenzie, in his now celebrated phrase, formulated the feeling of the majority in epigrammatic form aa being "a determination to keep Ministers in and their meaaures oat." Unfortunately for their subsequent comfort, Ministers accepted the position on the very first usu9, the tariff. It is quite true that Parliamentary precedent justified them in declining to recognise non-acceptance of tariff proposals as an expression of want of confidence. Many Ministries in other countries have submitted to defeat on their taxation proposals, and havo retained offico without BacrifioinEr either their dignity or their influonce. Mr. Gjdadstone, indeed, has beqn severely blamed at Home for going out of office on the rejection of his Bndgut proposals, and it is now generally admitted that his resignation was really brought about by other reasons, tho defeat on the Budget being simply used as a n^jtoxt. There was nothing improper, therefore, a; the Stout-Vogel Administration abandoning their tariff without vacating their seats, or ratiier £U:ra would have been nothing improper had the cuegtion of the tariff been the sole one on which thjoy differed materially from their party. The difference •, however was, it was even then evident, mnoh wider.' Mr. Scobie Mackenzie's axiom (703 not limited in application to the tariff .only. E-?en to outsiders it had a much wider application, a much greater significance. It, in fact, embraced almost the' whole polioy of the Ministry. Ministers did not seem to realise this, and iHiey complain that their supporters did not make tha tree Datura of their objections sufficiently plain. The Premier the other night complained bitterly jfch*i ho ho had been led to retain office after the tariff defeat, on a distinct pledge of general BuppoW; for the session, a promise which, if it was by eoisd members kept in the letter, was by almost alj violated both in letter and in spirit. Some member?, such as Mr. Fisher, almost immediately went into open, direct, and bitter opposition. The majority, however, kept the Ministry in and their measures oat. They buffeted and bullied Ministers in the mpat a&tonishinjr manner, disregarding their wishes, tearing their Bills to pieces, and supporting the Opposition in everything which could degrade and humiliate tho occupants of the Tieasury bench. Tha latter submitted with a meeknoss whioh was simply marvellous. They more than obeyed the Scriptural injunction to turn their left cheek after being Emitten on the right one. The Opposition enjoyed the spsotaolo im mensely, and exulted in the humiliation of tha Ministry. It was, however, a sorry Bight to persons who believe in constitutional party government and have some regard for the dignity of Parliament. It was evident that Ministers were simply retained in offioe as stop-gaps- mere dummies or warming-pans,

to keep tho seats from being rushed by lets pliant or more dangerous occupants. In faot, the Ministry found itself exactly in the position it has shown a desire to force bo many other public bodies into— t hat of a man-of-war without guns. It was a Government only in name. It had responsibility without power. It was a buffer used to repel the advances of Major Atkinson. It was kept in office in order to keep Major Atkinson or Sir Gkobob Gret out. We are surprised that members of the Government snbmitted to the indignities of the position, although we are certainly triad that they did not give way to a Ministry formed from the other side; but had thoy taken up a bolder stand, a firmer position, the same end might, we believe, have been eecured in a far lees objectionable manner. Tho events of the late session have done much to brin? representative government in thia colony into deserved contempt.