A SIGN OF THE TIMES.

Grey River Argus, 22 September 1910, Page 2

A SIGN OF THE TIMES.

WARM TALK FROM' FAITHFUL : \ FRIEND.

The Dunedin Star which has. for many years been a thick-and-thin supporters of the Liberal party, printed on Wednesday a .remarkable and significant article uuon the Government's back-down" in Connection with the Governor's residence in Auckland. "Disgusting" and "shatnefutfv pusillanimous" are the terms in which the Star describes the action of the Ward Administration, which at contrasts, in a lone of bitter contempt with the Seddon Administration. "A- Public Scandal" is the title of the article, from which we make the following extracts:— -"Disgust is the mildest word with which we can express our feelings concerning the wretched capitulation of the Ward Ministry in the matter' of the retention of the old Government House at Auck-.: ••and as a vice-regal residence. The Leader of the Opposition, who (for parochial , reasons),, approves this pitiable;!, tergiversation,; coolly" remarks that.'aiys. \yeli, : . that -lends well, and that now there will be no necessity for :i. 'fight . in Parliament.' We trust 1 hat .Mr Massey- is. .reckoning without his host, and that southern membersr— . or, rather, alls members outside tbe mad circle of AuckUnd'^rapacity and .narrowness — will take .good' care that there sha3 be 'a fight in Parliament,' ; . . . It is Simply . intolerable th ! at the Government' should capitulate in t'ihis shamefuilly, 1 pusillanimous; manner ..to the Dres'sure of .Auckland megalp•maniacs' arid Auckland Parliamentary jrepresentatives'-.and we telit Sir Joseph AVard plainly that the m ana of him--"self and his coJleagugs. cannot be ex- ' nected to survive ma-ny more exhi- : tions of similar weakness. We hope that the Trades and Labour Councils and other democratic- bodies will prn'tcst vigorous'.^ against the "wanton waste of public monev — amounting to many thousands^ ,p'f bounds — involved (in, the decision to .renovate and refur- ; J nish what should be a doomed ire'si'dence. merely for the sake of placating a hostiile sentiment which ought to he contemptuously ignored. Mr ; Seddon would have seen the Auckland ishnekers to Jericho rather than have down in, a matter of this kind. But 'standing to the guns' is not tfie •special forte of the Ward Ministry." "