Hawke's Bay herald. SATURDAY, JULY 19, 1879. OUR LETTER HOME.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5438, 19 July 1879, Page 2

Hawke's Bay herald. SATURDAY, JULY 19, 1879. OUR LETTER HOME.

Sixcb our last letter there has been a great change in the aspeot of political affairs. It was certainly expected , then, as indeed it had been for some time, that a vigorous attack would he made upon • the Ministry very soon after the session commenced) but it was scarcely supposed that the attack would be immediately successful. It was thought to be certain that in the event of defeat Sir George Grey would obtain a dissolution, and that was not deemed to be expedient until something had been done towards securing a more fair distribution of representation at all events, if not also an extension of the franchise. Circumstances, however, have effected a great alteration) and now there seems little doubt that Ministers will sustain a signal defeat when the session has barely commenced, even though the consequence may bo a prema* ture dissolution of the House. Among those circumstances) the retirement of Mr Stout from the Ministry and from the House may be regarded as having in no small degree weakened the Government. It is not only that Mr Stout was an able man, but because also of a general belief that his withdrawal lias been occasioned by hia finding it impossible to work harmoniously with Sir George Grey. This was suspected at the time, but it received ample confirmation, within a very few days after the Attorney-General had surrendered his portfolio, by an exposure of an instance of the overbearing demeanor and insolent asumption of autocratic authority of Sir George towards his colleagues, whom he has evidently regarded alt along as his underliugs —as puppets whose movements should always be under his control. It then transpired that it was the practice of the Premier to Bend for one Minister or another and give instructions as to what Sir George desired should bo done, without affording his colleagues an opportunity of considering collectively, in Cabinet meeting, those directions of their Premier. It was euough, Sir George seemed to think, that he willed it, his " subordinates " must obey. Towards the end of last month, in the exercise of this spirit of domination, the Premier sent for Mr Ballance, the then Treasurer, .and made an objection to a matter of detail in connection with the Estimates. Mr Ballance was proceeding to argue the point when he was cut short by the Premier, who insisted that Mr Ballance was not to argue but to do as ho was bid. The Treasurer, however, persisted in his argument, and then he was imperiously ordered to leave the room. This Mr Ballance refused to do, and the Premier threatened to have him turned out, and rushing out of the room in a wild state of excitement, sent some men to carry out the threat. Such an unseemly proceeding was, however, prevented by Mr Sheehan, the Native Minister, but of course Mr Ballance could not think of retaining office under a Premier who had insulted him so grossly, and two days afterwards he sent in his resignation. The Premier subsequently wrote to Mr Ballanco requesting him to withdraw his resignation, in view of the near approach of tho session, but the exTreasurer remained firm, in his determination. The worst part of tho matter is that it is more than suspected that the quarrel was premeditated on the part of Sir George, and that he had resolved beforehand upon driving Mr Ballance to resign. The revelation of the scene with Mr Ballance threw a light upon the mode in which the affairs of the Government were being carried on that quite disgusted the country. The great popularity the Premier had once enjoyed had been on the wane for some time, but ifc liuw bt'eamu ,so nuuriiVai; that he was not only an autocna dus'iilng to roiyii by his own will aloivj, but that ho wvm too imprai;tii;ui»h' to admit uf the iuu'momouu woi'kiii'; of a Jiii.'itjtry of "which he wni-3 tiie heiid, that cyl-ii liia own parly considered the best course would be for him to retire. But of that Sir George has no idea whatever. He will cling to his post until ho is driven from it. To make matters worso, tho vacant seats in the Cabinet wero given to m.en. -without

veight or influence, and so the weakness •> vas rendered weaker still. One of them, 5 Mr Gisborne, has certainly had a good 5 leal of experience in official life-, but he \ s really a ''bureaucrat" and nothing J wore. The other one) Mr Thomson, is i still worse* He has had no experience j whatever of Ministerial work^ and j possesses not a single qualification for it. 1 Ho is, moreover) a Wretched speaker, wearisome to listen to, and always doing < harm to tho side on which he happens to spoak. With two such men to fill the* ' places of Mr Stout and Mr Ballahde, the Ministry might well ht considered to have dealt a. blow upon themselves that seriously imperilled their existence. This was tho state of matters when, on the 11th instant, Parliament assembled. Sir William Fitzherbert having, during *tUo recess, been appointed Speaker of tstte Legislative Council, the MoUSe o? Representatives had fll'St to elect a Speaker before the Governor's sjpeeeh Could be delivered 1 . ■ Parliament was therefore "opened by Commission; and then the House elected Mr O'llorke as their Speaker. Thero was no opposition. Tho nomination was made by the present Premier, Sir George Grey, and it was seconded by the ex-Premier^ Major Atkinson.' The House theii> after Some formal business, adjourned to the loth instant. In tho meanwhile there wore several meetings of Opposition members to arrange future prdceedinors and to appoint a leader, tho result being that Sir William Fox consented to take the post, and it was resolved to, make Aii immediate attack upon the Ministry. Subsequently it was decided that the attack "should take the form of an amendment upon the address in reply to the Governor's speech, by moving the insertion of an additional clause condemning the administration of the Government and praying the Governor to call other advisers to his counsels-. The Goverilor'l3 speech was delivered last Tuesday. It was not only more lengthy than such speeches usually are, but it made a stili greater departure from what ia cUstbmary in-giving a full exposition of the policy of the Ministry, so full indeed that it was found necessary to say in the speech that it was " manifestly impossible for the Government to present during the session measures which wotild effect in their entirety all the objects indicated." A large number of bills, however, were mentioned as to be introduced, all of which were in the direction of the very liberal policy enunciated by tho Governor on behalf of hia advisers. Tho measures included an Electoral Bill with a residential qualification for Europeans, and a ratepaying qualification for Maoris,, and a bill for the :re-distribution df Parliamentary representation. There can be no doubt as to the object of the Government in placing a full exposition of their policy in the Governor's speech. They felt sure they would be attacked early, in the session, and they thought it not unlikely they would be defeated, in which case, if they could obtain a dissolution, their policy would be before tho country. That it is a policy which will meet with general approval ia clear enough, but it is questionable whether the country would be satisfied that it should be administered by Sir George Grey. Liberal measures the people would like to have, but they have now had enough experience of Sir George Grey to know that, however liberally he may talk, he is not a Liberal, and, what is worse, that he is not to be trusted. The debate on the address in reply to the Governor's speech was commenced last evening, a i-eport of which appears in another column. .Native affairs on the west coast of the North Island are now quiet, and all fears of an outbreak by the Maoris may be considered at an end. This consummation was not, however, reached until tho insolent encroachments of the natives had become unbearable to the settlers. The Maoris not alone ploughed up the settlers' paddocks, but proceeded to pull down fencefs and to plough the lawn just in front of a settler's residence, and they talked also of driving the settlers into tho sea. Tho settlers thereupon formed a Vigilance Committee, and the native ploughmen were turned off. The Government then took the matter in hand. Instructions were given to arrest all trespassing natives, the result being that about 150 of them are now in custody in Wellington, awaiting trial before the Supreme Court for breaches of tho Malicious Injury to Property Act. Thia has stopped' the ploughing, those natives who have nofc been arrested being quite cowed at the firm attitude of the Government and the settlers. Te Whiti appears to be a3 mad as ever, quoting Scripture, and pretending that the proceedings taken by the Government against the natives are tending towards his exaltation and the ultimate fulfilment of all his prophecies. He identifies the Maoris as the Jews and the Pakehas as Gentiles. There was a large meeting of his followers at. Parihaka the other day, when it' was thought that Te Whiti will be called to account for the imprisonment of those who went out ploughing on the settlers' lands at his orders ; but the superstitious belief in him as a prophet seems to be as strong as ever, for we are told that " those who went with the intention of talking in strong language were silent." Ploughing more pleasurable for European settlers to look at than that referred to above took place on the 2(3th ult. at Taradale, a few miles from Napier. It was the annual match of the Taradale Ploughing Match Society, and a, very successful affair it was. The ground was in excellent condition for ploughing, and the work was about the best that has been done in this district. There were some natives among the competitors, and their work was very good indeed. Several of them joined in the festivities which in the evening succeeded the match. The show of the Hawko's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society, which is to be held in October next, promises to be more attractive even than the previous ones. The society lias acquired a new ground, of much larger area than the old one, and therefore affording more accommodation for exhibits and to visitors. The general committee had a meeting last Tuesday, when the programme for the show was adopted. In addition to the prizes in last yoar's programme it was decided to offer a prize of £5 for the best collection of provincial made agricultural implements, and the society's medal for the best pair .of farm horses.