THE MINISTERIAL MUDDLE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 708, 12 August 1869, Page 2

THE MINISTERIAL MUDDLE.

(Communicated.) We have heard of Serbonian bogs, Sloughs of Despond, of the Lord of Misrule, of “ confusion worse confounded,” —and many other familiar phrases rise to the lips when it is desired to indicate a hopeless, confused, and altogether miserable state of affairs, political or social; but for terseness combined with comprehensiveness of meaning, in such case, commend us to the quaint dissyllable Muddle. For example, the Fox Ministry is in a state of “muddle,” and its members are apparently bent upon bemuddling everything upon which they lay their clumsy hands Never, even in ihe annals of colonial Administrations, has a Ministry contrived, in so short a space of time, to so fully prove its unfitness for the discharge of the urgent and grave duties of the times. There once was in England a composite Cabinet, which obtained the title of the “All-tbe-Talents Administration.” Truly the “ team ” which Mr Fox is endeavouring to drive, or coax, is not entitled to so complimentary a title as the British Ministry to which we have alluded. It seen s as though some unrelenting Nemesis had de creed that at this the most critical period of her history, the Colony should fall into the hands of a set of political charlatans, —unscrupulous practitioners, whose chief object is to pocket their fees, and then to hand over the sorely-suffering patient to uncovenanted mercies and the undertaker !

What a sony figure has the hon the Premier made since he crossed to the long-coveted Ministerial bench : his petty strategy was well described by our Wellington correspondent in our last issue. Then, the hon. Colonial Treasurer, the wily and clever Julius Vogel, the man of infinite resource, what a contemptible muddle did he make of what we can only by courtesy style the Financial Statement. What has become of Donald McLean, Defence Minister and administrator of Native Affairs, —the beloved of Hawke's Bay,—learned in all the mysteries of Maoridom ? To him Mr Vogel has relegated the task of expounding the Native and Defence Estimates. Elaboration of muddle ! Why is the oracle dumb 1 ? Has the infection of "muddle" overtaken that usually clear, cool brain 1 Where is his Mentor,-—his " guide, philosopher, and friend," the indefatigable Oniiond 1 A " Colonial Secretary " was marvellously improvised, in the peison of Mr UnderSecretary Gisborne, whose qualifications appear to be that he had proved himself an excellent Departmental clerk, could make pleasant post-prandial speeches, had no \ery definite political views, and was a friend of Mr Fox's; we are at a loss to know how his promotion (for it is merely that) can in any way benefit the country. Mr Dillon Bell holds a nondescript position in the bemuddled phalanx; \.p to the present he has been singularly reticent, —probably thinking, with Cariyle, that " Silence is golden." Evidence in support of the indictment against Minister* is painfully abundant. Suddenly, without ordinary precautions, and without sufficient reason, the whole policy of the late Minifti y in regard to the suppression of the Native rebellion has been reversed, and the suioidal policy of Abandonment inaugurated; 9 most costly and arduous enterprise, — that at Lake Waikaie Moana, — abandoned just when everything

was ready tor striking a decisiT blow • time, money, effort, wasted! 1 troops withdrawn, trained men dig' I charged; positions abandoned; th i Taapo country evacuated. reference to this Taupo country w I observe that tenders are called for 1 for the supply of telegraph poles, f 0! I the continuation of the electric wi re I along the present track to T&up 0 I As that position has been abandoned 1 the question naturally suggests it! self, What is the use of now incu r . ring the expense of extending tele. graphic communication 1 Then, Thousand Pounds sterling—perhaps more —are to be wasted in senilis two Commissioners to England, to do what a simple despatch would as readily accomplish. This £6,000 judiciously applied, would be no contemptible item in the amount which it will yet cost to scamp out the rebellion. Or it might serve, i u .some measure, to compensate the ruined settlers of Mohaka, Poverty Bay, &c. But no! the hat has gone j forth—and the £6,000 folly will be perpetrated. To add, apparently, to the muddle already existing in other matters, that most obnoxious ot taxes —a Bread Tax—is proposed. This, we feel sure, will not be as- ' sented to by the General Assembly It is a most untair tax, falling most ; heavily on those least able to bear it —the labouring elates. Other proofs of " Muddledoni" might be adduced ; but we pause to ask, What is to be done ? Whither is the colony, with all its varied interests, drifting 1 The breakers are ' ahead, nay, under our very bows, h there no trusty helmsman able to ' steer the imperilled ship of State ' into smooth waters 1 Mr Fox and his colleagues have undertaken the task, but, so far, have disappointed even their friends. Perhaps it is not too late for the Government to ' retrace its steps, and take a manly ' and statesmanlike course. It is high ' time that jobbery ceased. If the Ministry fails at this crisis, —if it betrays its trust, —if it tampers with the vast interests at stake, —then to . Mr Fox and his colleagues will be attached the disgrace and stigma of ' being mere Political Muddlers.