The Lyttelton Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLII, Issue 4321, 17 December 1874, Page 2

The Lyttelton Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17.

Thebe have been so many choppings and changes in the Cabinet, so many re-arrangements of portfolios, that we are really unable to say whether Mr Reynolds is Postmaster-General, Commissioner of Customs, or Commissioner of Telegraphs. Our belief is that he fills the position of maid of all work in the establishment, but we may be wrong. He may have a defined place and a distinct portfolio. It is, at all events, certain that Mr Reynolds is a Minister of the Crown in the ordinary acceptation of the phrase, and equally' certain, that be addreesed his constituents at Duaetfe abwt a wek ago. Hiespeeck on that occasion reminds us of the* old proverb which asserts that when the cat is away the mice will play. It is possible others may think it would be more appropriate to say that Mr Reynolds has let the cat out of the bag. In either case, he must receive credit for unusual candour, perhaps for garrulity, for he takes us behind the scenes in-a that can hardly fail to he instructive. .

It appears, according ,to Mr Reynolds, that prior to the meeting of last session of the General Assembly the “ Government, after mature considera- “ tion, decided upon the policy it would

“ adopt for the continuance of the pro- 1 “ vinces, and what cash advances should “be made them.” The result of these deliberations, of this resolve after mature consideration, he continues, was made known to the House in the Colonial Treasurer’s financial statement. This we know already, and we of course gave the Government credit for having considered the question very carefully. Mr Reynolds’ candour discloses the subsequent scenes of the abolition drama, so far as it was enacted. The proposed “ advances,” he says, did not meet with the approval of several of the provinces, and in short the Ministry was beset by a number of Oliver Twists, who insisted on having “ more.” Such, at any rate, is the inference which we are bound to draw from the remarks made by Mr Reynolds. The Government, he continues, “ found that in proposing these “ advances they had gone to the full “ limit wfiich it would be prudent to do, “ and were bound to make a stand

“ against any further strain on the “ Treasury.” And then ■ follows the announcement —made for the first time : —“ Pressure was then privately brought “to bear upon the Government to “ abolish the provinces, and the Goit

vemment yielded to take the question ‘ into consideration.” Privately P What are we to understand by this ? Was the “ private” pressure brought to bear by that power behind the throne which has been so frequently mentioned in the political history of New Zealand, and which is generally believed to be so very potent P Mr Reynolds has said either too much or too little, It is probable that Mr Vogel will be disposed to think he has said too much. The public, on the other hand, will think that he ought either to have said more or be silent.

It is established, on the authority of a Minister, that the Colonial Govern-v ment proposed abolition on account of private pressure, or pressure brought privately to bear upon them. They proposed it, at all events, under “ pressure,” and not of their own free will. It was, in fact, forced upon them by some power which they must bow to but which they cannot publicly recognise. No other interpretation can be put upon Mr Reynolds’ speech, and it will again be said that Mr Thomas Russell represented the motive power by which the deliberations and the ultimate decision of the Cabinet were guided. Those who take the trouble to think, who “ put two and two together” in a practical way, will recall < the facts of the last eighteen months, and they will say to themselves' that Mr Thomas Russell has played a very prominent though very irresponsible part in the

government of, colony. 'He' ha». been entruatedrj— the' authorisation of the important' mfesioqa, and, it hfia been said that be “ pervaded ” the Government Buildings at Wellington during-last bCssion of the’ General Assembly to each an extent that his presence became an intolerable oppression. This may, or may not, be true; but we all know thst ‘Mr Thomas Rusaellwas the representative of the .Government in negotiating the Pacific, mail service that has so signally brbken dowiij and that -he was subsequently empowered to j proceed-; to Sydney on ; similar business. lie has, in fact, been! a jsort of roving member of the Govern-• mientfor a considerable time—holding no portfolio, and owing no responsibility to the country, although placed'mi positions where he might. pledge its' credit to any extent he thought proper.We must say that Mr Reynolds de-j serves, at least, tie pity" of his fellow-i colonists, and certainly the protection of his colleagues; <■ He appears, if hisi speech has been correctly reported, to : have “ sacrificed his convictions for the. “ benefit of his country ” 'to a degree' thatwe believe has ,not been equalled.' “ I do net. hesitate to inform you,” he! says, “ that when the question of abolishing the provincea first came before the Cabinet ’—[through private' pressure be it v remembered] —“ my “ resolve was to resign my seat in the “ Government,” But Mr Reynolds’! “ resolve ” gave way after a good deal of discussion/’ and he is still a member of the Cabinet. We heartily congratulate the colony on the accession of Mr Bowen ib the ranks Of the Ministry, and we trust he will succeed in guiding his colleagues into the path of prudence, !