THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LII, Issue 5826, 28 October 1879, Page 6

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

, 'to tM'Kpwon. Sib, -The latest phase hf Colonial politics if so strange’a character that Ahe most stolid cannot view .it’ unmoved. The Hon John Halt, the Premier, has beep knowu all through his political corter as an unserapiilous politician; : but Ms !moirt aifdeat admirnrS (if hg' bM • anjr); as well" as; those who’ ’wquld believe faitn to be capable of ;any ,tactics in politics, never dreamed that he Was capable of the acts attributed to him during.the , short time he has been at the head of tne Goverar-i mant. ‘There 'is first 1 the episode with TamCana, and a half denial of the statementir of that chief ahd members ,of the Mouse. Then' his attempted ’ justification of the eontents : tof si letter written ! by Mr' Wool-, dock to'a'tfaemWr.of;the Houle, ‘Thera has been aleo the - little drama with' Mr ~Tj C. Brown, when the Premier dare' not' take lup -the quarrtl and submit' to ' an: : inquiry; ( ; * The Hon John Hall has' flatly denied statements mode by him before'now ; - that .will no doubt lead to hi* memory being refreshed. This "will keep for*.ihort .tirnq... Did the Hon John Hall hot airow; what hn intentions were bsfore he sought. * ';ieat ,; in House of Bepresentatives P • Sir George Grey was to • be got out of the;way at any prios, though no one would hare believed that Mr Hall: could •have been so infatuated as lid;’offer' the price he hat done:to" buy over. Meier*' Wood, Swanson, and . Co.' ■ There can be no objection to a'.'ftremier nsiiig bis 'own ftinds in’any way h? like»,’but toiny : mind there it more involved' in this trahsaqtioU than appears^-'at first;sight.’-'; Is it constitntionalfor the with'the, consent- of ; Ws colleagues; to appropriate the public funds of the Colony,in anticipation iof the' votes of the House, and the passing of tho Appropriation P' : ‘lf : 'the" Premier has engaged to guarantee to Auckland out of, the proposed loan the purported balance dnei for piiblid works in that ! dutriot,'is hot this pating the - action of ‘ the Bepresehtative*. Leaving out of the qnestiori the justice dr injustice done "to;’Aucbland in’ the past,! it' appears unparalleled for a Premier to enter into such a compact; • This exceeds the most ' extravagant and daring acts : ever perpetrated by any former ‘Premier in New Zealand. Talk of the personal Govemmeut of Sir "George Grey after .this: ' True, Sir, George Grey’s heroic cdnduct has drawn to .the front the deep laid schemes of the enemies’fof popular government, and caused to he exhibited the corruption that exists at the vdry core of the rib-progress party. I shall be surprised if this transaction is not .the last pound that will break'thit' dbstrubtive Torjr camdl’a boob; and I shall he further surprised if the true representatives of Gtago and Canterbury allow themselves to be spld price,. apd “immolated on the.altar. of greed, selfishness, baseness; andlove 3 of power. • k I not want to use strong termc in animadverting on these hucksters in politics, hoping that there will be a reaction, and this unheard-of political cabal is only a mjth. If a reality; then every liberal man throughout the Colony must *et to work to stamp' .'out , the tenants of thii f . whited sepulchre, and brand with the infamy deserved, all the parties implicated.—l ain, &0., i ■ i OBSXBVBB. ;