CRITICISM ON THE PREMIER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7221, 9 January 1885, Page 5

CRITICISM ON THE PREMIER.

[by telegraph.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. The New Zealand Times this morning has another nagging article on Mr. Stout. It says that the Premier is ostensibly head of a Ministry framed on no party lines, but avowedly, put together, and avowedly to tide over a difficulty, and enable Sir Julius Vogel to show the country what he could do for it, and taunts him with taking a prominent place in a Ministry whose policy is shaped by a Conservative, who should therefore be repugnant to a Radical. Some commendation is awarded to the Premier, in the supposition that in taking office with Sir Julius Vogel he put all personal considerations aside, and even threw his party over, in order that the business of the country might not stand idle. The article further argues that, in accepting office with Sir J. Vogel, the Premier oould not have expected to have any large share in shaping the policy of the Government, and expresses astonishment that he should have gone to such lengths to give something like permanence and stability to the order of things which he was largely instrumental in calling Into existence. Whilst admitting that Mr. Stout must do nothing to weaken the position of Sir J. Vogel, the article complains that Mr. Stout has carried this species of lovalty too far, and on many occasions might have shown a little more individuality, and have proved himself not quite a cypher. In proof of its argument the Times says that in Dunedin recently the Premier fenced and trimmed in giving answers to a deputation which waited on him in the endeavour to elicit from him his own view with regard to the working of the Education Act. The Premier is accused of a stupid dread of compromising in the smallest degree those with whom he is at present politically connected, became whilst he himself is in favour of the cumulative voting, he suggested to the deputation the advisableness of a compromise. The article concludes 'as follows : — " Then, with regard to amending the Education Act in ' its provisions concerning the cumulative voting and other questions of detail, the Premier's answer was equally unsatisfactory. To some extent he appeared to agree with the deputation, and certainly the subject of discussion was of considerable importance, but he would make nothing like a promise of initiating legislation. He may be said to have put it off on the ground of want of time, and he wound up by suggesting the miserable expedient of a Bill to be introduced by a private member. As Attorney-General Mr. Stout may be all that could be desired, but as Premier he has gone a long way towards proving that the office could very well be dispensed with.