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New Zealand Mail, Issue 662, 31 October 1884, Page 19

That was a most extraordinary admission made by the Colonial Secretary in the Council on Monday last. Mr Waterhouse referred to the Premier’s threatening and unconstitutional statement in the House, and asked if the Government had anything to say on the

same subject in the Council. Tne Colonial Secretary thereupon said that he knew nothing whatever about it.. It. was the first he had heard of it—a disclaimer which drew from Mr Waterhouse the further remark that it was evident the Premier’s statement had nou been considered in Cabinet. There surely must be a mistake somewhere. It will be remembered that the Premier did not make his statement on the spur of the moment. It had been printed, and, queer as tlie language certainly tile document showed signs of careful preparation. The contents were of such a character that we concluded without hesitation that the matter had been keenly debated in full conclave of Ministers, and that, as. the best means of ensuring the rapid acceptance of the Government programme, it had been determined to threaten Parliament with a dissolution in case ef insubordination. But it now appears that the statement, though put forward as emanating from the Government as a whole, was in reality the work of only some of the Ministers. The Colonial Secretary—the leader for the Government in the Legislative Council —had been kept in profound ignorance of what was brewing, or at all events had not been invited to take part in the deliberations which led to the concoction of the precious document. Even after the event, and when copies of the statement were being distributed, the Colonial Secretary was left without information of what had been done. We hardly know what to think about it. Can the Colonial Secretary’s memory have played him false ? In the face of his acknowledgment of being in profound ignorance, is it possible that he actually was at a meeting of the Cabinet when this statement was agreed upon and drafted, and that he had entirely forgotten the circumstance when Mr Water - house referred to the subject ? It may be so. Even more remarkable instances of sudden forgetfulness could be cited. If, however, the Colonial Secretary was in’full possession of all his faculties when he pleaded ignorance—if he actually had heard nothing about the statement—he certainly had good ground of complaint against those of his colleagues who arranged this plan for endeavouring to bounce Parliament into making the session shorter and, from a Ministerial point of view, more successful.. However it is, we trust that nothiDg has occurred to break the pleasing harmony of the happy family now on exhibition on the Treasury benches.