CONTROVERSIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 6329, 25 July 1881, Page 3

CONTROVERSIAL.

[ThU column Is set apart for the exposition of every shade of political opinion. Articles must be vroll written, must be void of scurrility, and not to exceed one column In length. Wo hold ourselves absolutely irresponsible for the views entertained by writers, and merely provide means for their expression. J PEEPS INTO POLITICS. I.—The State or Parliament. The storm has broken, and the heavy mosphere of a strong but incapably-led political party is reverberating with the thunder-clap that seems to threaten its destruction. The political firmament seethes with rumors of the coming decease of a Government, the birth of a new party, and the impending dissolution of the House—all rumors sufficient to cause a disturbance in the lately serene elements of our Parliament. Where are we now, and how did wo get here t la 1877, the long-reigning party was defeated, and new men, untutored in the ways of government, took their turn at the wheel. Didn’t they make it spin, too ! Graceful Curves and elegant circles did onr ship of State go through at a reckless expenditure of millions to keep the furnaces going. But troubled water loomed ahead;’the look-out saw breakers on all sides, but Sir George and his jolly devil-may-care crew kept yawing the vessel's head about, till we, her long-suffering passengers, got sea-sick, and then they had to go to give place to some steadier hand to guide us through the difficulties which their wild steering had led us into. They were relegated to the calm of the Opposition benches, and time it was they went there, and we did find ourselves in a mess. A little man presented himself in the emergency, and we jumped at his offer of assistance. Of him I shall have more to say. With the assistance of a strong, compact party of men, who held the interest of their country second to nothing—except, in some cases, their own—a party determined to support him in his efforts of reform. He and his colleagues did achieve some good. I honestly admit the good they did ; but, oh, what might they not have dme ! With a firm hand and strong determination, they might have carried measures that would have left them famous, but instead they devoted themselves to petty details of official routine, swamped the Parliament with shoals of unnecessary Bills, and when any opposition was shown to their principal measures, presented themselves to be kicked, apologised for intruding, and withdrew their Bills, While Mr. Hall spent weary days and sleepless, nights, in calculating the least amount on which a junior clerk could live, in enforcing a reduction of 10 per cent, in the wages of the female office cleaners, in tracking starving telegraph clerks ' through the Australian Colonies to ensure their being given a stone when they asked for bread; while Mr. Oliver and Mr. Dick were leaving the routine of their offices and recruiting their health in holiday rambles; while Mr. Kolleston looked wise, and pursued bis official avocations as if such a thing as a ■ party to be kept together did not exist—that party was left ungraded, undirected, to work out its owu thoughts. Their supporters were left to themselves, and no wonder “that Anglo-Saxon-dom’s idees abreakin’ ’em to pieces ; an thet idees that every man does just what he damn pleases.” And in that state the last session ended. The recess was spent chiefly in screwing down the Civil Service—a class of people unable to help themselves, and therefore a class whom even a coward Ministry could not be afraid of. Part of the recess, too, was spent in disagreements between the Ministers them* selves and disagreements with the Governor ; part—and a very small part—in preparing Bills for the coming session.

It came, and members came, clamoring “Give us food,” and they were given the Licensing Bill. From all parts ot the House arose at once a cry—a cry picked up from the country itself—for improved local government. Then these sages laid their heads together, and marvelled that they had never thought of it before. Of cohrse they hadn’t. Men with no power of. seeing beyond their noses, and their noses each kept to its own little grindstone,and always grinding some little axe of its own ns well. So, with, the indecision and weakness adverted, .to before, so characteristic of this Government, they retired to their closet, leaving their party to look after itself, to incubate some measure to appease the desire of their supporters. “Ob, ye Gods and little fishes ’’ what a Bill ! It would have been the laughing-stock of the House but for Sir George Grey's. That was a Bill! Take it for all in all, we hope we ne’er shall look upon its like again. The whole thing was getting too ridiculous. How could men of common sense stand by and see such bungling measures introduced, and submit to debate them calmly. One man has had the courage to say he wont. Like all reformers he must suffer, much abuse, imd it is not spared, but ho has at least the courage of opinions.' What will be’ the result T cannot say. “Things look pretty squally it must be allowed, and I don’t see much signs of a bow in the cloud.” But if Mr Ormond could find the support he deserves, we might learn once more what a powerful honest Government means. ‘ We shall see. One of the most striking features of the day is, that our Parliament contains but one man who has yet showed himself really fitted to lead a party ; that man is Sir George Grey, and be is detested far more than loved. Ever since Stafford retired, and Vogel left for England, there has been a great want for the partv opposed to Sir George Grey, viz,—a leader. ■ What the party has lacked, and still lacks, - is a leader, and the fact that it has not been able to ■ find one is clear proof that noman of the party is of commanding intellect. Was there ever a House of greater mediocrity all round ? Ever a better chance for genius to display itself 1 Most of the older men seem to have had their day, and of the younger men Wakefield alone shows any promise ot ability, and on him is the' curse laid by the aged Jacob on his first-born Reuben, “.Unstable as water thou shall not excel." Sheehan might have been Premier bad he not rather loved the ileahpota of Egypt. Except Sir Georgs Grey, no man in the House has a following; no man has given the smallest indication of power. Look through the list—Hall, Atkinson, Holieston, Montgomery, Macandrew, He Lautour (so-called leader of Young New Zealand) —how many votes can any one of them lead ? At the coming general elections there will be no name to conjure with. A story is told that a young man in England was asked, after the recent general election, how he managed to get out of any difficulty in his miserable, halting speeches 1 His reply was, “ Whenever I didn’t know what to say, I always jerked out two words, ‘ Mr. Gladstone,’ and the cheering was so hearty and long it gave me time to think. Fancy any novice in like plight calling on “Mr. Hall ” to save him.

V I once resided in a certain district, with a gubernatorial centre. The latter was a focus and amongst its most respected of inhabitants was a citizenesss closely resembling in personal appearance the wife of the Governor, Now, the Gorernor, who was given to stand upon his dignity, and particularly to maintain Vice-regal etiquette and courtly observance, gave a ball, at which there was, indeed, & great gathering. £cr once to cultivate affability and rub shoulders with the people, r tHe Governor mixed freely with the throng individually, and, to be still more impressive collectively, he approached a seat whereon he thought he saw his wife, and, placing his hand affectionately on her shoulder, observed, “My dear, let’s take a walk!” The lady addressed, rose, turned her head quickly, colored indignantly, retreated a step or two precipitately, and thusly responded in a tone of the deepest remonstrance : “ Sir, I accepted your invitation, but! did not come hereto be insulted.” Unhappy man, she was not his wife, but the citizeness before mentioned. He, who she addressed, although a little shortsighted, at once perceived bis error, and, lifting his hands deprecatingly, fell back in confusion muttering Vicc-regal apologies for his mistake. Ob, how I did wish the dame had been less punctilious, had been a littlo more complacent, had just taken him* at bis word and his arm, at the same time saying, “With pleasure, my love.” Imagine the dcnoutnxent t dear readers. &lAIL.