The Otago Witness.

Otago Witness, Issue 1355, 17 November 1877, Page 13

The Otago Witness.

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'I j^ONEpiN t rSATDBDAY, NQY. .' &;

It is 'probably expecting -too much to Buppose that the public meeting, held on Monday at the Temperance Hail, will have any material direct influence on the political situation at present exis(n ing at Wellington. , But it had allthe qualifications that . should give- weight to an expression of public opinion. The speeches delivered were temperate in tone, and to the point, and so far as appearances go thoroughly fin- rapart with the sentimente of the audience, and we may go farther and say thoroughly in accordance with the views pervading this community at the present hour. Indeed, throughout New Zealand, it would appear that there is a very general desire that time' and opportunity should beafforded to -the successors of a'Governmerit/of eight years' duration, to throw, fresh light' into the administration of public affairs^ and to submit a policy adapted to meet, the difficulties which have unquestionably supervened on an era of extraordinary expenditure. Whatever special reasons we in this portion of this Colony liave— and they are many and great— 3br de-r siring the continuance in office of a Ministry constituted, as this ,one is, the whole Colony is concerned in learning the actual position of affairs in the departments' of finance, public works, Native affairs, Me, information can be reliably obtained only from such an investigation as can follow from the presence of new administrators, who can have no .interest in glozing over particulars that ought to reach the public eye. The many and grave charges that haye been made against the public administration during the past few; years have, to say the least, engendered suspicions that, if unfounded, should be removed, and this is a consummation that can never be effected so long as those poncerned in such transactions are the only means of communication with the public. If the late administrators have nothing to conceal, and no interests to conserve which are not those of the general public, it would undeniably be in their own interest that strangers should make investigation and

submit the result of -their inquiries to the public so that suspicions might be removed. But whatever the truth may be, the excessive haste f and the, unseemly violence , and passion \ exhibited . by Major Atkinson and his followers iatheiranxiety to immediately eject their successors, have the tendency to increase ' suspicions, and to leave the* impression that the continuance in office of Sir George Grey is perilous to the fame \ of the late administration.' Should they succeed in their .attempt, ; we venture to se.yj.that their success will excite > public feeling further against them, and possibly make more ■ certain 1 the future ascendancy of Sir George , Grey and his party in the government of the , Colony. V . . In the second and succeeding resolutions, the meeting dealt with a subject of perhaps more general concern, to the country. A dissolution of the As- . sembly is an event , that, seems ; demanded by the existing state oorf r affairs, and whether that is- granted on the request of the Grey .Ministry or their successors, au appeal to the con- ' stituencies will meet with very general approval. Apart from the difficulty, ; if not the impossibility, of either^party obtaining a working majority for carrying on the business of the country, the motives that seem to J weigh with.thos^ r who pass from side' to side and actually , hold in, their hands the fate of parties, , are so utterly unworthy,, that legislation,in such circumstances becomes a sham. At the present time three membe'rs'ma'y' " be regarded as havingin their hands the*making and 'unmaking of Ministries ; and it' is not difficult'^) :p6int \ ojxjb -at . least thr.ee in, the Assembly so (.entirely •> unworthy .of! being, entrusted withsuch ■'■ , important- poweivy that' we 1 " can" hardly 'f regard' the facs , or : Gr6'vera'raent'* being ' yiftiiaily in' r their' hands |witnou^a feel- ' irw of alai;m.. Whether^ therefore, iftetV'dissolution is, given Jo SirvpjEOyßGE JGrey , ! J 6r< Major ; Atkinson, every i ; man ia« .the-CJolony.iwho -has any- regard hot' the ■ : honour of' New Zealand should- desire ; :that theunseemly'state "of^affaWexist- 1 ' ,ing should' be': brought f^b; ! in!endf asl J .> that 5 irTfejip, juiwjtiuro' qf^affiura^. ) politics jan4^p^litifiuina^/shoiuidapass/.i through the. fiery searching! ordeali : of a general election.; 1 !! ih"; *-■-<■ a hlf ' i-i-n I There is,, pne .^rcftm^^ncenrflpa^.j from, predUectipM 'tox^ards <the present ,! ?Mimatry-r-:thatr.shpuldii excitfnardesire •-* trfat Sic -GEORGE'tGitgY-s ffedjißst for f :Budfcr4tdiss6lufcion' rfT shf>ul(l ; '' be granted, ; )injoffif:ik that , iff 'ifSjjor 'ATKipON^ .rejigs c^\ po.w^ Itjia^wjli ..probably! ; .neither ask ;fqr, nor^d^sire^ardissplution. 1 -Itisltruejhe seems wifchoufr the possibility . i obtaining a -working.! majorityii'l >But from the tactics familiarly used^ aiid the '" evidetitP susceptibility' of /certain, mem- ' b'ers to persuasions of a 1 cer tkinkihd, no one cm tell what effect Las return '.to .power might have in-, attaching, to his. party those whose principles are of the chameleon type. Certain it is^ that a ' large number of bis followers will f have a strong repugnance to being sent to ; face their constituents, for reasons that are easily understood, and in his re- r fusal to ask for a dissolution,-,, he might , calculate on a. good deal ' of steadiness in the support of members : of the slippery kind. This therefore [ should be borne in mind by al^tKose who feel the past proceedings in'tho ' Assembly to be offensive ; ,the re* fusal of a dissolution to Sir George - Greyj and the return of Major Atkin- > son to power, would probably be the ' means of perpetuating the present ' House of Representatives, and placing the most questionable characters in the House in the position of having made - a! Ministry,, and having thereafter a right to look for substantial reward. • There is really much danger that if a dissolution is not granted to the present Ministry it may not be granted at, all. This Ministry seems entitled* to it on constitutional grounds, , as ; well a^ on grqunds of fair play ; but, apart from - this, it. behoves every man and every district that desires to see a general election, as the only remedy for 'the present evil, to bring all the' pressure of public opinion that can be brought '. to bear on His Excellency to have < an immediate dissolution granted. Where personal feelings and prospects ' of promotion are so much involved, as are those of the Governor in thwarting Sir George Grey in every way he can, very meagre reasons will probably, suffice His Excellency for refusing,.the ■< present Ministry a dissolution. But we ' trust that the protest uttered *at this public meeting will echo throughout the Country, and that from every important district of the [ Colony a similar demand may be transmitted, so that His Excellency in refusing may at least know that he is treating with disregard the general desire of the people of Few gfcaUucl.