The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro. FRIDAY, 30th JULY, 1886.

Southland Times, Issue 9283, 30 July 1886, Page 2

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. FRIDAY, 30th JULY, 1886.

It would be a strange thing if a session of Parliament in New Zealand were to pass without two or three want-of-confidence motions, The courße of Parliamentary government in the colony, like that of true love, does not run smooth. There being no great questions of policy to divide our politicians into distinct parties, it is only natural that the co-called party in office should always be an object of envy and jealousy to the so-called party in opposi tion. Hence the motions to which we refer. Those that are out would like to get in and those that are in would do anything rather than go out. And after all it matters very little who are out or who are in. They are all tarred with the same brush. The Grey Government were going to do great things in the way of retrenching and economising when they took office ;so were the Hall Government ; and so aIBO ivere the Stout- Vogelites ; and all the while the cost of governing the colony has gone on increasing. Before the present session began certain newspapers declared that New Zealand must do as South Australia had just done, and force a large measure of retrenchment upon tbe Ministry. But the people who talked in this way must have known little or nothing of the character of New Zealand politicians. The House, just as though it had been to show the folly of such talk, no sooner met than it exhibited a determination to protect the Government from the zeal of the economisers. Two want of confidence, motions have been lost ; the Government are victorious along the whole line ; and retrenchment is postponed till the Greek calende. VVe confess we had very little sympathy with the motion brought forward by the member for Mataura. It certainly, aimed in the right direction, as far as its object was to prevent the beginning of new lines of railway; but it was not particularly straightforward. On the contrary, it was an essentially tricky motion, and on that account deserved the fate it met with. As long moreover as the Opposition remain in their present disorganised condition they are hardly fit for the responsibities of office ; though, to say the truth, such responsibilities, viewed in tho light of the practice of New Zealand Governments, are not of a very serious nature. Still a party should at least have a leader before it aspires to power. At the present time it would be difficult to say who leads the Opposition, or whether they are led at all. Major Atkineon has completely failed in

hiß duty to the colony since ho was] driven from office, and it is quite plain I 1 that neither Mr Bryco nor Mr Rolleeton i < is equal to the post of leader. But such | 1 is nearly always the case with the Op- ' position- in New Zealand. They get demoralised and flounder along in a more or lees awkward and aimless manner til! the party In power render themselves intolerable to the conntry, when they exchange placei*""with 'them-as-a~_afteY'o_ course. Not that they give over moving want-of-oonfidence motionß. This is in fact about the only thing they do ; but their motions have no resnTt, and their only hope lies in those revenges which are brought about by the whirligig of time. Curiously enough, the proposals of Mr Richardson were adopted in committee. But that is after all a small matter. There is not tho slightest hope of a reduction in the cost of government thia session, i Indeed t_ e only hopeful sign we can discern is a seeming declice of Sir Julius Vogel's power. Pity that the Colonial Treasurer cannot cure himself of hia mania for borrowiag and extravagance, with the „ exception of Sir George Grey, he is by far the ablest man in the House.