THE COLONIST PUBLISHED DAILY NELSON, SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1881. THE GOVERNMENT DEFEAT.

Colonist, Volume XXVII, Issue 3857, 14 June 1884, Page 3

THE COLONIST PUBLISHED DAILY NELSON, SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1881. THE GOVERNMENT DEFEAT.

"■ln more than one of the speeches" de livered by the Premier during Mi pre-sessional tour through, a portion o: the Colony he jauntily remarked thai the chief offence of his Government was its having attained a good old rage. ..He^claimed'then, a's he 'did also on Thursday night, just before his sentence was formally recorded, that in all the leading departments, and in jils own domain of finance especially, the' affairs of the country had been administered with unexampled ability and integrity, and that save in the one particular of old age the opposition to the Government-was raised, not by any' great errors they had committed, but mainly by their selfsacrificing patriotism. Neither the House nor the country is of the same opinion, though, had.it not been that a general election could not under any" combination of circumstances be long -.deferred,; it, is,: quite -possible; there might have still, been arsufficient.number of irresolute members, influenced more by dread of being denounced as deserters from a party> than by the., desire to promote the welfare, of the people,, who, however relucantly, would have continued to ob^ey Jjhe summons of Major Atkinson's5 whips to: further prolong his term of office. The terrors of the ballot box altered all this. Depression r^iP^a considerable parfcrof "the Colony, discontent and .apprehension: as »to the future1 everywhere, produced that keen interest in politics, that less than two years-, since , the Premier deplored., the absence of, and announced it to be his.mission to awake. The success is undeniable, not by the visionaryl schemes1 he- continues 'to dream1 of, or; by his inflammatory talk against Sir George Grey, Mr Montgomery, and in fact every man who dares to differ from him. The revival has been brought about by the fear of-increased taxation consequent on a deficit caused entirely by culpable neglect to effect in due time a reduction in expenditure indisputably required, and that involved no injury to the public service; by the sense of insecurity created by the hasty adoption and advocacy of the critical proposals Repugnant" to the most deeply seated convictions of all English-speaking communities; and in no small degree by the alarming exhibition of an inclination to barter the legislative independence of New Zealand for the shadowy advantages of foreign enterprise, and that, most weakly of all, because the Earl of Derby makes it a condition of the extension of the empire. The people are now alive to the unpleasant truth that they confided too long in the continuous Ministry ; they thoroughly appreciate and endorse the Major's statement, that the one incurable defect of his Government is extreme old age. There is the decay of intelligence, the loss of sympathy with generous and noble projects, the desire of rule grown into grinding tyranny, and the absence of all belief in the existence of any others capable of administrating; indeed a dark and dismal feeling that when their time is over confusion and ruin will be inevitable. The death of the Ministry will be followed by the renewal of political hope and energy— it has lagged on the stage too long for its own reputation. As yet it is impossible to tell whether the Governor will be advised to dissolve or to invite some leading member of the Opposition to undertake the formation of a new Ministry. If Major Atkinson were free to act expressly as he thinks best there is no doubt he would resign. No one who knows, him questions his courage and political sagacity, but among his colleagues are several who are perfectly aware that with the end of this Ministry will come their own farewell of official life, No one can doubt that Messrs Oliver, Dick, Conolly, and Mitchelson, will l be,, carefully shunned by any sensible man called upon at some future time to construct a Cabinet, and as for Mr Rolleston, who has done more to make the present Ministry unpopular than all his colleagues combined, his chance of a seat in the next House is extremely slight. Major Atkinson and Mr Bryce will come to: the front again if they have to retire. Now, their season of seclusion would certainly be lengthened if in office whenihe elections take:place, arid -they..are .both >too clear headed riot; to Jmow it. 5, The;; accumulated faults iof the entire; Cabinet will be present in the minds of, the.-. electors, and so a very, large; majority of the new House will go pledged to vote for an immediate change. On the other hand, if another: Ministry were at once formed, their policy would certainly not command the same wide support, no, matter what it might be, and the majority they could secure must be small, and in the natural coarse of decay some.part would soon fall from them, and thus subject them also to being defeated. Thus if wise stategy were sure to determine the advice the Premier is called on to give the Governor, it would be in favor lof refusing to cling to office after a crushing defeat, and of naming sonic gentleman to select another set of Ministers. This Major Atkinson may not care to do against the. piteous appeals of five out of six of his:colleagueSi Assunihig f . however, that the two strong men of the Government insist, on doing the" best for their" party, Major. Atkinson, as Premier, can cut short the controversy by resigning. The question is who would':he advise; his Excellency, to send for. It by' no means follows, as some who ought to know better suppose, that the; mover of a no-con-fidence resolution has on that ground alone a claim to be consulted. In no case has he anything in the nature of & right,5 and in the present case,Mr Steward explicitly stated that he would noi attempt tovforrii a Ministry even if requested by the Governor. Mr Montgomery virtually abdicated when he countenanced a member with no special pretences, and who has always been faithful to him, leading the attack. ■There is therefore only Sir G. Grey left. He was recognised by Majoi Atkinson as the real leader, if not the titular, leader, iof r- Jhe, Opposition,

When objections were raised . to, the appointment of the ordinary Sessional . Committees,' as ■soon; as ,I}G ;expressed a ,wish; for p6gtpoileinent"|th.e;PrerQier agreed' to it."" Many more reasons for thinking that Sir George Grey .will be sent for in the event of resignation might be given, but in fact .there is - now hardly any difference of opinion on that point. ' The next question is, ,'if or when'ho'has had an interview •with his Excellency, what/svill he da? There seems no reason, to apprehend ' that he would decline to. undertake the difficult though honorable' task. ■ There ' are foolish members, such.as'iMr ' Sutton • and' the 'half ' dozen who voted with him," ready to depreciate the body to which'they belong by declaring that a satisfactory Ministry cannot be found outside those now in office. There is not a shadow of fact to support the aspersion. ' Sir George Grey would find nothing easier, than the choice of a sufficient number) of competent colleagues to conduct the business of the country till the new House is elected, when desirable ' additions .could be made; njot that 1 every office could not be filled ; satisfactorily from; the present members* but that it, wmld be only prudent to preserve several vacancies. /It is not ' qi cburse. 'to bej anticipated.' that anything beyond formal business would be undertaken till after a general election^: If 7this< ryiew;; is' thati of Sir George" Grey.'••hei would ,be granted adequate supply, and his prospects in a fresn House" would 'depend jentirely on the programme, put forward during the elections, -'if Jsvise and" moderate*, he might hold:.; his. position for a fair length of time; if violent and appeals ing to class hatred1, his reign* would be brief, and MajorI. Atkinsoii's Opportunity would return.'" ; .'_',;!",■_., \