The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1885.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 3410, 1 September 1885, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1885.

WK aye not surprised to find it is serii'iiely being questioned whether party Government is not a complete failure m New Zealand. Captain Morris is distinctly of opinion that it is, and is about to move a resolution m the Upper House expressive of that view. Cer- ' tainly recent events have gone far m the direction of clearly proving that the affairs of the colony are utterly unfitted to be carried on m the old constitutional fashion to ■which Englishmen have become so accustomed. For the successful carrying on of this institution a fine sense of honor and high principles are requisite, and these are apt to be sadly blunted -when politics consist so largely as they do m New Zealand of a scramble for public money. Men of the highest probity and standing m private life are content, apparently, as soon aB they enter the House to swnllow almost anything m tbe shape of principle for the sake of the mere mercenary inducements which the Government of the day are able to hold out. Can anything be more incongruous, for example, than the alliance of tbe Canterbury members with such ultra-democrats as Messrs Stout, Ballance and Tole P Apart from the question as to whether the views held by the former or those held by the latter are the more worthy of support, it seems to us positively saddening to see such a sacrifice of principle for such paltry motives. The Canterbury members are making the Government their tools to obtain for them the East and "West Coast Railway, and the Government are making tools of the Canterbury members to ensnre by their aid the carrying of various little schemes on which they have set their minds. Everybody knows that, with the Eaot and West Coast Railway out of the way, the Canterbury members would very qnickly kick over their present leaders, and soon be publicly renouncing them and all their works. J If we wanted another " shocking | example " we have only to refer to Mr Hursthouse, the Member for Motueka. This gentleman until now has always been a staunch supporter of Major Atkinson, was at one time, if we mistake not, one of his whips, and actually hpld a seat iv the last Ministry formed by the Hon. Member for Egmont. Tot wo now find him deserting his old leader and voting for tho maintenance m power of a Ministry for whom individually and collectively he probably has the utmost contempt. The secret, of course, is that his district iB interested m the East and West Coast

Railway, and therefore Mr Huistbouse dare not vote foe any motion which might seem to jeopardise that undertaking. In such circumstances as these party government, of course, becomes a mere farce. If party government is to be successful it must be carried on as it is m England, where men have principles and are prepared to stick to them, and Ministers do not even wait for an absolute defeat, but resign as soon as it becomes at all clear that they have not a good working majority. In New Zealand, judging by recent events, Ministries are content to hold office after they have lost their own selfrespect, and will stoop to any expedient to cadge or cajole a few votes to give them a nominal majority. Whether they have the real confidence of the House or not is apparently a secondary consideration to the actual possession of place and pay. We hope Captain Morris will get his Committee, because we are curious to see what kind of report they will bring up on the present I extraordinary condition of affairs, and still more curious as to what remedy may suggest itself to tbeir minds.