The Timaru Herald TUESDAY, AUGUST 27. 1889.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 4628, 27 August 1889, Page 2

The Timaru Herald TUESDAY, AUGUST 27. 1889.

Wt; commented on Saturday on thc extraordinary aotion of Mr Ballunce, the I leader of tbo Opposition, in connection with tho rejection of the motion for tho second reading of the Otago Centr.il | Railway Bill. At tho outset he had expressed himself aa being thoroughly isatisiied that thu measuro was, under nil thc circumstances, tbe beat that could be devised for .carrying out n work which lie admitted wns neccesury. Before the closo of tbe debate he denounced the Bill and voted against it, I nor did he give nny rcaxon whatever for bin change of front. Since our article was published we huve received a considerable utitnber of exchangee, and we arc not at nll surprised to lind that those of eur contemporaries) who bave alluded to the subject have not hesitated to denounce the tergiversation of Mr Ballance in very plain terms. Amongst other notices we find tbe following in thc Otuijn Dnilij Timi.-i -. — " When the Bill was firat brought down, the lender of tbe Opposition and a number of other membera heartily approved of it. The Bill remains tbe same, yet they now un heartily condemn it, 80 that there must be a very gross lack either of sincerity cr of judgment somewhere. The real truth is thnt in the firat instance Mr Ballance evidently thought that a measure so unobjectionable was bound to pass, and he set Ibe seal of his honest approval upon it. Finding that a change was taking place later, he saw his opportunity for still fnrther destroying the policy of tbe Government, and he denounced that which he had formerly approved. Conduct ho llugruntly dishonest ia bad enough in any memlier, but it is unpardonable in n responsible leader. Wc do not wonder that it is reprobated by men of all uhudeu of political opinion." Other papera are equally strong iu their condemnation. Tbis eihibition cf elipperincsH is nj new de. .lojniont in

Mr Ballauce's political character. It is indeed, precisely what we should expect from him ia any case in which bi.i political interests appeared to demaud the movement of " right about face." We were greatly amused a fewweeks ago at tbe innocent manner in which a Wei ing ton special correspond! nt, who evidently bad but scant acquaintance with the Parliamentary history of New Zealand, belauded Jlr I Bullance for bis Rtratghtfonvarduess and sincerity ns a public man, aud credited those sterling traits of character with having been niiiiuJy instrumental in j obtaining for him the leadership of tbe Opposition. Never was a. wilder mistake made. That Mr Ballauce has a certain amount of talent for public business we do not deny, but bis cleverness, sneb as it is, is iu n great measure neutralised by a largo admixture of the oppositcs of those very characteristic.' thus igncrautly attributed to him. Sir Harry Atkinson must still have a lively recollection of Sir Bullance'a first great exhibition of tergiversation, when on tbe eve of an important division JlrßUlance turned round nnd deserted his party without a shadow of reason except thnt to him it appeared convenient to do so. Nor can Sir George Grry have forgotten Mr Ballanc&'ii little ecceutricitiea during tbe months immediately preceding bis enforced resignation from tbe Grey Ministry. If there arc any of the new men. of the present Opposition who are tinacjuainted with these thins;?, nnd are inclined to agree with the special correspondent alluded to above, nnd are also pleased at Mr Hallanee a vote on the Otngo Central Ilailway Bill, let them take notice that on this occasion be stands condemned out of his own mouth, for his speech is recorded in //ini«m?, aud let them bevery sure that at nny time iu the future if Mr Balance's political interests seem to point iu one direction nnd his political principles in another, the latter will go down before the reiiuitements of the former. There will always be men of that description engaged in the public affairs of the colony, but their weaknesses ebouid be kuowu, so that when it. is possible they may be guarded ag.tinst.