" I don't believe in principle, but

Star (Christchurch), Issue 123, 5 October 1868, Page 3

" I don't believe in principle, but

Oh, I dv in interest;" And this appears to be the political creed of the adventurers who have found their way into the General Assembly, to the sensible lowering of its tone and the obstruction of public business. Mr Stafford drew historical parallels, to illustrate the position of his Government. He adverted to the fact that Mr Pitt assumed office, and for a long series of years carried on the Government against a hostile majority. Lord Derby, again, took offlce with a minority to support him iv the House of Commons, and he carried a Reform Bill, having been content to take it as it was modelled by the Opposition ; and yet Lord Derby did not resign, although ignominiously beaten over and over again. The same thing has happened with Mr Disraeli's Administration which, always in a minority, remains iv office,

and would not say whether they would dissolve or resign. These historical precedents happen to be rather unfortunate for Mr Stafford, and the deprecatory pantomime of the Postmaster-General, when the Premier cited the great examples to justify his remaining in power and leaving the legislation to the Opposition, was so excellent, that those who saw it will not soon forget it. The truth wns apparent, that Mr Stafford went beyond hia brief. He was making a clean breast of it, and ruther gloried in doing a mean and unprincipled thing in such illustrious company; his colleagues did not tlesire to be so candid, hence their uneasiness, as betrayed by their gestures. However, the truth was out, and there was no going back. The policy of the Government was declared ; and we hope the country will be satisfied with it. What is to become of the " Country Party " we cannot imagine. They have been left in the lurch in a discreditable way. The Government are " content to let their principles drift into the public mind; " they are satisfied that public confidence has been disturbed, and enjoy the satisfaction of parslysing the provinces, and preventing all useful legislation, without venturing to assail provincial institutions in a direct manner. Look at this matter as we may, we cannot find any single palliative to the misdeeds of the Government. They promised to endow the outlying districts with the land fund, and proposed cbarging all provincial loans on the consolidated reveuue; they even carried a resolution embodying this principle by a majority of seven, and now they abandon the finance resolution, and are content to " let the priuciple drift." And no doubt it will drift, to the ultimate discomfort of its authors. The country will have leisure to examine the principle and its application, and the result of the examination will not he satisfactory, because it must be evident that to carry out the Government financial scheme would be to endow one or two provinces at the expense of all the rest. Indeed, tha "Couutry" or "Out-and-out-lying Party" ought to see that the proposal of the Government means Revolution, not Reconstruction. It means a total breaking up of our fiscal system, without providing any substitute for it, because It is simply absurd to suppose that the provinces which are in a po.-ition to undertake great public works will venture to do so whilst they are kept in a state of uncertainty regarding the future. In 1867, the Government introduced an elaborate scheme of finance, altering the relations of the province to the colony, and consolidating the public debt. An agent was sent to England to give effect to this legislation ; but no sooner does he report his success, than his colleagues here propose a new scheme, turning topsy-turvy all that had been accomplished in 1867, although the colony had been led to believe that the legislation of that year would be final. It is this tendency to unsettle ; this restless unquiet, that begets the greatest suspicion of the Government. They evidently caunot be trusted. They have no fixed principles ; and what little shred of principle remained amongst them was ostentatiously tossed to the Opposition by the Premier on Tuesday, who assured the House that he had always done wrong under pressure, and was prepared to do so again rather than yield to the known wish of the country, as expressed by a triumphunt and compact Opposition. We say again, that this constant tampering with finance has been the cause of much df the evils that have befallen the country. Men of capital, men of business, farmers, and settlers of all ranks that have anything to lose, unite at this moment in denouncing the financial juggle of the Government, feeling Convinced that it not only depresses local interests, but must likewise injuriously aff.ct the public credit abroad.

We had intended to say a word regarding Mr Stafford's explanation respecting the Nelson meeting. "Suffice it to say ihat to our mind, it was neither true nor satisfactory. It is plain, however, that the chairman took upon himself to disregard the instructions of the meeting on that occasion, which were, to telegraph the resolutions to Mr Curtis, the Superintendent of Nelson, with the view of bringing them before the House. That bas not been done ; and it is a matter which may very safely he left with the inhabitants of Nelson to settle. At all events, it is apparent to auy candid person, that the Premier occupies a seat in the Legislature to which he is not morally entitled. But then, there is another member of the Executive equally unfortunate in that respect, and therefore he is in a measure encouraged to disregard the expressed wish of his constituents.