THE MINISTRY AND THE COLON

Star (Christchurch), Issue 142, 26 October 1868, Page 2

THE MINISTRY AND THE COLON

The following is from the New Zealan Advertiser of Oct. 21 : — The session is over at last, and the countr may congratulate itself that the efforts of th most factious opposition ever yet known i: New Zealand have been futile to oust fror their seats the " people's Ministry." Th great For, whose return to politic. life was heralded with such flourishes o trumpets has proved a mighty failure; cer tainly, he did manage to form a *' party,' composed of such incongruous element.] that it could not have held together, under succCs* one day. The out-and out Provincialises — men well paid for their opinions — gladly hailed him as a leader, while his ranks were swelled by the disaffected ultra Centralists, who had failed in inducing Mr Stafford and bis colleagues to adopt their views, and precipitate constitu ionnl changes of great magnitude. Mr Fox had a considerable reputation, why, we really cannot discover, probably upon the principle of " distance lending enchantment to the view." Whatever he may have been four years ago, he has beeu " tried" now and " found wanting." Hisspeechesarenot those of a statesman or an orator — they have impressed nobody. Vulgar clap-trap, seasoned with personal impertinence, have been their distinguishing characteristics. As a tacitician he has miserably blundered, nor can we see anything whatever in him to justify his assumption of the position of a leader in th« Mouse. We venture to predict that he has fallen never to rise again. The Stafford Ministry can afford to laugh at the sneers and scoffi of the discomfited I'rovincialista — the die is cast. Although not carried out to its issue by legislation, the principle, by the results of the session, is affirmed that there is, as expressed in the prorogation speech, a nece_ ity for an improved «* system of local government as the effective means of removing discontent and dissension amongst important sections of the population, and of preserving the unity of New Zealand." The time has not been lost which has led to a distinct recognition of this which must be the basis of the policy possible to be brought forward successfully by any Government. The speech contains no allusion to a dissolution of Parliament, Ministers having evidently very wisely determined not to yield in any way to the factious howl raised u f on this question. Whatever the paid organs of Provincialism may say to the contrary, we avow that the country does not demand that such a step should be taken— on the contrary, there is a very general wish that a careful re-ad-justment of the representation should precede a general election. The towns are now grossly over represented, and a re-adjustment is peremptorily required to give the country districts their fair share in the Councils of the Colony. This, of course, does not suit Mr Fox and his friends, depending almost

exclusively on town or " Provincial centre " votes, they would have pressed an immediate dissolution, leaving for five years more the balance as it is. The proceedings of the past session will enable Ministers to meet .Parliament next year with their po'icy matured, and the details moulded according to the expressed opinion of the House. The financial proposals of this year will be effectually carried out, and an "improved system of local government" for the whole colony will be initiated and carried through. The Provincialists may make up their minds to one thing that they will have no need to how! " What's your policy ? " The policy will be clear and distinct, it will be the removal of power of mischief and of reckless squandering of the money of the tax-payer from our centralising Provincial Governments. The following is from the Advertiser of Oct 23: — At this moment, to those who are acquainted with the affairs of New Zealand, nearly everything connected with this colony appears to be in an unsettled state. The General Assembly has closed its doors and delegated to the future the settlement of the great political questions in dispute between the two dominant parties which constitute the House. The Native question remains to be settled by the extinction of the Native race as a power in these islnnds. Even nature its. lf, sis represented by the weather, is singularly eccentric and opposed to quietude in the waters and the winds. The solid land refuses to be quiet, if we may judge from its recent activity here, and its still more lively energy at Nelson. The Canterbury pilgrims don't grumble quietly at the utter stagnation of business they com plain of. The canny Scotchmen "down South," in the great city of Dunedin, artvery restless about the prostration of business there ; and, as for unruly Auckland, they are not s .tiefied, and never will be, until they become the head-quarters of and possess all the troops — Missionary establishments — goldflelds — Panama Companies — Banks — all steam and coal joint stock institutions in the country, and also the Seat of Government, and the lion's share of all the public and private pickings in the colony. The Panama Company, too, has lost, but for a time, we hope, its financial equilibrium, and the Wellington Steam Navigation Company is out of joint. Add to this that Provincial Governments are going to the dogs, and we think that some men will admit that things in general have come to a pretty pass.