The Star. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1879.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3651, 23 December 1879, Page 2

The Star. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1879.

On Friday laat, in the presence of about a dozen members, the political curtaiu dropped upon tho most discreditable, if not the most disgraceful cession of a Parliament ever held in this Colony. We have taken occasion, as time and eventß progressed, to declare our views of the self-seeking, the betrayal of principle and party, the open buying and selling, and the corruption which has been displayed by some of the members of the new Parliament. Ifc is scarcely necessary, therefore, now to dwell upon the painful facts. Nevertheless, aa we Beem to differ from the bulk of our contemporaries, it may be as well, perhaps, tbat our views should be once more recorded. This Parliament is the re_ulfc of an appeal made to the country by the Government of Sir George Grey upon the merits of the Liberal policy which they submitted for approval. Tho electors returned a largo majority in favour of the measures but an actual minority to support the man ; thus tho object which the then Opposition had long struggled to obtain by fair meanß or foul, waa at length aicomplished. For many months the Opposition Press and Opposition speakers had mado tho then Premier — Sir George Grey — the object of thoir most unscrupulous attacks. Falsehoods, of th_ most audaciously brazen character wore deliberately put forward, and no effort calculated to depreciate him in publio estimation waa spared. Ifc is nofc therefore fairly subjeofc for wonder, that a number of weak-minded individuals should have been led astray by the sophistries, deceits, and constant villifications of a powerful faction. Although defeaced in tho previous Parliament by a majority of fourteen, ifc waa confidently believed that tho country had, at tho genoral election, returned an actual majority to maintain tho Liberal Government in power ; but tho men who for so long a poriod had dishonestly fought with unfair weapons were not likely to stick at tritles. Messrs Masters, M'Oauouan, and Pyke, who of right belonged to tho Liberal ranks, voted against Ministers, and they, perforce, rotirod. Evon thon, bad publio mon been fairly honeßt and true, tho people would havo littlo now to regret. What had beon unfairly l'.sfc mighfc havo been fairly won again ; in any oase, no great disgruco would havo rested upon the Liberal party. Hnd Messrs Pyke and Stewart faithfully remained in the ranks of tho victorious majority thab turned out Sir George Grey, tho Oolony might havo been spared tho shame of tho subsequent events ; bufc they did not ; Mr Pyke ratted back again, carrying Mr Stewart with him. This gavo tho majority to the Liberals once more; but they did not hold it long. In ordor to gratify the mingled ambition and vanity of ono or two aspiring, and tho malice of one or two revengeful men, thoy forced tho able nnd patriotic man, who bad created them as a party in tho country to resign tho leadership, and by bo doing they practically cut off their politioai head. With the deposition of Sir George Grey, the power of the Liberal Party departed, and tho disgrace of tbe Parliament began. Tho leadership fell into incompetent, irresolute, inexperienced, weak, and divided hands, and tho golden opportunity wao lost, Surely those who have long aßpired to be leader?, and who havo worked secretly ngainßb him whom tbey acknowledged as their chief, must now] be satisfied by the brief - experience! whioh they have enjoyed that, eithen

they were never designed by nature to be leudera of men, or that the education , necesßary. to maintain such a position has for them not yet begufa. The shrewd Premier— the Honorable John Hall— when faced by the hostile majority, showed once "iniore how worthily the dpbious adjective waß deserved. Ho begged — he supplicated — for time — give but a few days' time— and he would be quite satisfied to go with the Opposition to a trial of strength . The weak leaders of the Opposition goodnaturedly consented, and in a few days four of the Auckland" members had sold their principles and their friends in hope to receive a miserable mess of political potage, which it was never intended they should obtain. Then followed what must be considered the most deplorable Pailiatnentary spectacle to be found in tbe history of this Colony. The majority they had bought was used with characteristic unßcrupulou6nesß to carry out all tho " honest" Government required;- It was utilised to refuse to grant to the people the demand of the Opposition for tho publication of the terms of the purchase of the Auckland rats. It was used to unseat Sir George Grey for Christchurch ; to seat in hia place a man who had been rejected by the people, and who could nob claim to represent the majority; it was used to protect and Bustain the Ministry in I . their most flagrant violation of law and r decency ia the production of private J telegrams for the purpose of gratifying < private malice ; and lastly, it was used i to carry through Parliament one cf the . most impolitic and — to Bay tho least — i suspicious measures, ever submitted to f any Parliament — the Public Works Bill. I As for the so-called liberal measures, 1 which the Hall Government boabt 1 having passed, they aro. not acceptable ' to the friends of honest Government in this country. The principle of Manhood Suffrage, it ia true has been at length acknowledged ; but it haß been granted in Biich manner aa to open wid. the door for personation, dummyism, and other kindred electoral abuses, of which from past experience we know that a wealthy unscrupulous and selfish faction will not be slow to avail themselvesWhilst in this Unsatisfactory form Manhood Suffrage ba9 been given with one hand, by tho othor the power of property in tho country — through the medium of tho multiple vote — has been moro than doubled. It never was for a moment probable that the Halls, Atkinsons, and Whitakers would allow power to slip out of the hands of their class, and the people may reßt assured that tbey have not done so. ■ What now remains ? The depreciation - of the resources and tte credit of the Colony, and humbugging finance. We declare again our firm conviction that there never was the least necessity for tho Property Tax Bill, and that there is no honesty connected with the measure. Caro haß been taken — by the use of the purchased majority — to rotain in the hands o£ Ministers tho power to refrain from bringing the Act into operation, and it never will be sought to enforce it ; the revenue will be found amply sufficient for all purposes without the property tax, and next year the property tax, and the land tax, and every other duty which has been placed upon property by the Liberal party will be swept away, and the duties re-imposed upon the necessaries of tho people. Is it reasonable to suppose that it was all for nothing that a powerful class has been lying, laying out great resources, fighting, and struggling for weary months ? Shall they not use power for their own purposes now they have bought it and got it ? The people will großsly deceive themselves if for a Bingle moment they entertain such an absurdly ridiculous idea. The man who — so shrewdly — grid ironed Canterbury, did not then work for tho advantage of the people, and he is the last to entertain suoh folly now. It is to be expected that companies will now spring into existence all over tho country under the District Railways Bill, for if a line of railway is wanted for the convenience of a fow powerful landlords, the formation of a bogus company is the speediest and the easiest way to secure it. The Government will, of course, take it over, — if they chanco to be shareholders themselves, all the better — and tho people will havo to pay. Fortunately the Opposition have been B.rong enough to draw the teeth of this moßt dangerous Bill. We look in vain over tbo wholo session for single satisfactory line. There seems to be nothing but dishonesty, doubledealing, scheming and retrogression everywhere The Liberal measures and tho Liboral policy havo been strangled and crushed — as might have been expected from a Government of Halls and Whitake-IS. Even in Nativo niti-irs tho work whioh was being carefully raised under tho foHtoring hands of Sir Gkohge Ghky has been ruthlessly toppled over, nnd Bcarco a vestige of it now remains. Rkwi haß Btalkod off in sullen disdain to savagedom with a declaration that tho Ofuicausian is played out, and civilisation is a failure. Tho Hall Government will novor bring him buck again. This is onr viow of tho first cession of tho sovonth Parliament of New Zealand, and wo oommend it to tlio careful contemplation of every reflective mind.