The Star. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1890. Mr Ballance.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7039, 19 December 1890, Page 2

The Star. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1890. Mr Ballance.

It is impossible to feel otherwise than amused at the fruitless efforts that the apologists for the Atkinson Ministry are making to persuade themselves that the late elections were in their favour. The reluctance of the beaten Ministry to retire from office is something phenomenal. Because they are twitted with this reluctance, and endeavours are made to rouse them to a sense of the despicable attitude they aßßume, their newspaper friends endeavour to turn the tables by inveighing against the Opposition for a " vehement demand for the immediate resignation of the Ministry," as showing " how eager they must be for office," and a " consciousness of the utter weakness of their position." A parallel caso to this would be that of a defendant who has lost his case in the Supreme Court declaring that the plaintiff, if he asks for immediate execution, shows an unwarrantable avarice, and a consciousness of the weakness of his [ claim. The verdict of the constituencies has been given against the Government, and for the Opposition. It is too late in tho day to say that there was no issue put before the country, ! involving a verdict for the Oppo- . sition. The Press throughout the Colony j took careful note of the utterances of tho • candidates whom they duly tabulated accordingly. The candidates who were marked as Opposition men form the \ majority of those elected. If any of these now, as is alleged, declare that they will ( support the Atkinßon Government, they < are simply breaking their pledges to the j electors. But this is not at all a likely thing. No man in his senses would _ venture to outrage propriety in so shame- ] lesß a manner ; and we decline to believe it f on the mere assertion of those who have so j 8 persistently, but unsuccessfully, endea- '< j voured to warp public opinion. With the j knowledge that Mr Ballance posßeeses of i the true strength of the Liberal party, of t which he ia the recognised head, he was perfectly justified in doing what be could h ' to prevent the Conservatives " bluffing " _; His Excellency the Governor. Mr Ballance's c protest against the proposed appointments " to the Legislative Council was stigmatised <- as " a piece of gross impertinence." But * His Excellency himself evidently does not , agree with the captious critic who thus p wrote. On the contrary, Lord Onslow not \*. only received the protest, but also asked " Mr Ballance to inform him of the Cl grounds for it. Mr Ballance has at once complied with Hi 3 Excellency's request ; . His reasons, as published by us yesterday. 0 i will, we fully believe, be considered over- ™ whelmingly conclusive, not only by the as ?reat majority of the people of New _\ Zealand, but also by Hia Excellency 5 and ti we shall not be at all surprised to learn _ that the threatened appointments are £ postponed— -not for a few days merely, or a_ _.

"week or two,"— but till the Greek Kalends.