Sir Harry Atkinson.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7065, 17 January 1891, Page 2

Sir Harry Atkinson.

[From the LytlcUon Times.}

The Government gentleman in Wellington who furnishes the Press Association with political tips must have been very hard up for a reason explanatory of Sir Harry Atkinson's hurried visit to Christchurch. He was driven to suggest that Sir Harry wanted to consult the Hon E. C. j. Stevens. The suggestion is distinctly weak. Those who know the two men must snigger at the notion of the imperious Sir Harry taking a rough sea voyage in a red-hot hurry in order to consult the Minister without portfolio. The next thing we should expect to hear is that Mr Gladstone is about to take a seavoyage round the world in order to consult the Hon T. Fergus us to the best way of getting out of the Parnell difficulty. The truth is, that a greater than* Stevens is here just now — hence Sir Harry's hurry -s carry in this direction. We presume that we owe Sir Harry's visit to that wretched and contemptible business — the attempt to swamp the Legislative Council. Is it possible to conceive a more undignified figure than that cut by the Premier over this affair? He knows he is only

Premier by Bufferance. Even bis own party are determined to Bhelve him, and his own party, if they can be called Ms party at al), are in a clear minority. He knows that honour and manliness required him to resign last month. And yet he did not resign. Why ? Apparently because he wanted time to make two or three more or less discreditable arrangements. If wo are to believe the newspapers of his friends, the minds of Ministers are entirely taken up with the consideration of providing one place ft>r Sir Harry hmißolf, another place for Mr RollestoD, and half a dozen rewards (in the shape of calls to the Legislative Council) for gentlemen who havo either been faithful to the Ministry or faithless to the Opposition. It Ttould 6eem that these matters form the reason why laßt month Sir Harry did not resign and let Mr Ballance be sent for. They form the reason for inflicting on Parliament and the country the nuisance and expense of a special midsummer session, to be followed later in the year by a second session. Of course all those stories about the provision of a place for the Premier may be moonshine. If they are, then Sir Harry has to thank his own newspapers for them. It is they who have circulated these rumours through, the country with such persistency that people generally believe that the Premier's rouieuient is only a matter of a few days. As for the proposed appointments to the Council, that affair illustrates the danger to the' people of allowing a moribund Ministry to stick to office. Knowing well that their time is short, the Premier and his colleagues care nothing for public opinion. In a week or two their Cabinet ' will have gone; what does it matter to> them whether the country wants Mr Downie Slewart to get his reward or does not want it ? We are given to understand that Sir Harry is to be very shortly made independent of public opinion. As for his colleagues, most of them can have no reasonable hope of ever figuring in a Ministry again : the Conservatives have had more than enough of them, and do not scruple to avow it. As fo.r Downie Stewart and Co., once Tet them be safe in the Council and they will not care a brass farthing for public indignation. In vain have the newspapers, with most unusual concord, condemned the proposal. We venture to say that there is no paper of any standing whatever, not coutrolled by a Minister or one of the propoaed nominees, which has not condemned the appointments. Yet the Ministry of condemned administrators persists. And the worst of all the nominations —Mr Downie Stewart's— is rumoured to be the one the Premier is most obstinate about.