The Star. MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 1891. The Legislative Council.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7066, 19 January 1891, Page 2

The Star. MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 1891. The Legislative Council.

As the date for the meeting of Parliament approaches the air becomes more and more filled with political rumours, intended for the most part to test the temper of the public as to the manner in which certain moves on the part of the Government will be received. The most outrageous proposal of the present Ministry is that they should appoint to the Legislative Council a number of their followers who have failed to gain seats in the House of Representatives. The outburst of indignation with which this was received from one end of the Colony to the other seems to have had the effect of making the Ministry hesitate to carry out their design. That they have not altogether abandoned it iB very certain, for the inspired correspondents at Wellington are never weary of referring to it. From time to time disgusted politicians have protested againßt the breach of faith the Atkinson Government seem desirous of comm ifcfci—gy on t_e eve o£ t_ei_- retirement) from office, and no doubt the public feeling ■ is ac much opposed to it now as it was when the proposal was first hinted at. The latest protest appeared this morning in the Lyttelton Times in the following energetic form :— I 1 " Morality, principle, honour ! Each of i these, disguise it as they may, will be ■ shamefully prostituted by the Atkinsonian I administration if they do the foul political | crime it iB Burmised they still contemplate. ( Sir, through your courtesy I will ask all j in New Zealand, irrespective of class or *

party bias, to give this matter of increase of the members of our Upper House, unanimous opposition. In number they are already greater than it is right they ehould be, with our Lower House reduced to seventy. There iB really no necessity and no justification for a further increase, and no plea of precedent can in the least degree hallow so base a purpose. The burglar, the forger, the perjurer can quite as easily, and with equal consistency, quote precedents. But no precedent can justify political turpitude. Is it not immoral to lie? Is it not unprincipled to break a pledge ? And is it not dishonourable to do what we have promised not to do ? Our Parliament and our people vfor the last three sessions have been assured by Sir Harry that no increase in the Upper House was in his contemplation, and now he is endeavouring to give pensions for life to truculent partisans. O, how weak, how weak some otatesmen are. — I am, _c, Alfred Wilson."