The Council Appointments.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7197, 4 February 1892, Page 2

The Council Appointments.

Ova Wellington correspondent yesterday informed our readers that within the next few days two important Cabinet meetings are to be held, at the second of which, if not at the first, every Minister is certain to be present, as business of an unusually interesting nature is to be discussed. Part of that budnesp, our correspondent saye, will no doubt be the Council appointments. He further rays that it is an open secret that the Government intends to nominate a large number. As we said yesterday, the object which the Liberal Government have in view ie the ensuring of something like reasonable treatment of their Bills by the Conservative House. A certain number, hardly a "l»ige" number as our correspondent hints, of members with Liberal sympathies will have to be appointed . What number is sufficient cannot easily be determined, for it is by no means certain that all those whd last year opposed the Government measures will oppose them in the coming session. The defence, we will not say pretence, of the obstructionists Las been that they wished to ensure the country sufficient time to think coolly on the merits and demerits of the Liberal Bills. Before the next session, the country will have had abundant opportunity in many public maetingß, some already held, and others yet to be held, of declaring its acceptance or rejection of those Bills. The voice of the country having thus spoken,, those of our Legislative Councillors who are not confirmed obstructionists may deem it their duty to give way. But we do not hope that the number of those who will be induced to vote in favour of the Liberal measures will be sufficient to convert the past majority into a future minority* Should a majority still be recalcitrant, the Government, in order to enforce the will of the people, must appoint to the Upper House as many new members as may be required. His Excellency Lord Onslow, when the Atkinson Ministry was on the point of resigning, consented to call to the Upper House a number of Conservatives, and it is quite fitting that he should now counteract the influence thus imported into the Council by calling an equal number of Liberals. We do not say that the Liberal Ministry is on the point of resigning. Far from it. If it was his Excellency might well hesitate to take its advice. For we have no doubt that Lord Onslow would not be assured that the present Government had the confidence of a majority of the people if it had not, and therefore he would not be placed in the false position he had to take up tbie time last year. With the information he received from those who were then hie accredited advisers, His Excellency was justified in taking the course he did. That the information, wilfully or unintentionally, was misleading, does not affect His Excellency's action. He believed his adviserß, and there is no reason why he should not equally believe his present advisers. If he does, he will see that their recommendation of certain politicians is reasonable, and, as a matter of course, he will comply with it.