The Star. TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1906. THE CABINET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8523, 16 January 1906, Page 2

The Star. TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1906. THE CABINET.

The Conservative Press is adept ffti ma-king professions, but it seldom practises >vhat it preaches. Its attitude on the question of Cabinet reconstruction is quite in keeping with this characteristic. It is always enlarging on the defects of the present administration. Many times and often it has consigned the Ministers, both collectively and individually, to that oblivion where they can do no further harm to the country. To judge by its vituperative denunciations, especially at election ' times, the Ministry is composed of knaves and fools, and though it may hesitate to name the .former, it is never backward at explaining who it thinks »re the fools of the Cabi-?. net. In view of the Opposition jourv nals' repeated condemnation of the Government as incapable, and worse, it might have been supposed that they would have welcomed any proposal in the direction of reconstructing the "Cabinet. If the Ministry is as inept as they declare, its reorganisation would surely be for the benefit of the country. But instead of the Conserva* tive Press supporting reconstruction, what do we find ? That directly a member of the Cabinet is singled out for retirement, it urges him not to" resign. It may not tender its advice in as many words, but by innuendo, and by holding him and his colleagues up to ridicule, it strives to sur-» round the question with difficulties, and to throw as many obstacles as possible in* the path of reform. "Wo do not/ say. that in the present instance the Conservative Press is blooking reform, bo« cause it is questionable if reform is even contemplated. But it is significant that at the mers mention of reconstruction it should resort to the tactics which it has employed whenever the question has been raised. Of course, the Conservative Press will never be satisfied until the' Ministry is reorganised out of existence, and replaced by a Conservative administration; But if it possessed one single epark of honesty or patriotism, it would endeavour not to retard but to hasten any change which made for the; strengthening of the Cabinet. A strong Liberal Cabinet would still further reduce the exceedingly small chance the Conservatives possess of ever regaining office, but it would be for the benefit of ' the country, and, if the Opposition organs are as anxious as they profess to bo to see the affairs of the country efficiently administered, they should support any proposal which paves the way to a stronger administration. That, while professing to desire an improved administration, they endeavour to delay reconstruction by every means in their power is further evjU ijenoe of the spirit of hypocrisy which guides their attitude on public affairs. It is in keeping with their unworthy insinuation that dertain members of the 1 Cabinet cannot be persuaded to retire, because they are unwilling to surrender -the emolumentsNof office.