Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price 1d. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1886. A Contemptible Government.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1872, 18 August 1886, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price Id. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1886. A Contemptible Government.

The peculiar circumstances connected with the rejection of the Representation Bill are certain to bring the present Government into contempt with honorable and right thinking men all over the colony. Kir Robert Stout, the Premier, gave a distinct pledge to do all that was possible to get the Bill passed during tire present session. The Bill was brought forward as a Government measure, and the Ministry, as a whole, was bound in honor to support it. The Plouse passed the second reading of the Gill on the voices, and there was every reason to believe that if the Premier stood staunchly by the measure it would become law. But “ there were wheels within wheels.” A section of members were opposed to the Bill, and determined, if possible, to kill It. Then there was a split in the Cabinet on the question. Sir Robert Stout, Mr Ballanco, and Mr Tote were in favor of the Bill being passed. Sir Julius Vogel, Mr Latnach and Mr Richardson were against its The fate of the Bill depended upon Sir Robert Stout asserting the powers of his position as Premier, in a firm and resolute way. As Premier, Sir Robert Stout could have told his colleagues, in plain and emphatic terms, that they must vote for the Bill as being a Government measure, and that if they did not do so, they must resign. Had Sir Robert Stout taken up this position, Vogel, Richardsoa, and Larnach must either have given in or else resigned their positions in the Government. In any case, Sir Robert Stout was master of the situation, because he could at any moment, by resigning, break up the Ministry. But, as events turned out, Sir Robert Stout proved himself to be a very poor creature—feeble m moral fibre and altogether without backbone. For a time, he pretended to be determined to get the Representation Gill passed, but very soon began to weaken in his attitude and show signs of giving in. He made no stand in the Cabinet and let his three recalitrant colleagues vote as they pleased. Thus the remarkable spectacle was presented to Parliament and the country of the Premier and two of his colleagues voting for the Representation Bill, and three other Ministers voting against it. We are firmly convinced that Sir Robert Stout knew perfectly well before hand what was going to take place and that ho did not possess the moral courage to take such action, in his position as Premier, as would have rendered impossible the scandalous and disgraceful exhibition of one half of a Ministry voting against the other half, on a Government measure. After Jlhis, it is impossible to credit Sir Robert Stout with possessing either political principle or backbone. A House divided against itself cannot stand. The present Government is safe for the present, because the recess is at hand ; but the time canuot be far distant when the electors of New Zealand twill declare by an enormous majority that they will have no more of them.