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Wellington Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 2730, 10 September 1868, Page 3

Much misconception exists in the public | mind as to the actual state of political | parlies. It is the policy of the Ministry | to create and foster these misconceptions I The ruling idea in tho mind of the mem- § hers of the Government is the destruction | of provincial institutions ; but that is jf controlled in some measure by the fear | of not having a majority when the repre- I sentatives of the provinces are asked to | stultify themselves by sanctioning their | own demolition. The question which the I Premier has propounded to his colleagues | and supporters throughout the session has | been " How far can we go without losing office ?" At length they resolved on a j series of resolutions, trusting to thei chapter of accidents and colonial stolidity j to pass them. These resolutions were | framed, we believe, by a large party, whoml we may, for the nonce, style the " Tooral- J Rurals." These political iconoclasts, led | by the lion, member for Heathcoto, found | on bringing down their resolutions that | they could not carry them, so they were | revised and amended, clipped and altered. | Report saith that at a recent caucus the | Premier told his supporters, in the most | abject manner, that ho and his colleagues 1 would approve of anything aud everything | which " the tail" would suggest. Like j tho superannuated waiter in the play, Mr Stafford was most conciliatory and f " obleeging !" Here we have evidence of ! weakness, and we have further knowledge | of dissension in the Ministerial ranks. | Ministers have an impression that they | have fallen among thieves, without the & advantage of having a good Samaritan to m take pity upon them. The Euralites are | now regarded by the Government as a| predatory political party who have forced |» concessions. Bribery and corruption have | not yet been acclimatised in New Zea-|j land. The experiment is, however, about | to be tried. A. sop is to be given to| Cerborus. In the midst of manifold cal- | culatious, Stafford and Hall have arrived | at the conclusion that £200,000, or « thereabouts, ought to buy the provinces.^ A distinguished British statesman onco|| informed the House of Commons thatfc " every man had his price." This rudi-g I mentary principle is to be applied, appa-ffl Irently, to the provinces. Ex uno disccj^ ®o»uws! "Support us," say Ministers,^ I" and we will support you,"— by Com-f missionerships and other crumbs which^ fall from the table of the political Dives.| The present Ministry will do anything to|] : *keop in office, always, however, keeping! |in view an ultimate object, viz, the de-| istruction of the provinces. Tho House| *pof Representatives is regarded by Stafford $and Company mm ply as a body to be.; x practised on. Vivisection and post morftteui performances are mingled in a man- ? I'ner which would gratify the most eager ' I? student of executive anatomy. Strategy* i &

EffJftgMßffffiWffWWH^^ ■■»■■■■! land hypocrisy are first cousins. The toadies of the Ministry have experienced fan unexpected houleversement. They have j-alienated the support of those men who fwould have aided them had they brought ••forward a fair and independent policy, [Now they trust to the chapter of accif;deuts to enable them to " work" (that is •/the phrase) different sections of the Ulousc. The position taken up by Mr \.Fox, as the leader of the Opposition, jjis to proceed by way of demurrer. He emphatically to that species |of -pseudo strategy which is chieily rcjjmarkable for trickery and intrigue. Mr Fox lias already demanded from the Government a statement of their policy. Having no policy oxcept that which is comprised in the farcical toast " Our Most Noble Selves," aud destruction to the Provinces, the reply, was eminently unsatisfactory. The hon. member for llangitikei has, by his series of counter resolutions, given a frank and full enunciation of tho views which he and his friends hold. We are at a loss to know how the " calculating boy" will explain or justify the over-issue of Debentures. Et is a matter of about £40,000 ; perhaps the credit of the Colony may survive this assault. Colonial financiers should be careful how they exceed legal and constitutional limits. The Assembly is called upon to judge the financial policy on its merits. It has also to decide whether it is for the public good to keep a Government in office which is liable to be swayed by any accidental majority which it may drill, cajole, or seduce into the vice of supporting them. Disraeli " educated" his party up to a certain point ; some colonial self-seeking Parliamentary archi-J tects simply succeed in demoralising their followers. The keeping of the present Ministry in office means that the, country shall be kept in profound uncer- j tainty as to {he future, and be at the mercy of any chance majority which the Ministry may secure. Will tho country' submit to such dictation ? If Mr Eox were in office the country would, at any| rate, know its exact position. Now we are " drifting" without chart or compass. At any moment the ship of State may strike on tho rocks, and sink like the Taranaki. Are we to have a stable Government, or to be constantly the victims of the wildest desire for change? The doubts which agitate the public minds should be set at rest. The intelligent portion of the House has determined to make a Btand, and it is not impossible that eventually the present Ministry will be ousted, and then learn the simple lesson that "Honesty is the best Policy."