Wellington Independent SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1871.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3367, 9 December 1871, Page 2

Wellington Independent SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1871.

It was hardly to be expected that the recent Ministerial appointments would be received with satisfaction by the organs of the quasi Opposition. It is their high duty and privilege to find fault with everything emanating from Government, and as the responsibility of advising alternative action does not rest with them they drive a 'roaring trade in the lino of severe criticism, a business which does not require any very large stock either of brains or political knowledge, but comes as easy to certain mental organizations as braying does to that noble animal the ass. The accession of Mr Reeves to the Cabinet is made the occasion of a general "go in" at the Ministry and " all their works" by our evening contemporary upon Thursday, and the article is a complete specimen of the style which is distinctive of such productions. The argument would appear to be that Mr Reeves is the " square" man in the " round" hole, and this is led up to by the most astounding conglomeration of pseudo political economical dogmatics, illogical conclusions, and barefaced contortions of fact which it has ever been our lot to peruse except in the communications to their friends, composed in their lucid moments, by the inmates of Karori. We are told how requisite in a statesman are statesmenliko qualities ; that " for men who intended to devote themselves to political life it was above all things necessary that they should receive careful training — have their prejudices eradicated, their views enlarged, acquire self-control and experience before they aspired to the responsibilities of office." The " Post" will be doing the colony good service if it will tell us where such men are to be found. Who are the models it has in view ? They would be valuable here, but in the Imperial Parliament invaluable. A political millenium must result from their accession to power, whilst the peculiar gift of " acquiring experience," without any experience at all, would stimp their minds as far out of the common order and not in any likely to be trammelled with such common-place considerations as possibility and fact. Our contemporary has plainly given up the cause of his loudly vaunted political friends, the gentlemen constituting the Opposition during the last session. They certainly hardly come up to the magnificent standard set forth. Let us recapitulate, it is hard to have too much of v good thing, " careful training," "enlarged views," "prejudices eradicated." These caps would hardly fit Mr Donald Reid, Mr Murray, and Mr T. B. Gillies. " Such ideas," it is very truly said, " are obselete." After this bit of musty morality, the " Post" proceeds to draw the flattering conclusion from its own assumed premises to this effect : — " Tho result of this state of affairs is seen in the present position of Parliament — sunk so low in character that the Government actually ventured upon a proposition to buy it wholesale in the matter of the Public Works Board." It appears to us tbut such a subversion of recorded truth is disgraceful to the press which promulgates it, but perhaps we have old-fashioned notions. It is perfectly well known that the idea of the constitution of a Board of Works originated with the last Parliament, and by parties outside the Government ; and that it was solely owing to the stiong opinions then generally expressed on all sides of the House that such constitution was provided for in the bill of this session. This present Parliament, said to be sunk so low, displayed, certainly, no desire to avail itself of the possible personal advantages which might ensue from the foundation of the Board. It was erased from the bill without ft dissentient voice, and the supporters of the Ministry were loudest in thfir expression of dissent. It is hardly worth while to folluw our contemporary further. Wilful misrepresentation appears to be his cue, and were we to " bray him in a mortar" this characteristic would hardly depart from him. We would say a few words, however, with regard to the recent additions to tho Cabinet, which we consider are in every way eminently satisfactory. Mr Reeves has taken for many years a very leading part in politics, through the press, and has been the consistent advocate during the whole period of those principles which placed the present Government in office, and which we take leave to think will long maintain them in that position. He is, moreover, essentially a Middle Island man, staunchly so, we might say, and his action as a Minister is in no way

likely to be warped by philo-Maori prejudices, or in the direction of any expenditure upon defonce wbich can possibly with discretion be avoided. He holds large and liberal views upon the land question, which is soon to become the great question of the day, and he is entirely free from any connection whatsoever with tho class of large landed proprietors who are seemingly bent upon appropriating the soil and rendering extension of settlement impossible. Tho action of the Legislative Council during the last session should place everyone on the alert. There was a steadfast determination evinced to check any legislation in the direction of opening-up the land or encouraging immigration to the colony. Without any flattery, we consider that, tnking him " all and all," Mr Reevea is the very best man who could have been chosen outside the Northern Island. It is hardly neces. sary to say anything of Mr Ormond ; oven tho " Post" is silent with regard to him. He is known throughout the colony as a thorough man of business, and has proved his capacity as an administrator during the last four years by his able direction of affairs native and European upon the East Coast. Added to these qualities Mr Ormond is essentially a colonist. He has grown up amongat us, and is entirely identified with our interests. We car. fairly congratulate the colony upon tho present constitution of the Ministry.