The Waikato Times UNKNOWN

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 48, 20 August 1872, Page 2

The Waikato Times UNKNOWN

TI'KSPAY, Al'l'U'ST U-72. T;i r. motion of M r. Cuifis and that of Mr. Stult'ud are wry similar in effect. the former suggests that t he (Sovcrmner.t, without clivesiin" - itself of responsibility, shall place eertain powers in the hands ot' tho Superintendents of Provinces by making them (heir executive otiiccvs, which really means that they will be guided to a great. extent by the advice of Superintendents and their .Kxeeut ivos. Mr, Staitbrd, on the other hand, only gec so tar as to suiriresfc that they sliail avail themselves of (lie services of local existing machinery in , .iv)-yii>uv nni. policy \\ o take it that Mr. Stafford's n: canine- is that engineers and other officers shall be employed by the (ieneral (ioverument in order that tier local knowledge may be utilised and expense saved to the country. Yv e cannot believe that Mr. Stafford can possibly contemplate easting in l is lot with any party that goes lvvond this 1 m't. The carrying of either of those motions iu their entirety must result in the resignation of the Ministry. Mr. Fox lias stated that this will be the result of the carrying of Mr. Curtis, ami as Mr. Stafford's expresses a distinct opinion that the Ministry are wanting in administrative ability or the industry to carry out the scheme inaugurated bv themselves, if carried, must have a like <. licet-. There is evidently a combination betweon the two parties; the two series of have no doubt been moved with the hope that if the one now beiore the house fails to secure ft nuvjority of supporters, the other may. It is to be sincerely hoped that Mr. Curtis will be unsuccessful in gaining many supporters beyond the payed officers of provinces, for a proposition which would

in i_ "" render the Government of tlie day powerless to resist the already too influence o. _ Superintendents, such a Government would j pract'cilly be one of Superintendents—at any ; rate, as regards the expenditure of public ; money, as Mr. Fox points out, on one set or ( men would rest the responsibility, and ort the j other the power to spend. Any Ministry * that took power on such conditions, eou.d ; neither retain their own sell-respect or com- j manil that of the people. _ j As icg.'irds Mr. Stafford's motion to the ; the effect "That the administration of Pub- !

lie Works and Imm gnution Policy has been • unsatisfactory." Tliis proposition is one that ; can be on dor sod by every man in the colony. • rt would, however, be eminently unfair to lay ' the whole of the blame oli the shoualeis of the Ministry, as no other result c mid be possibly ; f>ivs<eu after the refusal of the House to i complete the ministerial scheme by appoint-; ing a Board to decide as to which railways . should be constructed. It will be rememburc 1 j that tliis J'oard was to have been appointed j by the House, but afier this appointment, j were not to be liable to any political influence, lliO Ministry of the day only retaining the power to veto any of their propositions ; m the event of their exercising this power, they would, of course, have been called to account by the House. The scramble for railways to J be made in all directions necessitated the j Minisiry promising the cms! ruction of lines! which no Hoard composed of men capable of, a<'llii g one and two together could po sihly have thought twice about. 1 n holding o.'Hee after they were placed in this position is the I rincipal sin of the Ministry ; doing so, they j displayed a great want of political , j thev saw the difficulty, as is proved by their ' original proposition ; but in place of honestly ;■(•( i\ i n* 1 * fV'-m a position which it was .'•elfevident they could only hold by means of a miserable time-serving policy, and by audi a po'iey, t! < : mi acceded in retaining seals ou which the; ought to have been ashamed to i-it.. On the oilier hand Air. fStallord, as the teal or reputed leader of the opposition, was inst mine nlal in placing them in this position ; lie an pea rs to have entirely forgot ten that the leader of the opposition in a representative assembly holds a very responsiole position ; lo him the country looks to keep his party in hand in order thai, the ellieient administration of the affairs of the country may not be needlessly interrupted by factious opposition to the Ministry of the day. Mr. t-'tafWd must have seen that, the result of the refusal of the I Touse io appoint a Hoard was certain to prove disastrous, and that neither his nor any oilier admiiiisi rat ion in its absence could possibly apportion the loan. Mr. Stafford is to blame for having forced the Ministry into the position they held dir. wig hi*'" session, and which they continue to liolu this, but Ministry are to blame lor having allowed themselves to bo so placed.