The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1872.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 59, 14 September 1872, Page 2

The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1872.

Tiie members of our Legislative Assembly are very much in the pos : tion of the boy who has been trying his utmost to break a window and has at last succeeded —they are sorry for what they have done. The Fox-Vogel Ministry is ousted, and in its place we have a weak Ministry, tolerably certain to finish at an early date, and again we shall have the business of the country delayed, and the machinery of Government, although nearly new, will again have to be replaced. We have been in the habit of priding ourselve on the fact that our House is the most honest and respectable representative body in the southern hemisphere; the position of the country at the present time goes far to prove the fallacy of the opinion. Tliere is no disguising tlie fact that the situation we are placed in at present is owing to the want of patriotism in our leading men. Mr. Stafford and hi colleagues are certainly not entitled to the thanks of the country for taking upon themselves the position of ministers, well knowing that they cannot by any possibility hold the reins sufficiently long to more than get into harness when an adverse vote will turn them ignominouslr from the ministerial benches. On the other hand, considering that there is really no political difference between the " outs " aud the " ins," it is discreditable to those members of the late

Ministry, whose scryicos are necessary if a strong and able Ministry is to be formed, that they haye not come forward and offered their services to Mr Stafford, or at least acceded to his inyitation to act with him. At the juncture of affairs, it is absolutely necessary that there should be a strong and able Gt>yer lament, otherwise they will be powerless to resist the pressure of dishonest constituencies on their members and, as a natural sequence, of dishonest members on the Ministry. We allude more particularly to the construction of unnecessary railways, and the desire j.O place their friends and relations in some Goyeminent billet or the other, regardless of their fitness to fill it. If natiye matters are well and judiciously managed, there is little fear of further trouble; on

the oilier hand, a mistake oil tue part of the ALuiu ry may throw tlie country into the same state of anarchy from which it is just recovering. Mr. Stati'ord has taken upon himself the duty of administering the native policy, witli the assistance of a gentleman from this province, who is well versed in the manners and customs of the natives, and, probably, after the late minister, is the most able man for the duty. If the Ministry positively refuse to yield to the importunities of their friends and supporters to give billets in all directions, they will have the support of the country. They may probably have a vote of want of confidence pressed upon them within a very short period, but we feel confident that an appeal to the country would place them again in the House with a good working majority. The caste is a weak one, but we have not yet given up all hope of seeing its ranks recruited from the opposition side of the House.