THE NEW EXECUTIVE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 109, 29 May 1875, Page 10

THE NEW EXECUTIVE.

<-+ The whirligig of time brings about strange changes, and a glance at the State coach would perceive an odd lot seated upon the box. Ever since the late Treasurer remoddled his former Ministry, to the exclusion of Mr Bastings, a Nemesis has been on his track, until the ungenerons treatment has been repaid, and the despised one now takes his place at the helm. "We have no doubt the tactics employed to gracefully shelve the obnoxious colleague, will be fresh in the minds of our readers The Executive of which Mr Tuenbull was the head, and Mr Bastings a member, resigned on the plea that the Provincn&\ becretary was unable to devote sufficient time to the affairs of office, through the pressure of private business. Were this really the case, and did ;his subsequent conduct bear out the step, neither Mr Bastings nor the public would have been at liberty to cavil at the decision • for although there are certain duties which every citizen owes to the btate, none are expected to assume publis offices to the neglect of private interests. No sooner, however was the object attained by the resignation, than a reconstruction was effected, which was notable for the retention of one member who, it was; asserted, had been so anxious to retire, and the rejection of another who was just as anxious to remain. Such being the fact, then, it was quite apparent to more than Mr Bastings that the step taken had been but a ruse to dispense with his services, and as human nature is weak, and men seldom form the same estimate of their qualifications and abilities as that held by their neigh- , bours, it was but natural to suppose that the ungracious treatment by his colleagues was neither forgotten nor forg^eu. That such is the case, the peculiar-phraseology in which the want of confidence motion was framed, will testify j and it would appear as if the conspirator had'carefully preserved the dagger of his opponent with which to strike the death-blow. The cause of complaint set forth is supremely vague, but the concluding portion unmistakeably furnishes the key to the motive by which it ia prompted The terms of impeachment are as follows :— " That in the opinion of this Council, the financial proposals brought down by the Government are not satisfactory, and that th© present distribution of Executive offices has not been found to be conducive to the proper administration of the a F air £i ° f the • PrO7irlce - T !* e Council therefore requests the Government to reconsider their present position, with a view to better financial and administrative arrangements being arrived at." It will be thus seen that the blow was aimed at individual members, rather than against the Executive as a body, and" taking previous circumstances into consideration it is not

-difficult to divine whom it was sought to mate the political Jokah. It will be freely admitted that on personal grounds Mr. Bastings had much cause for complaint, in the treatment he received, but it must also be admitted that the late Executive, since its reconstruction, has been an able and effective one, and that the affairs of the Province have been administered with credit, and it is therefore to be regretted that a majority of the Council — small though it is — should have driven them from office without having any specific charge to lay at their doors. Of the Government formed by Mr. Bastings, and of which in the multiplicity of his offices he represents half the members, it would be premature to speak ; and although we may have our own opinion as to its calibre, and the doubt that some of its component parts are calculated to add to either its stability or status, yet we hold that it is but fair it should have an impartial trial, and whether its reign "be long or short, its existence or fall shall be determined by its merits alone. The head of the late Government while •consistently refusing to coalesce with the malcontents, announced his determination of throwing no obstacle in the way of his successors, and promised that no factious opposition should be offered to any measure brought forward. It would appear, also, that the main difficulty in the way of the new team — that of securing a law officer — has been obviated by the offer of the late Provincial Solicitor to conduct, without office, the legal business of the Session. It will be thus seen that the new Executive has assumed the reins of power under more favorable circumstances than their predecessors, and when the Treasury benches again become vacant the fault will be their own, and arise from their being weighed in the balance and found wanting. It must, however, be borne in mind that the majority which sent their opponents iuto opposition, and placed ■office within their reach, cannot be relied on.