POLITICAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume I, Issue 8, 14 October 1879, Page 3

POLITICAL.

It in unquestionably no new thing to hoar an Opposition make grave charges of incompetency and insincerity against the Government in office, and not infrequently, when the accusing Opposition change places with the accused Government, the charges, though substantiated to some extent, lose a good deal of the grossness the zeal or the bitterness of those who made them, charged them with. Greyite organs now ring the changes on this, and caution their readers against accepting as true the charges now being made against the Grey Government of mal-ad-ministration, and malversation of office. Though similar charges have been made previous to every change of Government, and though we allow that they have just as often failed to be substantiated to the extent the accusers hoped they would be able, we do not think there is much room left for 'doubt that, wore a fair opportunity given to the Hall Ministry, an ugly category of scandalous doings might be unearthed from the departmental records <-f tl io Grey Ministry’s term of office. The history of the Grey Ministry’s doings, as apparent to outside observers, was not a creditable one, and they laid themselves open to charges that their opponents have not Leon slow to hurl at them. Wo are perfectly satisfied there are reasonable grounds for believing that they have allowed a huge financial deficit to accumulate, and should not bo surprised to hoar within the next few hours that the country will require to find a million or so of money to make the two ends meet, that the recklessness and extravagance of the very “ liberal ” Government have deprived of the power of junction. We are certain that a keen head for figures, like that of Major Atkinson, only wants to bend for a short time over the colony’s ledger to find out the financial situation, and the fact that the books of the colony wore to fall into his hands is sufficient to account for the unwillingness of the Grey party to relinquish office, and their desperate anxiety, after having been shamed into abandoning the reins, to resume them at the very first opportunity. What the effect upon the colony’s credit, and the value of its property will be when Major Atkinson makes his statement of finance it is not safe to prognosticate. But the conclusions we draw from certain rumors now floating about Wellington are that some startling revelations will be made during the week, that are bound to raise a feeling of uneasiness in the colony, and greatly cool down the popularity that has hitherto been enjoyed by the “ Great Liberal Party. ”