The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1884. The Defeat of the Government.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1278, 12 June 1884, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1884. The Defeat of the Government.

When Parliament met to cotryuence ' the work of the present session, the 1 general impression was that the members would not have to remain in Wellington very long, and it seems, from all appearances, that the end will come ; even sooner than was anticipated. But if the session is destined to be a short one, the incidents of the last two" days are proof that the Opposition meant to do their best to make the proceedings lively. Before Dr Newman had delivered his maiden speech, two no-con-fidence motions had been tabled, a circumstance, we believe, without a parallel in the history of the colony. Mr Steward, the whip of that section of the Opposition which accepts Mr Montgomery as leader, was the first to set the ball rolling, and he was closely followed by Sir George Grey giving notice of a motion similar in effect. The strangeness of the political situation was in itself sufficient to arouse unwonted excitement throughout the colony, and speculation became rife as to what would be the result. That the Opposition was in as disorganised a state this session as it has been since the general election could not admit of a doubt. Sir George Grey had clearly stated that he would be no party to a vote of want of confidence, if on its success depended the advent of Mr Montgomery to power, and it was expected that this fact would give the Government a majority. Last night’s division, however, proved that the opponents of the Ministry determined to sink private feelings for a time and unite to gain the one common object of turning Major Atkinson and- his party out of office. The debate which has sealed the fate of the Government presents some peculiar features. From the first the Premier sought to fix the responsibility of a no-confidence motion upon Str George Grey, and had he been successful in this it is by no means improbable that the vote would have gone the other way. Whether it was that the Government thought a motion of this kind brought forward by a private member unworthy of the same consideration as one moved by a leader, we are ignorant, but it is curious that the Hon Mr Conolly was the only Minister, who spoke in the debate. Nor can it be said that he did much for the cause he advocated. He attempted to fine down the point at issue to the increase in the grain tariff, and indulged in a good deal of virulent abuse of those Canterbury members who, he was quite well aware, would go into ■ the lobby with Mr Steward. That the tariff question was an important factor in determining the result will not be denied, but the indictment against the late policy of the Government as a whole made by Mr Wakefield, whose speech was unquestionably the best delivered during the discussion, was too heavy to be disregarded. Now that the Opposition have gained the victory, it remains to be seen what they will do with it. Mr Steward’s object was to get an immediate dissolution of Parliament, so that an appeal could be made' to the country, and it was no doubt on that understanding that Sir George Grey and his followers gave way. The idea of forming a Ministry from the Opposition as it now exists in the House is too absurd to allow of a moment’s consideration. There are at least as many points of difference between those who believe in the member for Akaroa and those who put their faith in Sir George Grey as there are between those who voted on opposite sides last night. The union of Such discordant elements was an unnatural one, simply entered into to secure the downfall of the Government, and without any consideration of what was to follow. We think that the colony will not regret the defeat of the Government if it leads to a dissolution, as we have little doubt it will, although it might have been better if the question had been decided later in the session.