The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. WEDNESDAY,JUNE 18,1884. The Dissolution.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1283, 18 June 1884, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. WEDNESDAY,JUNE 18,1884. The Dissolution.

The political problem of the past few days has at last been solved, as (8 most people believed it would be, by _ the Governor granting a dissolution. Yet, judging from the discussion which D took place in the House yesterday afternoon, the decision arrived at appears to have caused some surprise among a certain section of the Opposition. Sir George Grey is evidently hankering after office, and is not yet convinced of the undoubted fact that any Government got together by him would be unwelcome to the colony and could not exist a week. It was this ■ strange ignorance of public opinion that was the cause of the bitter complaint of the Knight of Kawau ihathis Excellency’s advisers had not counselled sending for him. He did not, however, go so far as to bring forward a vote of censure on the Government for not so acting, but he threw out a suggestion to Mr j steward to move in this direction. The member for Waimate refused to take the hint, while Mr Montgomery was not to be roused to active opposition, but contented himself with objecth ing to the length of time asked by the »f Premier for the new elections. Considering that the no-confidence amendment to the Address in Reply was moved for the ostensible purpose of procuring a dissolution and not to place the Opposition in power, it is difficult to see what cause there is for grumbling. Those who remember I? Mr Fish’s little peculiarities must have felt astonished at that gentleman’s silence during the recent debate, but it may be taken for granted that the j holding of hik tongue was not j according to his own wish. B Both Mr Steward and Mr Monti gomery must have been alive to the a necessity of hurrying on the division as quickly as possible, in order to prevent the incongruous atoms composing the temporary Opposition disintegrating as rapidly as they had come together. Hence it was recognised that the members of the party most noted for their talking powers would have to be suppressed, and Mr Fish, coming distinctly under this category, had to be sacrificed to the exigencies of political warfare. But everything cometh to him that waits, and yesterday the oppor- , tunity of unburdening himself of his grievances came to the member for Dunedin South. Mr Fish is nothing if not objurgatory, and on this occasion he fully upheld his reputation for intemperate language. He lectured the House on constitutional procedure, and accused ! the Government of having brought the finances of the colony into such a state 1 that they were afraid of letting any ( other people examine them. The , climax was reached when he charged r His Excellency with having, in granting a dissolution to Major Atkinson, acted i in such a manner as to lay himself open * to the imputation of being a political partisan. Ail this is, of course, the veriest nonsense, but it shows the feel- t ing which actuates the extreme section ® of the Radical party. Fortunately, t there are few men in Parliament like Mr Fish, and it is to be sincerely 1 hoped that the next House will contain J ri even fewer. £ This objection to a dissolution which tl has suddenly sprung up is probably due to the recognition by the Opposition members that they will have to meet bi the country at the general election dwithout a policy worthy ot the name. Neither Mr Montgomery, with his cry s t ot financial separation, nor Sir George pr Grey, with his unearned increment 8 r fad, will secure much of a following unless something more practical is enun- '{£ ciatetj- We anticipate that with the dr new blood infused into the next Parlia- Ti ment a strong party will be got together capable of commanding a majority and ( yo forming a Government possessing all 1 bo

the virtues of the Atkinson Administration, and none of the vices of those theorists who compose the bulk of the so-called Liberal party. The line which divides one party from another is not so strongly marked in New Zealand as it is in older countries, and there does not seem to be any insuperable objection to a coalition Ministry being established, similar to that now in Victoria. It is, however, premature to discuss this aspect of the question before we know who arc really coming forward to contest the various constituencies. At the same time, it will be well nigh universally conceded that under the existing circumstances, with a Government disapproved of by the country and an Opposition weak, vacillating and divided, His Excellency undoubtedly followed the wisest course in granting a dissolution, the loud-tongued objections of the member for Dunedin South notwithstanding.

At the Police Court this morning before H.O. S. Baddeley, Esq,, R.M., William Jones, an old offender, was fined 10a for drunkenness with the alternative of 14 days’ imprisonment. The case, Racaia and Ashburton Forks Railway Co v vV'ason Is set down for hearing at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Ashburton, on Friday next. Messrs Greason and Joynt will appear for the plaintiffs, and Messrs Wilding and Harper for the defendant.

The attendance at the concert given in St. Stephen’s Schoolroom last evening was very good, and the various items of the programme were gone through in a manner that called forth hearty applause. Among the most noticeable features of the entertainment were the piano solos by Mr Sidney Wolf, and the flute solo by Mr G. Jameson. Miss Wood’s able performance on the violin also gave satisfaction, and the Misses Gates rendered a duet with good effect. Mr Branson and Mr Simpson lent efficient aid to the success of the concert, which, taken altogether, must be considered the most satisfactory of the series of the sixpenny enrertainments now being given in aid of the school building fund.

We are informed that before leaving on Saturday Sir Julius Vogel was interviewed and requested to «‘.and for Ashburton at the next general election. His answer was to be forwarded as soon as possible. It would be premature, therefore, to accept all the reports that areVourront as to the many constituencies wishing to have him as representative next election. A meeting of the Masonic brethren will be held this evening at 7.30 p.in., in the Masonic Hall, for the purpose of receiving the report of the Committee appointed for the purpose of framing rules for the Masonic ifiterary and Debating Society, when officers will be elected and probably an opening address delivered. As the object to be attained is an important one it is very desirable that all Masons who can possibly do so will attend.

Owing to the inclemency of the weather, the rink will be postponed until further notice.

The trial of Messrs P. and D. Duncan’s patent disc harrow takes p’ace to-morrow and the following day, at Mr Lemon’s farm, near Smith’s nursery garden. On Friday a newly patented implement of Messrs Duncan’s will also be shown at work for the first time.

Mails for the United Kingdom, etc., via San Francisco will close at the Ashburton Post Office on Saturday morning at 10 o’clock.

A meeting of the Bluff Harbor Board yesterday, by five to three, resolved on the motion of Mr W. J. Willcooks, agent for the New Zealand Shipping Company, to request the editor of the Southland Times to exercise a greater degree of accuracy in commenting on the proceedings of the Board, as misrepresentation of facta is calculated to have an injurioui effect on the port and district. Notice of motion to call the attention of the Manager of the Press Association to the grossly misstated telegram re the lightship wired by the Invercargill agenc to the morning papers, and to urge him to instruct the agent to avoid the importation of party politics, and communicate events impartially was given.

The lambing-down case against John Adams, of the Swan Hotel, Auckland, broke down on a technical point, the Gazette not having been put in showing that she Act was in operation, and Adams a licensed innkeeper. The prosecutor, Thomas Joseph Franks, is a nephew of Colonel Franks, and had on him a deposit receipt for L 250 on the Colonial Bank of Wanganui. Some lively disclosures were made.

Bernard Jones, of the Auckland Naval Artillery, shot himself last night with his carbine in his bedroom, owing to a love affair with a girl named Mary Ann McKenna, who was leaving Auckland tomorrow. She was engaged to another man. The bullet went in the breast over the heart, coining out at the shoulder blade, and striking the wall. Jones died at nine o’clock. He met the girl in the street at five, bade her goodbye, saying she would never see him alive again, it is said he had been drinking.

Additional returns of the East Coast election make the total for Locke 48G, for Gannon 287, and for Rees 276. Mr Rolleston has written to Mr George Harper, Chairman of his last moating at Papanui, expressing his intention not to stand for the Avon district at the coming election. Though ho sees'no reason to doubt that he would receive a renewal of confidence, he had reason to believe that the electors would prefer to be represented by one who resided among them. Mr Leonard Harperhas determined to contest the Avon seat.

Mr Stout has decided to offer himsei ’or one of the Dunedin electorates.

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