THE MINISTRY—BAR ONE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1623, 30 July 1887, Page 4

THE MINISTRY— BAR ONE.

Such is the heading of a leading article m the " Evening Post " of Tuesday last, if not insinuating that there is, at anyrate, hinting that there may be a want of loyalty to one another existing la the Cabinet. From the tone of some of our exchanges we have of late had our suspicion aroused that a movement, outside the Cabinet, was going on, the object of which was the reconstruction of the Ministry. In fact, one of our contemporaries, the other day, went so far as to express the opinion that such a reconstruction, with the substitution of Major Atkinson for Sir Julius Yogel, as Colonial Treasurer, would satisfy the majority of those opposed to the present Government. We looked upon this as a clever device of hte Opposition so to weaken the Government j that its fall would naturally follow m the immediate future. Or, again, it might be an attempt on the part of a section of the Opposition— the land monopolists, and runholders — to pave the way for restoration to office Of their friend and ally, Major Atkinson -—whose Ministry, it will be remembered, renewed the leases m 1879 for ten years — by undermining a Government which has proved itself so opposed to land monopolies, and so earnest m the work of settlement. We fear, however from our contemporary's remarks that the evil is of a more malignant character. The following is the article referred to : — "Are ministers loyal to each other? This is a question which we feel obliged to ask, and which we hesitate to answer. In criticising a recent speech of the Premier's m Dunedin, we pointed out that he defended himself almost entirely at the expense of his colleague, the Colonial Treasurer. Almost every argument he adduced contained a covert, if not direct, reflection on Sir Julius Yogel. We find also, on all sides, that candidates, who are professing to stand as Ministerial supporters, and who are known to have come forward at the instigation, or with the approval and support of certain members of the Ministry, declare their allegiance to be to the Government — bar one. This is very significant, and not creditable. Ministers should stand or fall together. If divided against themselves they must fall. They canno., without discredit, sacrifice one of their number to popular clamour, and they should make this clearly understood, and refuse to countenance the candidature of those who affect to discriminate between them. That a "dead set" is being made against Sir Julius Yogel is not to be denied, but we have never heard any good reason for it. He is blamed for not having accomplished the impossible; he is refused credit for the many excellent and difficult things he has accomplished. How true is it that "men's evil manners live m brass; their virtues we write m water." We advise those who join m the parrot cry, and would have Sir Julius Yogel regarded and treated as a Ministerial Jonah, to read carefully his recent speech m Christchurch. It was remarkable for its clear record of unmistakeably good service, as well as for the thorough loyalty to his colleagues which it displayed. We very much fear that the latter feeling is not reciprocated. If it is not, the punishment will fall most heavily on those who entertain treacherous thoughts, or try to save themselves at their colleague's expense. Without Sir Julius Yogel the present Ministry would fall to pieces like a house of cards. He is far and away the ablest, and, we believe, really the most trustworthy of them all. Intellectually, he is immeasurably superior to those around him. Perhaps the fact accounts for the jealousy and envy displayed towards him m so many directions, and which there seems some reason to fear is not altogether absent m the Cabinet itself." We fully endorse our contemporary's remarks with regard to Sir Julius Yogel being far and away the ablest me ber of the Cabinet, and there c r n no question that the sacrificing -* n , De would have the same effect a r °^ n,m the key stone of a bridr J removing structure would come - ce ~ the whole earnestly hope, ther- . to g r,ef - w ? will show our cor dfore > tna t events have been groir -temporary's fears to — mm •idless.