HOW HUSTINGS PLEDGES ARE KEPT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1714, 17 November 1887, Page 3

HOW HUSTINGS PLEDGES ARE KEPT.

. I—.1 — . From the telegraphic report of the proceedings m the House of Representatives on Tuesday, we fancy that those constituencies who returned the then Opposition candidates simply with the view of ousting the StoutYogel Government will begin to think that they have made a mistake m giving credit to their huntings promises, The Government candidates took care to explain that the ousting of the then existing Government meant simply a return to power of Major Atkinson and his friends. This was stouity rebutted a.t the time by the other side, who gave the electors to understand that there was a " New Party " prepared to assume osce on the defeat of the Government. Uufortunately this device succeeded but too well, though not to the extent anticipated. It succeeded m securing the return of a strong majority opposed to the late Government ; but the greater portion of these had pledged themselves to Protection, and to oppose the return to office of what can only be regarded as another phase of the Continuous Ministry. In fact, m the Ministerialist party, the. advocates of Protection compared with the advocates of t'-reetrade, are m the proportion of two to one. It will, no doubt, be m the remembrance of our readers that* when the question of the revision of the tariff this session first cropped up, Major Atkinson said, that it could not be done unless memberis were willing to contiriiie' the ' sessiop irito the new year, adding that, fqr his part, he was willing to alt -till March. Mare recently, however, the Premier intimated his intention of not considering the question until next session. The Protectionists of Auckland forwarded a petition to the House praying for a revision of the tariff this session. This was referred to the Public Petitions Committee, which presented their report to the House on Tuesday, which wag, that Vhe petition be referred 'to the "Government for consideration. This meant virtually "shelving" it, and as Mr Moss thought y^t t'ne petition, which was signed by' 19*9. tes^enta 0// Auckland,' was deserving' of a less ignominious fate^be raoyed " That the report be set doy(n for consideration on Thursday next, and be ; made the first oi;der 0$ jhg day." After discussion th,e amendment was rejected by 47 to 36. As there are some 57 members m the House returned on the Protection ticket, it is very evident that many of them, ignoring tbeir electioneering pledges, have thought fit to sacrifice a gre^t political principle (or Party purposes. VVe do not envy the feelings of those constituencies who find to their disgust that the representatives they were so proud of. having returned, haye taken the ijirst opportunity of throwing their constituents overboard. Aud it does not augur favourably for the welfare of the colony to think that so large a proportion of her present legislators are meg of this calibrci