PROCEDDINGSOF PARLIAMENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1716, 22 November 1887, Page 3

PROCEDDINGSOF PARLIAMENT

The motives prompting to the use of particular ways and means adopted by the occupants of the Treasury Benches are generally regarded by the great mass of politicians outside the walls of Parliament House as insoluble. The proceedings of the present session, and especially the developments of the last few days, furnish, m our opinion, a pretty sure clue to the solution of the question now so frequently asked — i " What is the meaning of all this i delay on the part of the Premier m informing the House and the country of the details of the policy which his Cabinet, or, rather, he, intends to pursue." When Major Atkinson, as the result of the late elections, was re instated m office, he found himself m a difficult and anomalous position. He had a strong nominal majority, it was true, but that majority was composed of heterogeneous sections — | Protectionists and Freetraders — memI bers pledged to oppose his own return to power, members pledged to oppose the maintaining m power of the StoutYogel Government, his own personal friends, and independent members holding diverse opinions on some of the great questions of the day. The Opposition, though weak m numbers, was a united body, and the defection of a section of his own supporters to the Opposition would turn the balance against him. The leader of the Opposition stood high not only m the estimation of the members composing it, but also m that of some of his own supporters. In fact there was no other member than Sir Julius Yogel besides himself who could command a large following. The policy of Major Atkinson and his friends was, therefore, clear. Sir Julius Vogel's influence must be undermined and, if possible, destroyed; he must be painted as black as possible and then held up bogey-like as the only alternative to Major Atkinson's Government. Before this should have been done it would not be politic to disclose his policy lest it should alienate one or more sections of his supporters, who, by combining with the Opposition, would be able to oust him and his colleagues from office. This little plan of action has accordingly, it would seem, been pursued. Soon after the Ministry had been sworn m the Ministerial Press began to teem with rumors of J' sensational disclosures," that were about to be made by the new occupants of office, of the gross " and startling jobbery and corruption" of the preceding Government. Then there was commenced that systematic persecution of Sir Julius Yogel which found a fitting culmination m that miserable scene m the House a few days ago. He has been painted as the most reckless and extravagant of all Colonial Treasurers, the sins of all successive Governments since his advent to power have been laid at his door ; all the evils arising from the perversion of the Public Works Act have been charged to his account, and, m a word, he has been represented as the most dangerous politician m the colony, and the only alternative to Major Atkinson as the wielder of the New Zealand destinies. As soon as this poison shall have had time to do its fell work, we may expect the Premier to declare his policy. At present we have only vague or broken promises— the former with regard to retrenchment to be effected, the latter m reference to further borrowing — and an assumption of autocratic power regarding the estimates, hitherto unknown m "the colony. And yet the House remains tamely quiescent like a company of trained animals, obedient lo the will of the skilful handler !