FURTHER DELAY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1718, 24 November 1887, Page 3

FURTHER DELAY.

We confess that we are almost sick and tired of referring m these columns to the continuous delays m proceeding with the business of the country resorted to by the Government ; but a glaring instance of the avidity with which any excuse for procrastinating the facing of the evil day is snatched at by the Premier, compels us to notice a little incident which occurred m the House of Representatives during the Tuesday afternooD sitting. When the House met, according to the telegraphic ptecis, Sir Julius Yogel said that he was prepared to give notice of resolution respecting the revision of the Customs Tariff this session, and he wished to know what opportunity the Premier would give for doing so. The Hon. Major Atkinson said he should propose that the House go into Committee of Ways and Means at once, so as to give Sir Julius an opportunity of moving his resolution as an amendment. To this Sir Julius Yogel replied that he should not be prepared to move his resolution till next week. This afforded the Premier an opportunity for further delay, and he eagerly snapped at it, by ; saying that he should ask the House to adjourn for a week, as it was clear that the Government could not proceed | with business while a No-Confidence motion was pending. It is not surprising that Sir Julius was astonished at the attitude assumed by the Premier, but it was m vain that he protested that the motion was not a hostile one, and that the Opposition were willing to afford the Government every assistance m their power m the revision of the Tariff. The Premier was obstinate. He had declared the intention of the Government not to revise the Tariff this session, and such a resolution would traverse the policy of the Government. After some discussion Sir Julius announced his desire of withdrawing the intimation he bad i made, but the Premier would not allow this, and his motion for the adjournment of the House till next day was carried on division by 50 to 32. This is another sample ot the highhanded manner m which he treats the House. He knovys that, for the present, he has a strong majority from whom he has exacted a pledge to support him until he has unfolded his policy — which he has delayed, and will continue to delay, doing until the advent of prorogation — and, therefore, he imagines that for the present session he is free to do just as he likes. This accounts for all the actions of this would-be autocrat, which have at last affrighted the colony from one end to the other, as is manifest from the tone of what we may now term the ci-devani Ministerial press. Obstinacy is not statesmanship, and we warn the Hon the Premier that by bis action he is " putting a rod m pickle " for himself and colleagues, and that the longer the delay the stronger the " pickle " will be.