THE DEFEATOFTHE MINISTRY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1730, 8 December 1887, Page 3

THE DEFEATOF THE MINISTRY

The news that the GQvernment were defeated it an early hour yesterday morning, on an amendment of Mr Downie Stewart, on the Representation Bill, providing that the Bill should not come into operation till ist October, 1889, by 36 votes to 31, will, we are sure, come upon our readers as a surprise. Our Wellington correspondent informs us that the House immediately adjourned, and a Government caucus was agreed to be held at 10.30 ; that when the House met at 11 o'clock it immediately adjourned ; that another caucus of the Ministerial party was held at 11.30 at which 51 members were present, and that after a prolonged discussion it was decided to re-commit the Bill, several Ministerial supporters stating that they did not consider that the amendment would be taken as directly hostile when they voted for it. This, however, is a very flumsy excuse — m fact, it is worse than no excuse at all, for it shows that they had not been paying attention to the debate m the earlier part of the evening. When the House met at 7.30 Mr Seddon moved an amendment to the effect that it was unadvisable that the Bill should prodeed further than the second reading, till the establishment of some suitable form of self government shall have rendered dependence upon Parliament for local works unnecessary. Later on the Premier, referring to this amendxent, said that " the Government conu.dered this as one of their policy Bills, ard they should do their best to carry it through this session. He was willing and anxious to meet the member for Kumara m every fair way, but he was not going to be led into a corner by that hon gentleman." As if this was not a sufficient warning to his supporters, the Premier concluded his remarks with the significant hint, that "he hoped the House would distinctly understand that this was a Government Bill." This hint to vote straight should have been enongh for his supporters. It was for Mr Moss, who spoke a little laler on. Mr Moss said "he could not support the amendment owing to its being regarded by the Government as a no-confidence motion." Yet, notwithstanding ali this, at the second caucus yesterday some of the Minis* terial supporters behaved more like a parcel of naughty schoolboys, brought up before the pedagogue on^gome grave charge, whining piteously, " Please, sir, we didn't think we were doing wrong." What a very undignified position for hon gentlemen to place themselves m 1 It would have been far better for them to have had the courage of their opinions, and to have told their autocra'ic Chief that they intended m future vct'ng according to their conscience, as they were tired of bis hectoring [ and dictatorial manner. If the little episode related by our Wellington correspondent be true, it shows that some of Major Atkinson's quasi supporters are honorable enough to adopt this course, and it shows also to what length the Premier's domineering spirit will carry him, and the amount of duress ■ his supporters have to put up with. That the very unusual course decided upon at the second caucus will be successfully carried out, we think there can be little doubt, from the large number of naughty boys who have been "let off" by their Master with the injunction " mind arid don't do it ! again." Still their defeat must have greatly weakened the position of the ; Government, which, of late, had come to be considered impregnable— in fact, unassailable.