The Evening Star SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1870

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2119, 19 February 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1870

The Waikouaiti election lias been pitched upon as a sort of battle ground to test the relative strength of parties in the Provincial Council. The return of Mr Mitchell, if he succeed, is intended to express approval of the senseless opposition of the settlers of Otago to the principles of the Hundreds Regulation Act, and the consequent condemnation of his Honor the Superintendent; and as a necessary corollary, the exaltation of the present Executive. It _ is quite within the bounds of probability that he may not bo returned, but even if he be, the triumph will not bo very great to the electors themselves. So far as the Provincial Council is concerned, the Hundreds Regulation Act cannot well come again under review. The special session has done its work and passed certain resolutions which cannot with any degree of consistency be either revised or altered until they have been submitted to the General Assembly, and consequently it is too late for such an election to have any effect upon them. With regard to the Act itself also, it does not seem to be sufficiently acknowledged that notwithstanding the nominal victory gained by the Executive, they were actually defeated ; that the resolutions adopted were virtually a triumph to the Opposition, for they were framed to meet their views; and that parties were so equally divided in the House that the change of sides of one member turned the scale. We do not believe there is any wish whatever to oust the present Executive. Individually, they are men in whom all classes place confidence for their integrity of purpose, although they may not coincide with their political theories. The duties of administration with so slender a majority to back them must be both irksome and unsatisfactory to themselves. We can scarcely imagine more delicate ground to tread on than lies beneath their feet. With parties so equally divided, they are almost powerless to move if they are not prepared to brave the censure of their opponents, tacitly acquiesced in or openly expressed by some even of their own friends. They have scarcely an election cry for the hustings without falling back upon something that already belongs to the past. The opinion of the Council has been given on the Railway question. The Oaraaru Dock and the Waikouaiti Jetty are not open to discussion, for both are to be made, if the funds are forthcoming. What can a candidate fall back upon when all the common clap-trap of the hustings is shut out from his use so far as promising is concerned 1 Ho is reduced to the dilemma of pointing out how he would have acted had he been in the House when the battles of words were fought, and how much his influence would have aided in the victory achieved. At the hustings a little egotism may be forgiven, and many utterances that would be otherwise intolerably tedious and out of place are listened to patiently on account of the excitement of the hour. But we apprehend that the true party cry, if uttered, would not now be so much measures as men. The opposition to the Hundreds Regulation Bill and the Railway cry are made steps in a ladder to suit the personal convenience of aspirants to the Superintendency. For our own parts, wo think the move has been made too soon, and that his Honor has played his game more skilfully than his opponents. They have taken a pawn, but he has placed their queen in danger. They pressed him hard, but lie has made them expose their plans so early in the game, that before the final move is made there may be a reaction in his favor. No doubt when the breach between himself and his Executive became sc wide as to render necessary the arbitration of the Council, many calculated that on an adverse expression of opinion being given, he would have resigned. Possibly, had there been a nearly unanimous vote against him, he would have retired, but when party was so equally balanced, notwithstanding every effort made by his Executive to obtain a prejudgment in their favor, it would have been the height of folly to have done so. Before his term of office ex-

pires, the Province will in all likelihood see that it would have been much better to have brought the Hundreds Regulation Act into operation, and that the Railway schemes of the present Executive are failures. A consideration of the arguments used in the House on the Hundreds Regulation Act has led us to the irresistible conclusion that they have taken a wrong view on that subject, and although we shall bo glad to find our fears unfounded with regard to the Railways, we have no expectation that the 'Port Chalmers line will be constructed satisfactorily, nor that the Clutha line, on the present plan of operations, will ever be constructed at all. Perhaps, should these forebodings be realised, men may remember his Honor’s opinion that the plans of the Executive were the way “ not to do it,” and the moves intended to injure him in public estimation may have the opposite effect.