The Evening Star THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2206, 2 June 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1870.

One hardly knows whether to regard the no-confidence motion of Mr Millar as a joke or as a ruse. It was based upon no specific charges against the Executive, and was not moved for the establishment of any particular policy. Regarded as a political move, it was a random shot fired into the air, which might in its aimless course happen to kill or wound —it might be a friend or it might be an opponent. It seemed very much as if the House had suffered a mighty disappointment when Mr Thomson showed the white, feather; and they acted very nearly as school

boys do, who have gathered together to witness a mill that does not come off—they determined to have a little sparring on their own account. It was evident that the motion was not that of a party prepared to carry out a policy adverse to that of the Government; for no heavy charges were brought against any member but the Treasurer, whose chief offence was that he was not well up in explaining the estimates. This is not a very uncommon failing with Treasurers. Nothing is more trying to the brain than to master the details of that interminable array of figures that issues from each department, and which involves, not only a history of general expenditure, but of the necessity for the outlay of each specific item. The Treasurer has to defend every salary proposed, from that of the Superintendent to the office sweeper. He is expected to be up in the requirements of each separate division of Governmental labor—to know how many surveyors, how many wardens, how many policemen, how many messengers are needed : he has to attend to correspondence, to the Treasury accounts, to Executive meetings, to answering questions, and to selfdefence in the House. We do not know that Mr Duncan is a genius as to figures. Very competent arithmeticians have been wofully puzzled with the complications of tjie Provincial Balance Sheet, and if its arrangements be a specimen of the ins and outs of Provincial book-keeping, we are not surprised at his being rather foggy in his explanations. This, however, can scarcely be urged as a reason for ousting a Ministry; for a man may be able to supervise what he cannot explain satisfactorily to another. The fault may be in himself, or it may be in his auditor : but five months is only a short time to master the intricacies of Government accounts, and Mr Duncan has only been in office five months. Looking at all the circumstances of the case then, we can hardly imagine that when Mr Millar singled out Mr Duncan as the pigeon to be plucked, he was serious in what he said, and another explanation of his conduct must be sought* The odd part of the business is that the motion suited both sides of the House, and therefore, regarding it as a ruse, one cannot determine whether he was put up to it by Mr Reid or Mr Thomson. He gave Mr Thomson an opportunity of telling the House that he had given notice of a motion which very few coincided with. It is something amusing that he thought it necessary to apologise to the House for nub pressing it. The wonder is that some one did not move a vote of thanks to him for not inflicting it. But the House differs in that resjxect from the country. The country calculates the cost of each idle motion. They ask how many yards of metalled road could be formed were the money wasted in useless party fights expended in its formation. They ask what better they would be—or rather, whether they would not be infinitely worse off by a system of backwards and forwards legislation, than by a consistent following out of a course of policy deliberately adopted. Plainly the members of the House see with different eyes. They were in for a field day. Numbers of them had prepared speeches which would not do for any other than a no-confidence motion, True, there was no recording angel to note the words of peace and charity they were prepared to utter. What they did say would have to be repeated at the hustings if their constituents were to be made acquainted with it, and it would lose nothing by repetition. But speak they must. So we conclude in the true spirit of chivalry Mr Millar moved his no-confidence motion, to enable them to let oft’ the steam. It suited Mr Reid, too ; for it enabled him to say what he had to say in defence cf himself and his colleagues, and he said it with the more confidence for he felt that he was in no danger of an adverse vote. Wc have no doubt that the country will quite coincide with Mr Tuenrull’s amendment, that a change for the better might have been made by the withdrawal of certain members of the Executive ; but as it is Avi.se of two evils to choose the least, as those gentlemen who accepted the challenge will not retire, it is better for the present that things should remain as they are.