The Evening Star SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2732, 18 November 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1871.

The session is over, and, contrary to the expectation of many on its opening, the Ministry still retain office. During the first week or two it seemed doubtful whether or not the Government had the confidence of the House. There were many new members, and they had been elected during a time of great excitement. The country was scarcely aroused to the necessity for those great public works, the construction of which will mark the beginning of a new era in New Zealand’s history. Even yet there is but a dull perception of the good to be realised from them. Men voted for their representatives from very different motives, M any of the working classes saw in the construction of railways years of work and wages. Capitalists saw openings for investment of money. Merchants and tradesmen saw increase of trade. But no matter from what motives they were elected, it soon became plain that a majority were in favor of railway and public works construction. This gave weight to the plans of the Ministry, and took the ground away from the Opposition, because the leading members of it had previously declared themselves favorable to the same course of action. Mu. Stafford himself seemed undecided what course to take. He is understood to have had a pet scheme of his own, which very nearly resembled that carried by the Government. So thoroughly was this believed, that it was considered a true joke that “ Vogel had jumped Stafford’s “ claim.” This was rather a perplexing position for a man who had hoped to have tripped up the Ministry by proposing superior plans. He could not oppose the principles ; for if he had done so, he would have rendered it impossible to carry them out himself should he succeed in ousting the Government. He might have shared the credit of carrying them through, for the Ministry were not sufficiently assured of their own position to have declined his aid if he would have accepted office with them. There can be no doubt opportunity was given him to join them, and lie could have done so without compromising his own political reputation. To our thinking he made a gross mistake in not doing so. He placed himself at the head of a minority weak through having no common ground of action excepting personal hostility to one or other of the Ministry, and thus gave to his opposition the apearance rather of faction than sincere desire for the public weal. Mr Stafford must now feel his political reputation has suffered by this erratic course. It was evident he opposed for the sake of opposition. During the excitement of the elections a few awkward looking charges had been hatched against the Government, not the least grave of which was the telegram case. Could the allegations have been proved, we have no hesita-

tion in s-'mng that tlm Ministry would have been unworthy to hold their portfolios a clay. It was only right that the matter should he thoroughly investigated, and it was fortunate for the Government that it fell to the lot of the leader of the Opposition to move in it. Whether lie imagined a case could be got up against them or not, we are not prepared to say. At any rate the affair was sure to be sifted to the very utmost. We have reason to believe it was so ; although it is due to the Committee to say that the investigation was fairly and honorably conducted. But this forlorn hope failed, and Mr Gillies and he must have felt mortified to find that each successive attack upon the Ministry, instead of shaking them in their seats, only appeared to give them firmer hold. The only result of the opposition has been to cause the withdrawal of some necessary measures on which the Colony will have to educate itself during the recess. The most important of these is the Education Bill, which has been in a manner remitted to the constituencies for consideration. The character of the education of the future will depend much upon the spirit in which the principles are discussed before Parliament again meets. If superstition and prejudice are allowed to gain the mastery, we shall have no better Bill than the last, no matter who is Premier. There are some other measures—such as the Bankruptcy Bill—that, from one cause or another, were not passed ; but we do not at present see any measure or course of action in which the Opposition would have the sympathy of the country, and without it their chance of gaining office is small.