The Evening Star. SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 2963, 17 August 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star. SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 1872.

Judged by the results of the attacks made upon the Government there is no organised opposition ; from which it is to be inferred there is really no grievance to be redressed that is sufficiently gross to enlist the co-operation of a majority for that purpose. Thus far the warfare has been of the guerilla order. Men, aspiring to be leaders have led the way, backed up by small forces. Their object seems to have been to foster discontent, to find the vulnerable side of the Ministry, and to prepare for a more resolute and decisive battle. But the note for a general onslaught has been sounded, and the casus belli is set forth. Mr Stafford has taken the position of leader, and puts forward three grounds of complaint : the House is to express its dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Government has carried out or is carrying out the Immigration and Public Works Act; the absence of Ministers from the seat of Government: and the motion just disposed of, affirming that Provincial machinery should be made use of. It will be observed that these three grievances are very skilfully drawn. Perhaps there is not one member in the House who is perfectly satisfied with the manner in which the Acts are administered. We do not suppose that one member of the Ministry could conscientiously say things could not have been done better. With every department connected with those Acts to organise, with fitting agents to ap-

point, with difficulties thrown in the wav by political opponents to overcome, Ministers must have been more than human could they have devised a system that would work without a hitch, and which therefore could be defended as being perfectly satisfactory. With all these matters to perplex and harrass them, Mr STAFFORD will contend that the necessity for constantly being in personal communication with each"other was the greater: and the argument is specious enough if it were applicable to the effectual carrying out of vesnonsible Government. But it is very difficult to reconcile it with the complaint made during the recess in various parts of the Colony, and, if we mistake not, with the practice of Hr Stafford’s Government when he was in office. If our memory serves us rightly, Mr Fitzherbert went home to negotiate a, loan personally. Mr IIiCHMOND, when at the head of the war department, found it needful to be frequently in the North away from Welington at a time when there was no easy moans of communication by telegraph,

an'l, very possibly, had Mr Stafford personally acquainted himself with the requirements of the southern parts of the Middle Island, he would not have had to confess, as he did, he was learning his political lesson at Timaru. In Otago, the complaint made by several of our members, and iterated and reiterated during the recess, was that injustice was done because we had no resident Minister. It was pointed out that Wellington, Auckland, Hawkes Bay, and Canterbury were honored with the presence and immediate inspection and personal interests of those august personages ; while Otago was neglected and, consequently—insulted. We do not pretend to oiler an opinion | as to whether the system is the best that could be devised. No doubt the Ministry will be able to give such explanations of their doings as will at any

rate afford presumption that good reasons can be given for their trotting about. Mr Yogel, for instance, was absent on important business connected with the postal department: Mr Reeves found it necessary to make himself thoroughly acquainted with the necessities of the Middle Island and with the state of public works in it, and the success of Mr M ‘Lean’s department justifies his doings. As for the third ground put forth for loss of confidence in the Ministry, the House has already disposed of it. It is singularly opposed to Mr Stafford’s previous opinions concerning Provincialism. In fact the changes that go on in men’s minds in view of certain contingencies, are marvellous. Mr Staffokd is not the only man who has changed his tone with regard to the Provinces. Mr Bathgate used to laugh at the idea of Provincial Councils. We remember to haye heard him publicly express opinions in favor of centralism, and speak in contempt of the petty Parliaments by which our Provinces are governed. Yet we find him advocating the employment of Provincial machinery for carrying out General Government works. But

when he held to his former opinions ho was not Provincial-Solicitor, nor Minister of the General Government expectant. Mr Stafford perhaps may make out a good case ; but suppose he does, one very important consideration must press upon the mind of the House—Who are to take the places of the retiring Ministry 1 Mr Stafford himself of course would be at the head. It is now some years since he had a turn at administration, and the schooling at Timaru may have changed the current of his thoughts, and made him a wiser and abler man. He would also enter upon office with a smoother course marked out for him. We remember an American citizen boasting of the tactics of his countrymen, and saying they were no great inventors, but they stood by, looked at other people’s inventions, and made them their own with improvements. This is just what a new Administration may do. If the present Ministry are ejected from office, they have earned the gratitude of the country and of all future Ministers. They entered upon office amid the alarms of war—they will leave with the country in perfect

peace: they entered upon office when money was being wasted in war—they will leave it while large amounts are being invested in undertakings that must prove profitable : they entered upon office when industry was paralysed, and the poor wanted bread—tliev will leave it with every form of industrial occupation largely developed, while no man who will work need he idle : they entered upon office at a time when the Government had done nothing towards social amelioration—they will leave it after having established a variety of useful social institutions. It may be—nay, it must he—that much might have been done better ; but on their retiring Ministers will at least have this consolation with them, that before their time none had done so much good so well. Men may not see nor acknowledge this now ; but when the history of New Zealand

is written, there will be this record of the Ministry whose fate hangs upon the vote on Mr Stafford’s motion : They entered upon office while Kew Zealand was fast retrograding in morals and prosperity : they checked the backward movement, and changed it to one of moral, social, and material progress.