The Evening Star THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 3003, 3 October 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1872.

Thk new Ministry seem likely to have a hard time of it, if they are to keep their seats, and evidently they are perplexed how to act, so as to justify the course they took while in opposition. Contrary to expectation, thus far no toadies have trausferi'ed their support to them from the Opposition ranks. It still remains a most formidable host, while there is evidence of shaking on the part of some of Mr Stafford’s supporters. Most probably some very well-meaning men believed all the assertions so recklessly made respecting the almost bankrupt state of the Colony; and now that they find the present Ministry, before attaining office, deceived them, they are inclined to resent the trickery that has been practised upon them. In order to keep some sort of faith with these men, a system of trimming has been resorted to, not very creditable to the Ministry, nor very likely to gain favor with the constituencies. The fact seems to be, that finding matters pretty much as represented by the retiring Ministry, Mr Stafford’s Executive are at a Joss how to proceed, so as to lead men to believe they are the abler administrators. It is not at ail improbable too that they arc not agreed among themselves, for whenever vacillation appears it is a sign of weakness. Betore taking office, Mr Stafford’s remedy for all the evils of Maoridom was to have two Native chiefs to help him. We have no objection to Mr Stafford, or any other man, seeking the best information he can obtain; but it seems to us that there is an insuperable objection to such an arrangement as giving Natives Executive power; instead of tending to unity and peace, the bias would be towards" disunion, and perhaps war. There is a wide difference between the position of the Colonists and the Maoris. A Colonist can be taken into the Ministry from any part of New Zealand, with full confidence that his talents will in the main be directed towards what, in his belief, will benefit the whole. Local influences have not much weight with him, He lias no tribal jealousies to contend with, no tribal ambitions to serve. Not so with the Maoris. Take the most able chief into the National Councils, and his elevation is a slight cast upon the rest. It is not the Colony but the tribe that he seeks first to advance. The Kingites must look upon such an act as a slight upon their Monarch, and a defiance of his claims. Wo will not for a moment imagine that Mr Stafford’s colleagues may disapprove of this whimsical mode of atoning for past enmities. Men high in place, they are too philanthropic to allow such motives to influence them. It seems, however, that this attempt at trimming is to bo recast. Next we have the Treasurer’s financial trimming, with his amusing plea, “ Pass our Estimates: they arc too high: we know that L50,00u or LIOO,OOO can lie knocked off them : we told you so before wo went into office ; hut please pass them ; we don’t intend to spend the money,” This was rather too much to ask. The least that could be looked for in persons sliding into office on such a plea as retrenchment was, that it should be shown that they had not misstated their case. But this was the difficulty,

and the Treasurer drew largely upon the common sense of the members of the House when he asked them first to place him in ollice, because he had found out the waste and corruption that had been going on, and being there, requested he might lie entrusted with the same amount of money on condition that if he did not prove his case during the recess, the country might not suffer through his blunder - we do not like to say deceit. Mr Stafford and Mr Gillies having had a turn or two at trimming, Mr Reid’s effort is come next. Not one jot less bitter has Mr Reid been than Messrs Stafford and Gillies. He was not sparing of his words in condemnation of the Public Works administration. Very likely he believed all he said. 1 His very bitterness seems to spring from conviction. Pie never appears to have any misgivings that it is just possible he may be going too far. We in Otaao have, however, had some little experience to guide us of the effect of his trimming. He trimmed away the chance of making the Clutha Railway by the Province. He trimmed until he had to accept a blind bargain for a railway to be constructed without specification between Port Chalmers and Dunedin. He trimmed on the land question until he was forced to sanction sales of land in large blocks to relieve the Province from the difficulties his trimming had involved it in. He trimmed with the Stuart and Traquair Hundreds until he has managed to involve the Province in law suits that have gone against it in every instance. Perhaps these instances of failure may be beacons warning him to avoid similar errors in his new capacity ; for wise men learn more from their errors than their successes: but on the principle that “by their works men are known,” his failures do not augur well for the part that he has to to °perform in the art of trimming. We fancy Messrs Stafford, _ Gillies, and Reid will not prove a triumphant trio of trimmers.