THE SITUATION.

Evening Star, Issue 3196, 19 May 1873, Page 3

THE SITUATION.

OPINIONS OP THE PROVINCIAL PRESS. Perhaps it is well that thepoint in dispute between the Council and his Honor should have at once come to a definite issue. We never were very sanguine that the Council would evince the tact and good sense to enter upon the business of the Province, and tho ability of the Executive to carry it out, without entering into personal discussions. Mr Reid, the spoiled pet of the present Opposition, showed clearly enough at the election meeting for the Snpcrintcndcncy at Naseby, where both candidates accidentally met the same night, in the same building, how little might be expected from him in the way of good taste and gentlemanly delicacy—when he attended Mr Macandrew’s meeting, took notes of what was said, and at once, when his owp meeting was opened (to the same audience), teplied verbatim in his uapal splenetic, qne-sidgd tone, when’ Mr Maeandrew had no oportunity for rebutting the statements made. This was tho more glaring, as Mr Maeandrew had carefully abstained from any offensive personal allusions whatever—indeed, spoke very little at all, being jaded by a journey through the wet, and by speaking at three meetings held the same day at Blacks. St. Bathans, and Blackstone Hill. As Mr Reid was then, such he has continued to be, and it was morally impossible for him to abstain from —notwithstanding the violation of all good taste and feeling—moving the amendment censuring the Superintendent for what? —removing himself from an office be bad disgracefully retained. The frank and manly message of his Honor, read in the Council on Monday last, is deserving of consideration. He points out how utterly the Council have refused to entertain in any way tho important matters laid before them in the Opening Address. . . . We do not consider that it was a matter of very great importance whether the late Executive had retained their seats or not. But it certainly is a primal necessity that the Superintendent shall not be thwarted by a vindictive majority in tho Council; that is, so long as ho has the confidence of the real government—the people. If Mr Reid will persist in raising himself into direct antagonism with Mr Macau - drew, he must be plainly taijgby that, fipWeVer Seat his ability, country o iAi.‘ do without m 'j although that ‘ his own hardhehiled fblly deprives it of the administrative abilities he docs undoubtedly possess; Mr Macahdrew, in' a’ position ‘where »a\>Ws’ is ipfioh mere freely bestowed thftn emolument, has for U|£pjy years }ed the hithertp forlorn hope of progress, and it is not to be tolerated that his efforts, now at last about to be crowned with success, are to be frustrated by a personal opposition, Mount Ida has the misfortune to return two members to the Provincial Council we say misfortune, because, singularly enough, the electorate have always chosen to return members who have done their best to injure and humiliate the district. We do not undervalue the use of Mr Armstrong as a member whose projects may possibly, if understood, be accelerated in tho Council by his off-hand, good-natured Philistinism, Yet we venture to say that the district has, for the last two years, been virtually unrepresented, both in the Council and the Assembly. Mr Mervyn has been so entirely confident in his power to talk round the electors at any time, that he has not condescended to come near his constituents, nor even, to make any apology for not doing so, nor any inquiry as to the requirements of the district he pledged himself to represent. Of course, both Messrs Armstrong and Mervyn voted for the Opposition, and Mr Armstrong, contrary to his usu dly wise practice, not only voted, but broke out into a speech, and talked a lot of nonsense about constitutionalism. The good-natured laugh which such utterance produced at the direct expense of our meml)er, would naturally bo passed on in a sneer at the constituency he represents. Both members are directly pledged to support measures and men who are favorable to the advancement of the district, and yet we find them both, on every occasion, voting in support of an Opposition whose leader is, in his own sympathies, as well as in the supposed interests of his Taicri constituents, pledged to jnipeds. the Manuherikia water supply, and, on principle, the Kakanui diversion. If a dissolution takes place, which is devoutly to be hoped, it will remain with the people to decide between Mr Reid and his Honor. l?or our part, wo wash our bands of any action the elector ate of Mount Ida may take in reluming onqe more Messrs Armstrong and Mervyn, or members holding similar views, entirely adverse not only to the district t boy represent, but to alt na%tori«l ad*

vancement throughout the Province. . . . Our telegrams show that Mr Reid has formed a Ministry. The Superintendent has very properly, and with considerable spirit, refused to accept this Ministry, consisting virtually of Reid and Stout, his hitter enemies. Probably a dissolution must shortly take place—the sooner the better. —Mount Ida Chronicle. It is the curse of Provincialism that it will reduce its system of governing the people living within its circle to a level equalled only by parish vestries in the old country. The good of the Province seems to bo of secondary consideration. First, foremost, and most important of all, is the redress of personal grievances, fancied or real; secondly, the adjustment of party disputes or ambitions; thirdly, a rush upon the Treasury, in which the log-rolling element often plays the boldest and most conspicuous part; and finally, at the close of the session, if the vote of want of confidence is not again brought on, some attempt to pass one or two urgent measures absolutely demanded by public requirements. . . , Now matter how able may have been the administration of the Tolmie-Bastings Ministry generally—no matter how it may have repaired the deplorable state of the finances of the Provincc—no matter that it found money to expend, to the large extent of L 83,000, upon public works —no matter that, for the first time, it paid attention to the wants of the goldfields ; all these must sink beneath a question of constitutionalism. Had it been a question of constitutionalism of value to the interests of the country at large, we should rot have been found protesting against the action displayed by the majority. But it did not affect’the interests of the country, except in so far as leading to an untoward crisis, to loss of time, the prolongation of the session, and therefore increased expenditure, or waste of revenue, for non-productive purposes. Of course, all this faded out _of sight when personal motives, and a desire for place and emolument had to be gratified. It was necessary to salve the wounded feelings—we shall not say of honor—that the Superintendent should’ be reminded of his folly in getting elected to that important office, and of his temerity at the last session of the Council in communicating direct with it, instead of through the Executive. Mr Tolmie said that Mr Reid’s amendment was the result of “a personal squabble, and that it arose out of the Superintendcutal election, and had continued down to the present time.” Mr Tolmie also added that “it must be patent to everyone who gave the matter the slightest consideration, that it was impossible for the affairs of the country to be propei ly conducted if the Superintendent and Mr Reid attempted to do it conjointly ; consequently, tho affairs of the country would suffer,” How true is all this. It echoes the' opinion of the country; and wo have chosen these words to express that general sentiment. What is gained by this vote of constitutionalism ? Personal spite satisfied—imagined or real slights revenged—or what ? A barren hollow ecno reverberates nothing further but changes of places and aggrandisement, with insult added. Had the Tolmie Ministry been ejected upon their land policy, upon their appointment of a Waste Land Board, upon any of tho subjects treated of in his Honor’s Address, or for the mismanagement of affairs, there would have been some reason in it, and though we might not have agreed to it, we should have bowed to it. But here constitutionalism is dragged in, not only to redress the matters wo have indicated, but to keep uuder cover the real motives, the actual influences at work. Such victories are ignoble. What, we repeat again, does thjs one represent more than what we have shown? The Council stands too much upon its dignity—upon its playing at Parliament. It is fast breeding contempt. The amendment of Mr Reid asserts that the Ministry’s “retention of office is in direct opposition to the system of responsible government sanctioned by the Council ”; and to rc-assert this worthless opinion, the country is thrown into confusion, and bitterness of feeling engendered —a fire lit that will not he readily quenched. We think the country must act the part of a Cromwell, and clear out our petty Parliament, uttering his well-known words, “ Begone; give place to honest men.”— Wakatipu Mail.