The Evening Star TUESDAY, JUDY 8, 1873.

Evening Star, Issue 3239, 8 July 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, JUDY 8, 1873.

The “ no-confidencft ” motion of Mr Stout engaged the attention of the Provincial Council from seven o’clock last evening till three o’clock this morning, and the debate will be resumed this evening. As far as it has gone, the facts and arguments have been altogether against the Opposition. In point of fact, Mr Stout has discovered a mave’s nest. Instead of damaging the Executive, he has damaged the |>olitical reputation of his own leader; but Mr Stout may be personally indifferent to this, as it is shrewdly suspected that he aspires to lead, and chafes under the ‘‘management” of Mr Donald Reid. However that may be, one thing is certain, that, despite the dry-nursing of the Hon. Major Richardson, the motion presently under consideration in the Council must break up the party with which Mr Stout has allied himself. He may not have sufficient political experience to perceive this ; but we can assure him that when he has succeeded in degrading Mr Reid from his position of leader, he will awake to the fact that the solid party which the member for Taieri so often led to victory does not exist. Mr Reid is not a man to play second fiddle in the Otago Provincial orchestra, and he will undoubtedly avenge himself on his aspiring lieutenant, by disbanding his party. Last night’s debate disclosed several important facts, not shown in the printed papers. It was asserted by Mr Tolmie and Mr Haggitt, and admitted by Mr Donald Reid, that Mr Reid, as head of the Otago Provincial Government, agreed to sell to the Hon. Robert Campbell, and to him alone, ten thousand acres on his Maerewhenua i’un for .£IO,OOO. That is the material fact. Evexy other step in the transaction was a consequence—a necessary consequence —of that contract. Was Mr Stout aware of this wlien lie brought forward his motion 1 ? Did he in truth and fact know that Mi' Donald Reid had made this contract with the Hon. Mr Campbell -. that he farther promised to cancel the entire transaction, and restoi’o Mr Campbell to his original position as a pastoral lessee, in the event of a third party making application for the land ? If he was aware of these admitted facts, then we say that his motion is disingenuous. It is not really aimed at the Government, but is levelled at Mr Reid, knowing that in self-defence the Executive must state all the facts, and that, by doing so, they would ruin Mr Donald Reid’s reputation as champion of the agricultural settlers. If he was ignorant of the fact, then all we have to say is that he was singularly inattentive to the interests of his clients—the miners. Mr Stout, however, has played a double game. He hoped to supersede Mr Reid as leader of the Opposition, and on a false issue to defeat the Government and I’aise himself to power. He has doubtless succeeded in the first design : he will be entirely disappointed in the second. With regard to the motion, so far as it censures the Executive for not doing something which the law does not enable it to do, we have little to say. Mr Haggitt disposed of the plausible arguments of Mr Stout in a speech remarkable for its moderation of tone and logical sequence. The fact is, that Mr Stout misled the Council altogether as to its powers and functions. These are not matters of opinion or questions of policy ; they are defined by statute, and may not be varied in any way by a resolution of the Council. But to listen to many hon. members, one would think that the Otago Provincial Council was supreme, and the Imperial Parliament and General Assembly mere vestries. The sooner this delusion is dispelled the better. We say it without hesitation, that it was incumbent on the Waste Land Board to complete the transaction initiated by Mr Donald Reid for the purpose of replenishing the Provincial Treasury. So far from censure, Mr Tolmie deserves praise for his share in the business. In law and in equity Mi Campbell was entitled to the land ; and whatever may be said of the policy of the sale, Mr Donald Reid is solely amenable for it to public opinion. In conclusion, we have to express our regret that Mr Reid should have trimmed and prevaricated as he did last night. With all liis faults, he deserves well of Otago; and while we cannot but rejoice that his narrow-minded despotism is at an end, we should prefer it a thousand-fold to the unscrupulous rule of tho gentleman who is now delaying the public business, and stopping all improvement in tho Province, for his own personal ends.