The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1884. Politics

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 42, 10 April 1884, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1884. Politics

«. Severai. ofthe Ministerial papers have hinted at a dissolution, and the Lyttleton Times observes that if this is a revival of the old threat in order to frighten the Opposition into silence, " it ought to have precisely the opposite effect on all right-thinking members of the House, for all such are agreed that, as the present state of parties is unsatisfactory in the the extreme, the sooner the cards are shuffled again the better. Upon those members who are not right-thinking, the effect ought to be exactly similar. A dissolution early in the session means to them little more than the full honorarium of their last session for next to no work, and the chance of getting elected for another session with another honorarium in the same year. For this expectation the members who are not right-thinking have for their guidance the precedent of 1879, when the assembly was paid twice over for its services." The Auckland Star thinks there is a good deal of sound philosophy in this way of looking at the question, and has no doubt the Governor would, if asked by the Executive, send members to the country earlier than they would go to it in the ordinary course, by effluxion of time. If the Ministry comes down with any defined policy at all, they will have a good plea for an appeal to the constituences. It is doubtful whether the Government will be so hard ([pressed notwithstanding the almost general condemnation by the Press of its policy and administration of the business of the colony. Mr Macav_*i--«>v is of opinion that the Opposition will not try to oust the Government this session, but will prefer letting them go to the country with all their sins and imperfections on their heads. The Premier in his speech at Hawera made more of what may be called a financial statement, than a foreshadowing of any future policy proposed to be followed by the Government. With charming naivete, when quoting certain items of revenue where deficencies have occurred, he remarked " the falling off need not disturb the colonists, but if they are wise they would look the question of ways and means in the face." If such a speech had been made by a mere neophyte in politics, we would have felt no surprise, but when so old and experienced an office holder as the Major makes such a confession our astonishment is unbounded. By this speech he virtually admits he is incapable of so administering the revenue of the colony as to keep it within its own limits, and asks the colonists to take the matter in hand, and, by the extra consumption of dutiable goods, to bring up the revenue to the necessities of the case, as created by the Colonial Treasurer. On the other hand thp speech gives a clear enough statement of the actual condition of the financial condition of the colony, and the Opposition will no donbt turn many of the admissions I made against the Government, and I use them with most damaging effect. For ourselves we do not think Ministers will ask for a dissolution, j nor that the Opposition will be strong enough to force the Government to adopt any such violent measures.