The New Government

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 28, 19 August 1884, Page 3

The New Government

Writing on the constitution of the new Ministry, the Dunedin Star says : The' great difficulty has been, and at the time of writing remains, in regard to the selection of an Auckland representative ; and whoever may be chosen it can hardly be expected that the Auckland members, or any considerable section of them, will be at all satisfied. One of the unfortunate heritages from the Provincial system is the narrow provincial feeling, which, fostered and maintained for party purposes, stands ever in the way of what is best for the State. In the formation of a Government the hon. gentleman on whom the duty falls is liot able, as he would be in other colonies, to place himself in communication with the most able men in the Legislature whose general principles coincide with his own ; but he has primarily to consider how he may reconcile the contending claims of provincial districts, so as not to imperil the working majority on which he relies The necessity for this has been a factor in all New Zealand Ministries, and will be so until the time arrives, which we hope will be before long, when two distinct parties develop themselves from the present political chaos. The present, we might almost .say compulsory, system on which Cabinets are formed is manifestly absurd, since the preponderance of votes may very possibly be with a provincial district which does not happen at the time to number amongst its representatives any man of eminence, or qualified otherwise for office, whilst the leading minds of the Colony may hail from districts numerically weak in representation.