The Premier

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 69, 20 November 1884, Page 3

The Premier

. • .— ""•"" The Melbourne Age says .— " As a leader, Mr Stout plays the role neither with tact nor dignity. With all his cleverness, natural and acquired, he lacks many of the qualities,, that should shine conspicuously in a Premier. Wer=' he robed in a wig and gown, the impression would be perfect that he was talking to a jury,and riot to the representatives of the people in Parliament assemble ! Head-strong and crotchety, and with no consideration for those whose intelligence is smaller than his own, he offends right and left, and fails to be conciliatory when he could be s-» to the advantage of the Government. Lawyerlike, fche is altogether too contentious,, and darts arrows at his enemies that it would be wi^er to witn-hold. He speaks too much and too often, and brings down up his head Retaliatory , utterances that are damaging, iot only to hmseH personally, but to his administration. It is Mr Stout's misfortune that in parliamentary matters discretion is not one ot his characteristics, and so .iris that jn occasions when it would be discreet to remain silent he says something or other that isunnecesari y offensive, and .helps to bring himself and his Government into disfavor."