The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1894. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PARTY.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 30, 4 August 1894, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1894. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PARTY.

«. Notwithstanding the nominally overwhelming strength of the Liberal party, there are not wanting signs, j judgingfroui recent discussions of their chief policy measures in the House, that insufficient cohesiveness exists among its members to render an early disruption among the possibilities. The Parliament of lb ( JO, or rather the Ministerial section of it, unwaveringly upheld the Ballance policy from Alpha to Omega of its proposals. The Parliament of 1894 hardly appears disposed to follow the JSeddon Government with the same docility and faithfulness. It cannot be difference of policy that has caused the change, for there is really no new dopaiture. We believe the difficulty is personal rather than politic The preseut Premier is not iacking in ability to lead his party, but he does nut possess th« same conciliatory and tactical qualities as his predecessor, and unfortunately for him, his supremucy is assailed by an able and accomplished rival on the same side of the House. It would almost appear as though naaoy of the young members are not so firmly bound by party ties that they may not at any moment break away, and form a new alliance ; not with the opposition, and perhaps not even under the leadership of the senior member for Wellington ; but the Liberal party being so strong, it may in the enthusiasm of ltd renewed youth feel that re-organisation among itleaders is not only practicable, bu desirable. If the debate on the Land for Settlement Bill did not show that such was likely, it clearly demons rat-d (aud Ministers readily admitted it) that a large number of the party wore prepared to vote independently, regardless of the consequences. Were it not that a number of the Opposi tion support the Bill a crisis would certainly take place when it reached committee. The difficulty serves to illustrate the chief evil of party Gov orument : members .have either to submit to being mere automatons, or by voting as their intelligence dictates too frequently play into the hands of ihf-ir opponents In the Financial iterate wuich opened yesterday, Sir R. St.iut twitted the Government with b ing uuabie to put up a Minister to r"[.ly to the leader of the Opposition, Mi Mitchelson, but it is too early in the day to predict how the Government will emerge from the ordeal Probably there is more braggadocio than backbone about several of the Liberal members who are making a show of independence and if there are any more of Mr Graham's stamp, it is more than probable. That gentle man, in the first hour of the session sho.ved himself to be a blind follower of the Ministry. When the Sorgeant-at-Arms incident was on the board Mr Graham, speaking on the action of Ministers admitted that they " had blundered" but he did not feel justi fied in voting agaiust them. Now, he> wishes it to he underwood that he is no longer an automaton Doubtless he has felt the recoil of his former automatic votb and makes a pretence now of his independence, but wht-n put to the test he, and others of bin ilk, will respond to the crack of the Ministerial whip. The Government may manace to hold the party to getber for 'lie t-ession, and after all, if their ch^ap financial proposals come out amen'l^d and perfected, the carry ing into efiVt of these, it is to be hoped, will be of nuie benefit to the country than a dissolution. At the present juncture there is nothing to be gained, »>ut much to be lost by the latter.