The Globe. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1876.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 702, 19 September 1876, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1876.

The dreary debate on the Disqualification question has at last ended in the total defeat of the Opposition. Sir George Grey has informed us that he looked upon the discussion as one of vast importance, and involving a great constitutional question ; but he is not reported to have shown any good end to be served by talking against time, as has been done during the last few days. Nothing but a question of the greatest importance could justify him and his party in taking the extreme step which they did in wasting not only time, but a large sum of public money. They must have known from the first that they were in a hopeless minority, and that nothing but gross blundering on the part of the Ministerialists could give them even a temporary victory. It is difficult to believe that the Obstructionists really regard the action of Ministers as culpable —as anything more than an accidental oversight. But the opportunity was eagerly seized to waste time in the vain hope of making abolition impossible from the want of time to frame the necessary machinery to take its place. But a more mercenary motive even is suggested to our mind, to account for the conduct of some of the Opposition. It was stated in one of our morning contemporaries that in the course of the debate several efforts

were made to effect a compromise, but Ministers would concede nothing. One question, it is said, was the payment of Sir George’s Grey’s costs in connection with the writs. Those, Ministers did not object to pay out of their own pockets, but declined to put them in the Bill. Are we to believe then that a difficulty regarding the payment of Sir G. Grey’s coats was one reason why the debate was protracted ; that had Ministers conceded that point, the House would have been saved the infliction, and the country the expense, of Mr Eees’ fifteen-hour oration? Does all their high-flown patriotism resolve itself, after all, into the question of the payment of a few paltry pounds ; and does not this give some color to the imputation, more than once thrown out, that the struggle to retain Provincialism is a selfish one on the part of its most ardent defenders P A review of the proceedings of the last few months will enable our readers to draw their own conclusions.

The division list, which we publish elsewhere, is one of which Canterbury may be proud. All her members, with one exception, have recorded their disapproval of the tactics of Sir George Grey and his party, and have, as has always been the case, maintained the character which this province has gained for public spirit, and a regard for the welfare of the whole colony. The one exception, is Mr. Fisher, the member for Heatheote. What are that gentleman’s reasons for the position he has taken up we know not; perhaps he would have some difficulty in explaining them himself, if called upon to do. We hope, however, that the Heatheote electors, when the time comes that he should give an account of his stewardship, will seek an explicit statement of the reasons which induced Mr. Fisher to take up the extraordinary position he has done during the late debate.