THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1882. MR. SAUNDERS AT ASHBURTON.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2478, 16 March 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1882. MR. SAUNDERS AT ASHBURTON.

I Me. Saunders is no doubt & useful member in the House. He is as outspoken and bluff as the skipper of a merchantman, and he is shrewd and clever into the bargain. Bat we doubt whether the New Zealand world will quite endorse Mr. Saunders’ ©pinion of his own merits, simply because the political world does not revolve round him as a pivot. Mr. Saunders, in trying to prove too much with regard to hia own claims, has somewhat overshot the mark, and has left an impression that after all, if he is the most successful specimen of an Adullamite, they are not the most useful body of individuals in the House. Mr. Saunders, in working out his theory that he is a man struggling against great odds in the cause of truth, is driven to many curious manoeuvres. He seems to think that both the Government and the Opposition aro dead against the election of such men as he, and that both these parties bring great influence to bear at the election time to oust them if possible. That any such idea is absurd is palpable enough. In these latter days the Government or the Opposition have but little say in the matter. They never had very much, but at present they have less than ever. It is natural to suppose that they would wish for the return of men whose vote could be replied upon, but the purity of elections is now hedged in with laws of such a stringent nature, that no political party would be foolish enough to tamper with the perfect freedom of constituencies to elect the men of their choice. Equally unsound is Mr. Saunders’ theory respecting the existence of the present Government. “ The existence of the Hall Government hinged on the return of Sir George Grey, Mr. Macandrow, and Mr. Sheehan. Were these three turned out one day the Government would probably he turned out next day.” We certainly cannot follow out this lino of reasoning. Sir George Grey may possibly be a thorn in tho side of the Liberal party in the House, but surely great things are expected of Mr. Macandrew. It would never do to exclude this shining light from a reconstruction of tho Liberal party. He has sinned much against the colony at large, hut the motto of his party with regard to him is “ forget and forgive.” The secluded life that Mr. Saunders apparently loads along with “ Billy Swanson ” has possibly prevented him from gathering correct information as to the views of tho Liberal party. Then, again, with regard to tho feelings of the Hall Government towards their liberal supporters. A theory is evolved which is put forward as follows : —“ The Hall Government had now held office over two years, and had conceived the thought that a more comfortable

arrangement might result could they got rid of thair Liberal supporters, and carry on the Government through Conservatives only.” Seeing that Mr. Saunders started with the assumption that the •Government was a coalition one, seeking to make the best of circumstances, it is somewhat curious that they should have suddenly determined to draw taut the 'lines of party. And still more singular is Mr. Saunders’ ideas of the moral •obligations of a Government. “ Had the Government been wise they would have accepted a position in which they had “Government emoluments and patronage in their hands, but in which they could carry no measures except those approved ■by their Liberal friends.” That is to •say, that the Government were to cling to tho emoluments of office when really the power had gone out of their hands. This may be the morality of “ old Swanson,” and his political brother, Alfred Saunders, but wo fancy the Hall Government would bo very little likely to accept such .a solution to the present situation. Mr. Saunders is certainly not a modest •man, and his description of the manner in which the fate of the Ministry has often been decided by himself and Mr. Swanson while sitting over the library fire at the House is extremely rich. Little did the gentlemen who were disporting themselves in swallow-tails at 'the Speaker’s dinners; or, worse still, gyrating at Government balls, know what was going on in that library. These two ■ sturdy old mechanics of “ the same age, the same height, the same build, the same weight,” were settling the affairs of the country mnch to their own satisfaction ; they were the power behind the throne that was, nnseen by the vulgar, pulling ■the strings by tho pnre force of their own rugged determination not to bo lured into the festivities which a gay and wickedly seductive capital offers at certain times.

Now, as we suggested at the commencement, we are quite willing to acknowledge that Mr. Saunders’ services in the House Lave been of considerable value, but what we object to in his speech at Ashburton is a certain straining after effect which induces him to suggest situations that exist only in his heated imagination. His list of eighteen liberal Government supporters is a purely imaginary one—as imaginary a one as is the list of the twenty-one out and out Conservatives. "The Hall Government have not been forced into passing the liberal measures they have placed on the Statute Book by any combination. So called Conservatives were the first to set the liberal ball rolling, and all sensible men in the House who were not led away by party animosities, assisted them. That is a much ■simpler solution of the question than Mr. Saunders’ elaborate theory.