Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2,1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 968, 2 September 1871, Page 2

Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1871.

The recent offer of the Fox-Vo<*el Government to Mr StafFord to join the Ministry must be a matter of Colonial interest, as upon it depended, in a great measure, the tenure of the present Ministry. It was in accordance with the principles of his party that Mr Stafford should refuse to become the leader of the House of Representatives under a Provincialist Ministry; but whether Mr Stafford's refusal has been dictated by a consciousness of his own strength and Ministerial weakness, or by his unwillingness to accept the responsibility of his would-be colleagues' actions, or by the determination to construct a party in opposition with sufficient cohesion and discipline to attempt the rescue of the country when it awakes to a seuae of its position, we have no means of knowing. But it is apparent from recently-received telegrams that parties in the House are nearly equally divided, , and there is no doubt that the present Government would be defeated on the first serious question regarding the government of the Colony which arose, were it not for this fact, that many members who would gladly see" the Fox-Vogel Government out of office, shrink from the possible consequences of stopping all the public works under " The Pnblis Works aud Immigration Acts" which have been initiated since last session, and of which there is a probability that they will be carried out. Existing contracts would not be effected, but, as in the case of Westland, there are many public works of great utility to the several districts concerned which have not yet reached the stage of contracting, and which, under a new Administration, might be so re-constructed, or, as some people call it, "twisted," that the tenders for them would never be called. Whatever the result of Mr Stafford's refusal to join the Ministry may be, backed as it is by the refusal of a similar offer to the Hon. John Hall, we^ are glad that these gentlemen had the firmness to refuse, auch a tempting bait as was held out to them by Mr, Fox. No doubt, within the Cabinet Mr Stafford's presence would bo salutarily felt as a check upon that reckless speculation, and reckles3 expenditure, which, however, though he might check it, he fcould uot arrest. But when lenders begin to be chary of fresh loans and clamorous for interest, when the day of reckoning has arrived, if Mr Stafford were identified with a spendthrift, and, so far, reckless administration, no politician could be found in the present House of sufficient eminence and experience to rally round him a party to enforce the rigid economy and stern retrenchment which, necessary as they are now, will be trebly necessary if the existing .administration lasts . over the present session. It is very doubtful, indeed, that it will last over a few days longer, as we. are informed by tele.gr.iph th.it everything depends on thfj nmnnur in which the Colonial Treasurer's financial statement is received, and that, of course, is contingent upon the propositions it contains. A defeat may. take place, bnt the probabilities are in favor of i a re-construction, as' there are many i

■easons why even : tho bitterest enemies. )f the p.-esent Ministry should wish them &6 remain in office for another session. Phey have inaugurated a scheme of immigration and public have <• obtained the money to caiiy%| to completion, and after the scheme was assented to by the Assembly, in all fairness the?r policy, thus virtually approved of, ought to have a ■ fair chance, so that it may be placed before the Colony in the full elaboration of its results, and not criticised, while the simple dry details are under discussion. Although we have been consistent opponents of the present Ministry from the first day they took office, believing, as we do, that in themselves they, have not the elements of adhesion and consistency, but are made up of elements which, sooner or later, must produce an explosion ; still j looking at the result of such an 'event, we are inclined'to believe it would bo nothing less than a serious catastrophe. What the Colony now wantsis communication— roads and railways— and that the -Government offer as the price of retaining their seats. Roads and railways' we must have, if the resources of the country are ever to he developed, and however much we< may desire the retirement, of the , Fox Government, still the desire is stronger that the scheme of public works prpponnxVecl by them, and just about to be initiated, ought to have a fair chance. Should it prove successful in accomplishing the objects for which it was intended, the more honor to its promoters, whoever they may be, but we are afraid that the fight which will take place over the financial statement will capsize all that has been done during the last year, and leave us as far from the realisation of' bur roads' and railways as •ever we were.