THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1284, 10 September 1872, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1872.

It is a significant fact that throughout the debate which ended in the defeat of the Ministry, the principal speakers on the side of the Opposition, and the papers throughout the Colony which are their recognised partisans, were unanimous in suggesting the creation of a Coalition Cabinet. Especially were their arguments directed towards converting the Native Minister to coalition with Mr Stafford and his supporters, but Mr M'Lean emphatically declined to lay the flattering unction to his soul, or to desert the party in whom he found no wrong. By his countryman, Swanson, of Scandinavian kin, his Celtic pride and purity were appealed to, but all in vain. Said the Caithnessian Swanson — " Can anybody believe that a gentleman who has guided the Native affairs of the country through this crisis, and who holds so high a reputation for good conduct and ability, both in the country and this House, would refuse to continue to hold that position if the members unanimously offered it to him, and if he was also invited to take office by the unanimous voice of the people of both races, white and brown ? If he did refuse it, he would not be doing his duty to his country. It would be giving up to party what was meant for mankind, and I am perfectly satisfied the honorable member is not the man to do it. In fact, the offer would be the highest compliment that could be paid to any man. He is a Scotchman, and I know that the Highland blood that is in his veins will make him to stick to his party while ho can, but he will not sacrifice his country for his party." The Highlandman's reply was as firm and as dignified as if he had been a direct descendant of Roderick Dhu. Towards the peroration of his speech on the policy which he and his colleagues had carried out in ameliorating the condition of the Natives, and in establishing friendly relations between them and the settlers, Mr M'Lean said — "It has been suggested that in the event of a change of Ministry, it is possible I should act with the honorable member for Tiraaru, and continue to hold the position I now occupy. I must distinctly state that it is not my intention, Bhould the present Ministry be obliged to leave office, to join the honorable member for Timaru. I have fully made up my mind, and it is unnecessary to enter into any explanation in connection with the matter. I do not wish to go into the past, and I will only repeat that my mind is clearly made up. I was no aspirant to office. I had no wish or intention to come into office even at the time I moved a vote of want of confidence in the honorable member for Tiraaru, and it was only through the peculiar circumstances and difficulties in which the country was placed that, when asked by my honorable colleague the Premier, I agreed to join kirn, in order to assist in extricating the country from its difficulties. We have never had any difference of opinion upon any large question, and, whatever may be said outside, I assert that we have always been united on all matters of importance. Without referring more particularly to the facts, I may say that, to the suggestion made to me to take office in a new Government should this one be unseated, I at once said I could not accede." Mr Creighton, who was the succeeding speaker, spoke appealingly asMrSwanson had done. The Ministry, he said, solaced themselves by saying " We have a giant in our camp," and " Minister after Minister had stood up and shot from behind his mighty shield," while they cravonly called to him not to desert his associates in distress. Mr M'Lean immediately rose "in explanation," and was again as determined as he was dignified. "My honorable colleagues," he said, " have never expressed a sentiment or opinion to me on the subject. lam always sufficiently master of my own actions to know the course of duty, and I do not require any suggestion as to my acts." In this direction, therefore, unless there is some extraordinary convulsion among parties, coalition seems to be out of the question, but the leading Opposition journals still harp upon the string, and seek to "cleverly open ac door as soon as anither is steekit." Without condescending to names, except in the cas6 of Mr "Yogel, they suggest that certain genius to be found on the one side Bhould be allied with certain so-id sense and business capacity supposed to exist on the other side, and thus, they lay, will be formed a Cabinet which

will satisfy the wishes and needs of the country. It may be so, bub the mere proposition, coming from such a quarter, is a sign of a sense of weakness on the side of the party new to power, and, with the insignificant majority by which they gained their position, they may be well left to work out their own destiny to its bitter end. It would have been ill for the late Ministry had they retained their Beats by the votes of such a small majority as the Opposition gained. It will be worse for any freshly formed Ministry, new to their work as several members will be, divided in opinion as most of those whose names have been mentioned notoriously are, and vastly disliked as some of these are either in or out of the House. A much happier selection of men than that indicated in our telegram of yesterday will have to be made if Mr Stafford hopes to succeed in establishing a Cabinet so firm that it will at once be able to withstand attack from without and to administer satisfactorily either to themselves or others the important affairs in the administration of -which they assert that their predecessors have failed. According to the opinion of some of our contemporaries, including our neighbor of Hokitika, Mr Stafford's inevitable alternative is coalition or an ultimate appeal to the constituencies. From the one he is apparently and with propriety debarred through the determination of the members of the former Cabinet. From the other his easiest escape will be an early close of the session, but the other party will probably prove themselves, before the lapse of many days, to be only scotched, not killed outright, and possessed of sufficient life to send agee the best laid schemes of the men and " rats" by whom they were unseated.