THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1874

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1831, 18 June 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1874

Ap we expected, Mr Woolcock's motion of want of confidence in the Executive as at present constituted has been carried by what, in so small a body as the Westland Provincial Council, may be considered to be a large majority. This result was inevitable, for the reason that the action taken by Mr White was thoroughly inconsistent with the reasons alleged for the necessity of an Executive. To Mr White may be ascribed the first breakdown of responsible Government in Westland. His personal vanity has been altogether too much for him, and although he might have commanded a very generous amount of support in the Council, he has effectually shown how little he understands the responsibilities of the position he held, and how lamentably deficient he is in political tact. A perusal of the report of the debate on Mr Woolcock's motion does not add to our estimation of Mr White's public character. His reply to the arguments adduced by the mover may be fitly called a puerile and fretful speech, full of that egotism which has been all along his distinguishing weakness, and which will no doubt ultimately prove the extinguisher of his political career. The argument of Mr Woolcock's motion was twofold — first, that Mr White had no right to accept office if he at the same time intended, to retain his seat in the Assembly — and, second, that it was not expedient that the important offices of Secretary, Treasurer, and Secretary of Public Works, should be left unfilled for a period of three months. To these Mr White replies that it is to the advantage of the Province that it should have a member in the House of .Representatives who was also a member of the Provincial Executive j but the only thing that he can say in support of this plea is that many other Provinces are so represented. Now we take leave to doubt that there is any such advantage as Mr White speaks oh Mr John White would not carry an atom more weight in the House of Representatives as the Provincial Secretary of Westland than he has hitherto done as member for Hokitika. Provincial dignitaries cease to hold any distinctive position the moment they enter the House, although it is true that in some cases Superintendents carry with them a Provincial tail, which has on more than one occasion led to a scandalous violation of political morality. In fact, and we say it advisedly, the -proaonce of Provincial officers in the (I i.ciul Assembly has for years" been 'regarded with disfavor. It was in Mr StaiLrA'a (Mr White's political God) time, we think, when a Disqualification Act was introduced, having amongst its other objects that of excluding paid Provincial officers except Superintendents from Parliament. The Bill was not carried, bnt Mr White knowfl well what the feeling of the House is on the subject. Then aa to the point of increased utility to the Province by being also a member of Parliament, would the fact ' of Mr White being Provincial Secretary of Westlaud keep him aloof from the larger questions of party policy which mainly regulate the actions of members of the Assembly. Would he bury his political conscience, or give up his stubborn adherence to a hastily formed political faith, for the sake of that " advantage to the Province " of which he speaks so much 1 Certainly not ; and measuring his probable future by his past performances, either in the local Council or in the General Assembly, we venture to think that Mr White might very well have left that part of his argument alone. We do not think that the new Executive will be an improvement upon the other, and we heartily regret that Mr White has taken the course he has. We gave him credit for a greater amount of public spirit, and hoped that by this time his superfeminine vanity had been toned down ; but it appears that with him, as with others, the ruling passion is strong in death— he sees nothing but John White in everything. But the sort of selfassertion ■ which Mr White affects is nothing more than that of the fly upon the cart wheel, which imagined that it was its weight that made the wheel go ground. The Council will, no doubt, manage to struggle on without him — a little business knowledge, assiduity, and care are all the conditions required, and it is not to be said that these cannot be found outside of Mr John White. Our telegrams announce the names of those gentlemen who have been nominated for the approval of his Honor the Superintendent, but it is not yet known if they have been accepted. [Since the above was written, we have received a telegram which clearly shows that there have been further complications, and that the nominations made have not been satisfactorily received. The Council adjourned until this evening, when Mr Woolcock was in hopes of being able to submit the names of a new Executive.]