THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1461, 22 October 1872, Page 2

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

We extract the following paragraph* from an able leading article on the new Ministry in the New Zealand Herald:—

Public confidence has not been stored by the appointment of the new Ministry, and the desire for a dissolution is now universal. So long a* any chance of a coalition remained, people were content to watch and wait, but. that chance must now be dismissed from consideration The personnel of* the Miuiscry is definitely fixed, and general character cannot be affected by any change that may occur in distributing the minoi offices. ... M r Waterhouse is laudably am? bilious, but exhibits a just appreciation.-' of his own value by his reluctance to lake office, and in his own avowed determination u to set his own self-respect above everything," which he appears to. consider a novel feeling among New: Zealand statesmen. We cannot forgot:, that he is a new and untried man* amongst us, and his habit of much pro> testing—although probably a merehabit—does not assure us of the calm, judgment, vigorous energy, wide grasp of mind, and absence of egotism demanded by the present crisis. . . . Mr M'Leau and Mr Vogel have lost caste,, and it is as well they should know it, by the readiness with w hich, in order go into office and avoid a dissolution, they have sacrificed their own selfrespect, and put themselves under theprotection of a leader comparatively unknown, and who in every word, implies that he is placed there to give a ; better tone to their proceedings—in fact, to guarantee their good behaviour.. ... Mr Ormond only a provisional Minister, making way at the end of thesession for Mr Richardson, who has. not hitherto taken a prominent part in the proceedings- of the Assembly, or been much known to the public. Mr Bathgate— Ihe new Commissioner of Customs—may bb a good man for the office, hut his cool avowal of satisfaction with the Fox Ministry, and determination no longer to oppose them, as. he had "got all he wanted,'' i> still: ringing in the public ear,, and will not. be held to excuse the contrast between: his hustings opinions and his votes,, which have more than once involved him in hot water with his Dunedin constituents.

If the personnel of this Ministry be unsatisfactory, its programme is still more so Not a word of education,, while thousands of children arc growing: up in ignorance, to be hereafter a dis~ grace and danger to the country, and possibly a burden on its revenue. Not a word of retrenchment. Not a thought to the position of the provinces, with their empty treasuries and great responsibilities. Not an allusion to theconstitutional changes so glibly promised by Mr Vogel 18 months ago*. Nothing of these or kindred matters, — only a cool announcement from thePremier that there are " no great questions before the country," and that Ministers:, therefore, would " make it their great object to administer affairs prudently an J efficiently." Brave words, but scarcely uttered before the Premier further informs us that, m order to carry on affairs prudently and efficiently, he intends creating three iii»w Ministers— for Justice, for Mines,, and for Agriculture- during the recess. Eight Ministers, and a Premier with a host of private secretaries, are to crown the edifice, which we call the Civil Service, of a colony containing a quarter of a million of people, and whose most troublesome details are all attended to by nine additional Provincial Go\ernments and their departments I . .

Viewing the seriom position of public affairs, aud the gravity of the interests, at -stake, we find it difficult to write with calmness of the prospect befoie the country under such a Ministry. Its weakness will force it into intrigue, and its main object must perforce become the angling for members to keep Ministers in the bare majority on which they live. The Premier's self-respect cannot fail to receive severe wounds, and he fells us he will then retire, in which case the colony must continue to drift on, a plaything for a few reckless or incompetent men. The only remedy i* immediate dissolution, and ihe only clear, open way to get it is by request

of the Hoiiee to bis Excellency. Of course many are likely to vote with the "noes" on such a question, but there are, we feel confident, numbers on both sides, of honest, thoughtful members, ■who would unite in forcing an appeal to the country, which his Excellency could have no hesitation in immediately granting. However unsatisfactory the present Government may be, there is no likelihood of a change at thi-< late period of the session, and the couttol of affairs must be vested in them till the new Assembly can meet. Wo should have wiuhed it otherwise, and have preferred a Ministry of smaller number, less pretention, and more steady working power. . But, under any circumstances, a dissolution is so plainly necessary that we should be surprised to find any of our own members against it, if fairly put to the vote.