The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1882.

Kumara Times, Issue 1673, 8 February 1882, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1882.

A section of the New Zealand Press has of late Assumed the position of “ expounder of constitutional law,” but up to the present time has not made a brilliant success of it. Every Government has its enemies, as a matter of course, and the high crime and misdemeanor with which the Ministry stand charged is that they are acting in the most unconstitutional manner in not causing Parliament to be summoned for th'e despatch of business forthwith. The fiercest of denunciations are hurled at the devoted heads of the luckless portfolio-holders. They are taunted again and again with sticking to office like limpets to a rock, and all for the sake of the loaves and fishes. The metaphor seems a little mixed, as limpets do not stick to rocks for loaves and fishes, but it is quite near enough tor some of the rabid Oppositionists, who, in season and out of season, never cease to abuse everyone who differs in any respect from them. If the unasked for advice of these interpreters of constitutional law was acted upon, then we should hear a howl of indignation from one end of the colony to the other, because Ministers had met the Home before their measures were prepared, and before they had matured such plans as they might consider necessary to submit to Parliament. The Government evidently know perfectly well wliut they are about, and are suiting

not only their own convenience, but that of a large majority of members. They have, it must lx; admitted, on all sides a didicalt task before them. They have to dri\e a team uf unbroken colts who know nothing of harness or bit, and many of the team throilgh sheer ignorance of the part the independent electors have called upon them to play, will on every conceivable opportunity kick over the traces, and generally make things uncomfortable for the “ whips” who are appointed to keep them in order. A variety of ideas are su o§ es l ;ec l to the thinking mind in considering the present personnel of the House. We find that not in one part of the colony more than another, but generally throughout New Zealand, there has been a rage for dismissing into political darkness men of undoubted ability and of large parliamentary experience in favor of untried men, who, if ever they win their spurs, will do so at some distant date, the probabilities being one hundred to one that long before they have a chance of knowing anything about the work in which they are engaged or doing the slightest good for their districts, they will be rejected in favor of others who know as little as they did at the outset of their parliamentary career. We must also take into consideration that many constitnencies have been confiding enough to return what are called “ independent members,” or in other words, men who do not know their own minds. It may be all right enough; but it looks remarkably like either political ignorance, or “ sitting on a rail,” two most objectionable things. Again, one journal expresses a distinct opinion that the Government will have a good working majority, while another is equally certain upon the point that the Opposition are going to have things all their own way. Can what may be called an Opposition party really be got together 1 If such a things really exists, it is a thing of threads and patches, without coherence, without anything like the ordinary ties which bind political parties together, and, more than all, without a head. Who is the redoubtable champion who is to lead the assault, and turn the tide of battle against the wary and experienced politicans who now occupy the Government benches 1 We do not see him yet: he has not come out of his shell. There aie possibly a few of the politically uneducated who still cling to the idea that Sir George Grey will again cut a figure as a leader. Such an opinion is totally unwarranted. It is to be doubted if he could raise half-a-dozen followers. It is highly amusing to observe the stupid blunders which are daily made by papers which are supposed to be well posted in matters political. Within the past fortnight, a “ leading paper” published a list of the names of Opposition members from which a Government could be chosen so soon as Mr Hall and his colleagues were ousted. Singular as it may appear, no less than five persons whose names appeared in the list were defeated at the last election, and are consequently in the outer darkness so often alluded to by those who invariably prophecy political extinction to all who hold different views to their own. In our opinion the Government have exercised a wise discretion in acting as they have done. Ministers have been enabled to visit outlying portions of the colony, and see for themselves the special requirements of districts which had hitherto been outside the limits of their political vision, }|ud thus opportunities are afforded of redressing many real grievances. This in itself is a substantial argument to use against those who wash to place the Government in a false position. Estimates have been voted up to a certain date, and before that time expires doubtless the latest “ new-cliuni Parliament” will be called together to deliberate on the affairs of the nation.