Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1892. Whitewashing.

Manawatu Herald, 14 July 1892, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1892. Whitewashing.

It having become manifest to the Government that the House is anxious to remove the vote of censure passed on the Hon. Mr Bryce, they have been obliged to propose some way to give effect to the wishes of the members, without apparently yielding merely in Mr Bryce's case, uiid therefore, ridicuously propose, to remove every other vote, of censure that appears upon the minutes of the proceedings of the House from the date of its creation ! What a ridiculous proposal this is, requires but little explaining. In the Bryce case it was the present House which passed the vote of censure, and they are well aware how, and for why it was done. The members have heard both sides of the case and can therefore calmly and clearly arrive at a decision. In the past cases what does this House know ? except the few old members. The motions were carried by a majority, yet the Government calmly ask the present House to state by a motion withdrawing such censures, that the majority were wrong ! Instead of the result of this wholesale whitewashing being to the advantage to the tone of Parliament, it is bound to be the very reverse, as it will imply that in the opinion of the present House the majorities of past Parliaments have been woug, and that this Parliament is the only one who could do right.

The Bryce case and the others are so wholly different that they cannot be considered together and we think the Hon. Mr Bryce would be consulting his dignity best by refusing to be whitewashed wholesale. He has put his case before his judges and has asked them to reconsider their verdict, the other offenders have made no such appeal, and therefore they may have been said to have accepted their position, either with indifference or acknowledgment of their being in the wrong. Mr Bryce so strongly protested by taking the decisive action of resigning his seat, and has there fore proved that he resented, as far as he could the decision recorded against him. On these grounds the House can only, in any seriousness, deal simply with the action, and the suggestion to whitewash other transgressors, without being asked, and without good reason being shown, savours of a meddlesomeness which is not even justified when acted upon to allow the present Governmentjto escape the action their petty party spirit led them into at the commencement of this Parlia ment.