The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7,1877.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 6, 7 November 1877, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1877.

In his speech on the "no confidence " motion Sic George* Grey gave as the reason for his" delay m producing the Financial Statement, the complicated character of the public accounts. He said "The accounts of this country are understood by none save experts. The system is a system of transfers from one 'account to another m such a way that as a whole they are incomprehensible to any but a person who is really an expert m reference, to them." This is just the Reverse of, what Major Atkinson had previously said m his "attack upon the' Government. He asserted that "JThe facts of the finances of the colony. are patent to every one. The facts . upon which the hon. gentleman can 7 have any finance rfor the future are ready to his hand m any shape that he wishes, at any moment. " On a previous occasion this asseverator . said that an hour's scrutiny into, the accounts would give all the informa- . tion necessary to make a financial statement. If Major Atkinson believes what he said his system of finance must be of a very slipshod character. Sir George G-rey's statement certainly bears the complexion of truth. It is sufficiently notorious that the complicated system of Government'that has, .until- the last year or so, been m existence has 1 complicated the finances of the j colony. It may be that Major AtI kinson has not attempted to master the details of our political finance, i He has held a feeble taper,ifi front of him just sufficient to pointout dimly his way forward- and; naturally enough, he is jealous of a successor who proposes to "cast his torch's glare into all the ' daft corners and labyrinthine windings of the fiscal system. He therefore asserts that there is nothing to see beyond what his own little taper can shew, and - hastens forward with his extinguisher, his "no confidence motion," with which to put-otit his opponent's light before it is well kindled. But is it all so simple as the late premier ! would have us believe ? The "Sydney 1 Morning Herald " is a critic sufficiently impartial to answer the question. In a leading article of September 10th that journal credits New

Zealand with having possessed finances more complicated and more difficult to comprehend than those of any other Australasian colony. The " Herald " referred to the pre-ab-olition period. But it. is wrong to infer that the accounts are simpler since Abolition. The centralising of the Government has without doubt complicated the finances more, than ever. The Provincial accounts were not wiped out with Provincialism. They still exist, and the transitions they have been subjected to have transformed them into a very intricate cobweb, the fiiiaments of which are Very difficult' to trace out. Probably Sir George did hot overstate the case when he said that the accounts are a system of transfers and unintelligible. It is the height of presumption to assert that they can be mastered m an hour, and Major Atkinson having made this assertion may be fairly distrusted m a task the gravity of which he has failed to comprehend. The people of this country are heavily burthened with taxation—r more heavily than are the people of neighbouring colonies. It is .admitted, moreover, on every hand that large sums of money have yet to be borrowed to complete the public works of the colony now m hand. This further borrowing will entail further taxation, so that the whips of Solomon may yet give place to the scorpions of Eehoboam. , Since this' is the posture of affairs a " careful, study of the financial condition of' the colony is all important. The man who will make this .study,, and -who 'shews his earnestness m the work by taking more than an hour, and more than even ten days over it is the man m whom both the House and the. country may well repose confidence. One of the chief objections of the Opposition to Sir George Grey as member of the Cabinet is his sympathy • with Separation. But this is not a valid objection^ so long as the Premier does not contemplate any separation movement. If the question of separation were before the House he would m all consistency be bound to act as a' separationist should act, but it \a no part of his duty to introduce the question, aud, m point of fact, he is pledged not, to introduce it, but to do the best he can under the existing form of, Government. The fact that Sir George was not called to his position by a. majority of the House is .equally., insufficient, ..as , a. ground of objection. Since he is, in the position, and m it legally, it is the duty of the House to await the unfolding of his schemes before they entertain the question of no confidence.. The Opposition are now arraigning the Government' only upon th^ potential mood of their miscfeeds. ' But it is .manifestly unfair that the House should pass censure simply on the ground of what the Government may or might do. The question of censure should not hinge either upon, antecedents ,or possibilities. It should tinge upon what the Government is doing and propose to do, and while the as of the Cabinet remains inoffensive and their schemes for the future remain unfolded, the Opposition have no case at all. They are fighting shadows and crying " wolf " when there is no "wolf.. They are frightening themselves with "far fancied ills and dangers out of sight." The unseemly haste of the Opposition ato get rid -of -the present .'Government is indeed significant of the confidence that Opposition, feel ■ m the capabilities of the Government. " Give him enough rope and he will hang himself," is a phrase founded upon the. fact that the foolish will reveal their folly and the incompetent their incompetency if opportunity is given them. If the Atkinson party believe the Goyernment to be as incompetent as they allege, 'why do they not adopt the principle and give" the : Government plenty of rope ; allow them to go. on until their incompetence becomes manifest ? Then a vote of censure would savor less of a desire for office I and more of patriotism than it does H at present. • But the, Op position are too shrewd to do this. When there is a prospect of the Grey Ministry acting as faithful and efficient stewards of the people, when there is ' a prospect of that Ministry 1 laying bare the slackness of the powers "that preceded them and ~ placing themselves before the country m the character of a contrast, then there is an alarming probability of that Ministry becoming established m the confidence of the House, and it becomes of paramount", importance to oust them before the House has time to learn their worth. ' We'are no apologists for the faults of the Grey Ministry. Undoubtedly they have faults and ' their constituent members are not at one on every political topic. j Yet their predecessors should be the last to cast stones at them for -this defect. As

the House, is now constituted am in perfect harmony is impossible. We hold that the present Cabinet make as fair an offer of service as the House is likely to get. Sir George Grey, with all his faults, is an earnest,^ honest, and able man. He will manfully strive to benefit the country with whose politics he is wellacquainted. The least the House should do is to gire him the chance of fulfilling his hopeful promises. This hurraing on an adverse vote before he has well donned the mi]Hßtcrial garb is both unseemly and unfair and tends m no wise to heigKien tlie'dignity; or morabj of the legißhitivG body.