WEDNESDAY, OCTOBEII 9, 1878. THEN AND KOW.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 206, 9 October 1878, Page 2

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBEII 9, 1878. THEN AND KOW.

I;; the light of recent events it is somewhat amusing— it is AOi-t^nly instructive— to look back a little, and see bow" flje nl.etj3ljel.-3 o,f the present Government eon. ported themselves when in the pride of power and with the almost certainty that they were perfectly secure against defeat even on the minor points of their policy, they defied their opponents and made a solemn declaration that they were united in their views, and were datt^-m/tied £0 stand or fall upcm Iho measures which they'h'id lij&tur.ed .fcjt.e'r due deliberation, and had introduced into (.lie House of Listen to Mr Stout when speaking on the motion for the secoud reading of the Land Tax Bill. H e I said: — (we quote from fJansanl) "I under- ! take to sa}' this: that no Government ever snt on lueso peaches from the beginning of constitutional Govenilueiii \l?\y Zealand up to the pre'seut time that iitteni'ptett ah many reform measures in one session as this Government has. This Government has come down with its measures, and put them boldJ7 anil, fearlessly before the country, though 'they k«ev/ t/as.t ccn:e cf them wero distasteful to a large port!on"of' th' 6 Colony Sir, we are not afraid of incurring the. anga and displeasure of the banks and the large joint stuck companies, of the Orcuicrs, and 'of

the publicans. We have done what wa THINK IS FAIR, AND WE INTEND TO FIGHT the BATH.B our." Tall talking this, Mr Stout, but we are going to quote from a i report of the proceeding in the House on 1 Friday night, to show that the Ministry were " fearless " simply because they tlnught there was nothing to fear Fearlessness of this kind is not born of courage; it arises from a misapprehension of the possible results of certain action which is taken in ignorance, not in disregard, of what it may produce. Mr Stout's bombastic speech was delivered on the 3rd of September On the , Ist of October, Mr Ballance stated that the Government regarded the Joint Stock Companies and the Beer Tax as main principles in ; their policy aud upon them they would stand or fall. It was a day to be remembered, this Ist of October, for it was the last attempt made by the Ministry to carry on the government of the country by bounce. Two days later there occurred what may be termed a grand transformation scone. The bouncing bully had vauished, and in hi 3 place their appeared a limp, cringing, 'umble suppliant, begging to he allowed to retain olEce upon any conditions that might be imposed; no longer "fearless," but miserably, humiliatingly fearful of Josiug his seat, no longer prepared "to fight the battle out," but throwing up the sponge on receiving what Mr Ballance called their "first cheek"; no longer willing to stand or fall upon a principle, but going" down before the first blow, and dragging their " principles " with them. As a sequel to the foregoing quotation from the speeches of Messrs Stout and Ballance it will be interesting to many of our readers to peruse a few extracts from the A Z. Times' report of what took place on Friday night.

Sir George Grey rose and said : Sir, — In consequence of what occurred last night I have satisfied myself upon inquiry that the feelings of a large number of hon. members who have in the most friendly and considerate manner during the present session supported the Government are quite adverse to two Bills which stand first on the Order Paper— the Beer Duty Bill and the Joint Stock Companies Duty Bill. lam told that there is a general feeling of that kind, therefore I have doubts whether it would be practicable to get those two Bills through in such a form as would be likely to render them useful and workable measures, and under these circumstances we have determined to withdraw these two Bills, -(cheers and counter cheers),— but to proceed with the other measures. The result of this certainly will be some embarrassment to the finance of the Colonial Treasurer, hut he will in a few days be abie to make a statement to the House, in which we propose to meet this embarrassment. (Cheers and laughter. ) — The Hon. Mr Sueeiian thought the matter was now made clear, and the Opposition was dealing so unfairly with the Government that many hon. members who had voted agaiust the Government would join in voting to prevent the amendment being carried. (Hear, hear). A little success had been gained by the aid of Government supporters, but it was more apparent than real. All the other measures of the Government had been approved by large majorities ; and if the honorable gentle'inen opposite wished to bring down a vote of want of confidence they could do so on Monday, and would be fairly met by the Government. (Hear, hear). The plea for objection to the Beer Duty Bill was that it would tax the working man. The Opposition had no feeling in favour of the working man and that the working man had no liking for them would soon be seen iv case of a dissolution. These two Bills were minor matters, and he hoped the House would consent to tho withdrawal of the Bills without further ado.— Mr Ohmond said the hon. gentleman had cleverly endeavored to cover a severe and galling defeat, and the matter might have been allowed to pass had the hon. ge ntlemun not said the other measures of the Government were approved by large majorities. Why, the cup of humiliation of the Government had been filled to the brim by the treatment the Land Tax Bill had received. Very few approved of it, and it was thoroughly condemned by most of those who had voted for it in order to keep the Government in office. He hoped the mutter would be allowed to drop now, because the Government had been compelled to give up these wretchedly reckless Bills, and the object qf the Opposition was completely gained (Hear, hear.) He had told the Treasurer jn the lobby lately that these two Bills should not passi but the Treasurer had declared they should. Who was right ? (Cheers.) If the Government had dared to go on with the Bills the Opposition would have made it their business to prevent them passing, even if (he tactics of Jftst session werp adopted to enable the minority to fight the cause of justice. (Cheers.).,. Mr Brycb confessed to very great surprise at hearing the statement of the Premier, after all the House had been told about these three measures, the Land Tax Bill, the Beer Bill, and the Joint Stock Companies Bill, being part of, and a necessary part of, the Govermneut policy as a whole. (Hear, hear.) After the statement of the Premier, respect for the word of Ministers roust be altogether destroyed— (hear, hear) — aud he thought at leasp a regard for truth apd honor plight to have prevent them ab^ohiiig' their measures after having led the House to believe by direct statements that the Bills would be pushed on to the end (Hear, hear.) —Mr Wakefield thought this was not an occasion for bounce, as bounce could not do away with the fact that the Government occupipd a most humiliating position. For Ayeeks past they had rejected all overtures fa modify their policy, and at a caucus the Treasurer had petulantly declared that they could not even consider the withdrawal of the Beer Bill because it 30 greatly affected their whole financial poljcy. H.e was glad the Bill was to, b i( e dipped;" but it would have been better to )jaye done this' \h a 'pleasant way than in the unpleasant way in which it had been done; better that they should have tekeu tfje advfpp qf i,i|ppq^fcer^ v.ad not have tnfceo HP V? deijanf; attftude until they were beaten, and forced f.o appept' from enemies that wU/ich they would fiotapcepj, fromfrieuds Tljitf t})py djd no.t occupy a cjignlHed" position was apparent. Uvon with respect to this Joint Stock Companies' Tax Bill what was the state of the case ? Why, the Treasurer had defended the Bill on political grounds— on the grounds that it was the balancing measure to the laud tax— that it aasutud the property holder? th,at they were not especially singled "o^t fof 'taxatjou. Its' political vali+e had been descanted on at great length, and it was said it would show the property holders that capitalists were also to be called upon to pay a share of the taxation. (Hear, hear.) What had become of that Yiaw of the case now ? After some further remarks he said he thought theGqyepmepp h.ad made m(stajce 01 o| qverpstimajirigtfielr position; ' 'ft whs seldom t|jo Mfnjstdr spoke' now, aii'd the fact oE his having bpen put f or\ya.rd that af ternaoh showed that the Government felt they were in a difficult position. The hou. gentleman had endeavored to pull them out of the mess in his usual cheery manner, but he had not been so successful as usual. The Govern-iuc-sit J:ad made a mjstake jn trying to fowp ineir general suppdrteW tdo farlu voting for measures' of which' "they did liot approVe, and it was to bo hoped they would be more careful in future. In fact, after the division of last night, they should at once have f'osigued, if only to be consistent, for their conduct' MA been in 'stVanke'cbntrast witlvlhe defiant attitude 1 taken lipby Various individual' members of the Ministry. Only the other

day they the Treasurer had told the House that the Government would stand or fall by the result of the division on this Bill Mr Balance: No.— Mr Wakefild said the hon. member was scarcely responsible for his recollection, because no doubt the events of the last twenty-four hours had quifco upset his niejtal equilibrium. No doubt he and his colleagues had been up half the night considering their position. (A laugh.) The hon gentleman had distinctly said that these Bills were integral parts of the Government policy, and the Government would stand or fall by them, (Hear, hear) Mr Wakefield went on to say that a3 the Government; had not resigned, the business should be pushed on with all.speed; certaiuly he should not offer any opposition, but he hoped they would be more careful in future to take the advice of friends before the course advised was forced on them by an adverse vote. —The Hon. Major Atkinson regretted that the Attorney-General had not made the amende honorable, when the statements he made the previous night as to pairs were proved to be incorrect, and went on to commiserate with the Government on the unfortunate position they occupied. Overweening self-conceit had brought with it a speedy fall, and that, with their ignorance of the wants of the country and the feelings of the people, would be sure to bring them to their ruin ultimately. However, he hoped that they would pocket the affront and remain in office, for he wished to see them remain there yet a little while, to reap the consequences of their acts. At the commeusement of the session they had laid down as a principle that the Government would accept amendments only from their friends, nothing from foes; but the honorable member for Manawatu was scarcely a friend, yet they had accepted his amendment, and not on a small matter, but on an important principle. That it was an important principle the Hansard report of the Treasurer's speech showed. The honorable gentleman said"these measures must be looked at as a whole policy, all the items of which were intimately connected with each other, and none of which could be eliminated without destroying the policy. If they wished to go to the country on this important item of policy the Opposition was ready to meet them in the country. The Government had endeavored to force the Bill on their supporters by absolute terrorism, and having failed had accepted a defeat at the hands of their enemies.— Mr Saunders had voted for the Bill because an unconstitutional method had been adopted to raise up an opposition to it. He should have honored the Government if they had stuck to the Bill, but he did not honor them now because they had yielded to the unconstitutional opposition referred to. They bad dropped their Licensing Bill, the public-house clauses of the Bribery Bill, and other measures, and in fact it would be well in future for them to put at the top of their Bills " by permission of the licensed victuallers." (A laughsMr Kelly considered the Government had taken a most improper positiou. Had he known they were going to throw their supporters over in favor of outside influence in reference to these two Bills, he should never have voted for the third reading of the Land Bill. (Hear, hear.)— Mr Boaven believed that as the Government had not been able to make up their minds on their fiuancial policy during the recess they could not do it satisfactorily this session now, and as they had dropped two Bills they should also withdraw the other two in the Upper House (Laughter and cheers.) The Estimates could then be passed in a week, and members could get away in a week, leaving the Government to get up a new policy in place of that which had so laoieutably broken down(Hear, hear.)"

The Government proudly boasted that they would stand or fall upon their measures. 1 hey have fallen; fallen very low indeed, and to raise them once more in the public estimation will tax all Sir George Grey's powers of eloquence during the recess.