THE ROW IN THE CABINET.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 157, 3 July 1879, Page 4

THE ROW IN THE CABINET.

[Evening Chronicle.'] Sir George Grey has thrown down tlie gauntlet to the people of New Zealand. He has ietufd a distinct challenge to them aa to whether the rnle of this colony shall be Democracy or Autocracy. Thst a man who had climbed into power on the shoulders of (be people should use his power to subvert the constitution of the country, woold appear somewhat startling, did not history afford so many similar examples of blackhearted treachery. It is the old, old story of confidence misplaced —of a man possessing the gift of deluding the people into placing him in a great aod honourable position, only lo discover that he whom they idolized was their deadliest enemy. Sir George Grey had scarcely got firmly sealed in the chair of Prime Minister when he unmasked himeelf to bis colleagues in the Cabinet. Their surprise waa something akin to that felt by the votaries of Mokhanna when tba '* saviour of his rnoe " lifted the silver veil which concealed tbe deformity of Mb hideous countenance. But, though the Premier discovered his real nature to his associates in the Ministry, he still wore — indeed he yet continues to wear— his mask in public. With an effrontery which is almost miraculous iu its audacity, Sir George Grey still pretends to be offering himself up as a sacrifice on the altar of his country. He still continues to preach tbe doctrineofadvanced Liberalism, though he has proved himself to be the most uncompromising foe to Liberalism that breathes in New Zealand. But his eunning deception will serve Sir George Grey no longer. He must stand forth to all the world in his true colors as a would-be despot; by nature •a tyrannical as the Stuart who laid his bead upon the block in the year of grace 1649. Ever since the present Government took office Sir George Grey has used every means to make himself an autocrat. He has trie J to

make the other members of the Cabinet . mere machine* to register bis decrees. The gentlemen who had too much patriotism to tamely submit to his usurpation became odious to him, aod he never missed an opportunity to thwart them and to insult them in the moat outrageous manner. Had his colleagues consulted their own personal feelings, they would all have deserted him long ago. But they had the interests of Liberalism so greatly at heart that they submitted to treatment which, under other cireumstaocef, would have been wholly unbearable. Bat Sir George Grey grew more aggressive as time went on, and at last his colleagues had to make a deliberate stand for the preservation of responsible Government. Defeated in the Cabinet, the Premier made a cunning attempt to virtually abolish the Cabinet altogether. Under the existing system, all matters are decided by a majority of the members present at a Cabinet meeting The number of Cabinet Ministers is by law limited to •even. Questions after being folly discussed and practically settled in the Cabinet, come before ths Executive Coooeil for formal confirmation. Now, the membership of this Council is not limited. The Premier has. the power to nominate bis oreatorea to it. It seems hardly credible, but it is currently reported in well-informed circles that Sir Qeorge Grey, finding that the Cabinet would not submit to his autocracy, endeavored to have all questions brooghf before ; the Executive Council, discussed there and decided tbetej josi'is if they bad never been before the Cabinet at all, and that bis Excellency the Governor interfered and' prevented, the revolutionary innovation. Let aa see what would have beeo the effect of such a change. The Premier could - have swamped the Executive Council with men who would have voted preoisely as he directed them. 1 ' AH the 'decisions of the Cabinet would have been reversed, and Sir George Grey would have obtained a , power virtually as unlimited and as despotic as if he were an absolute sovereign. Had we heard such a romor concerning any other Prime Minister of a British cofooy weahpuld have scouted it as being utterly do woi thy of belief. But where Sir. George Grey is concerned, no project, however daring, however subversive of all the doctrines of troe liberty,- however antagonistic to constitutional Government, need be wondered at. Further, it is said, and we believe truly, that the Frflmier, having failed to abolish the Cabinet, determined to accomplish his end by another means. For some tins past he has not called the Cabioet together except at long interval*, and then only to tell his colleagues that he bad dealt with such and such a question in soch and such a way. By this means he obtained th« dearest wish of his heart, the life - long dream of his ambition autocratic power. [N.Z. Times.] Sir George Grey has now succeeded in alienating hfc best friends] and if the remaining Ministers elect to stand by the ahip ontil it suits the autocratic ex-Governor to pitch them overboard like he baa done Mr Ballanee, fine can but applaud their pluck, and wish (hat it bad bora displayed in a better cause. It may be that Sir Geoge Grey will himself take charge of the Vacant office* bui Itis far more likely that he wnV appoint some sycophancy of his own, wfip vjsU sattfiiit to his dictatorship,' and aoiiH aero : puppets, to his will. Mr BtW *ad Mr Moss hive both bee* ipokw of, a ß d thj latter is in BtfmV

quarttrs considered sure of an offer. Except as thick and tbio supporter, of the Grey party, whose vote might be counted upoo under any circumstances however disgraceful, they have not earned an enviable reputation. For a blustering bullying personal attack Mr Reee can always be relied upoo, and it is quite possible that the Premier may think it worth his while to secure his services, on account of his abilities in this line. He would never stand a chance of office under any chief, and would probably jump at the chance. Two AueklaoJ members could hardly be appointed, and if Mr Da Lautour could be induced to accept office in a sinking ship, he is the only Southern member who would be likely to serve under Sir George Grey's banner. In effect, whatever happens, it will be a new Ministry which will meet the Bouse on Friday week. Unless Sir George Grey resigns, it will represent one man, in whom tbe public have lost all confidence, and who haa driven away his friends, and even insulted his colleagues. He aims at unrestricted power, he avoids Cabinet Councils, he acts first, and aiks his colleagues to endorse his actions and approve of them after they have been executed. If he condescends to consult bis colleagues he do?a so singly and avoids meeting them jointly. When overruled, he ia spiteful and violent, and without tha sweets ot office with which to bribe support, be would be utterly unable to secure colleagues. No one except himself and the editor of the fVairarapa Standard, really believes in him. [Evening Post], It has been understood that the system of Government under the present Ministry was simply one of per. Booal autocracy, the Premier apparently regarding bis colleagues aa merely the instruments to register his absolute decrees. Whether Sir George Grey or the other Mioistera were in the right on the precise questions as to which tbey differed is not now to the point, tbe real issue being whether the colony should be governed constitutionally by the Ministry, or unconstitutionally by the single will of the Prime Minister. It is said that no Cabinet meetings, properly so called, have been held for many months ; that Ministers have met, nominally in Cabinet, not to discuss what should be done in reference to various public questions, but to receive from the lips of Sir George Grey such information as he might vouchsafe to furniab, of what he had either " done" or " decided to do." Such a system obviously contained the seeds of its own dissolution, and latterly matters have gone from bad to worse in Minis* terial relations, the Premier, it is alleged, treating certain of his colleagues with discourtesy so marked as to make it almost impossible for them, with any regard for their own self-respect,- to maintain personal communication with him. The impression thus baa gained ground daily that Sir George Grey's object was to get rid of his present associates in the Government, with a vie* of surrounding himself With colleagues of dispositions more congenial to hia natural love of supreme power. This being a matter of public notoriety, and Comment, the reoent symptoms of commencing disintegration created; up surprise, the almost universal wonder being that a Cabinet composed of suetdissonant elemento had held together io long. According ly c Mr Stoat'-resig-nation of the A.toroay r Generalship, whioh inaugurated the break-up of the Ministry, was received with regret bni not astonishment. It has been well known that tbe Premier and hia colleagues entertained wide lydifferent views as to filling np ithe vacancy thus created, as well as on the Native Qaestion and several other important subjects. Not on any of tb&fe, however, has the difficulty arisen, which to-day appears to have brought matters to a climax. It is asserted thai since Mr Siout's resignation, Sir George Grey haa taken several occasions to offer Mr HaHance personal Blights of a marked nature, in regard to nunierour points of petty detail coda jog within the special department of the Colonial Treasurer, this line of conduct culminating on Friday afternoon last in so direct a personal affront, tbat no man with any selfrespect could possibly submit tar it tamely, or willingly expose himself to a repetition. Tbe consequence is that, as we have already mentioned, Mr Ballance haa come to tbe determination Io resign his seat in the Cabinet* and his ■ resignation, we belief, Was placed in 1 tbe Premier's hands this afternoon.