The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1877.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5170, 17 October 1877, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1877.

Amongst the difficulties which Sir George Grey has encountered in the formation of a Cabinet, not the least has been the difficulty of inducing any of the honorable members of the Legislative Council to cast in their lot with those bold adventurers of that “august” Assembly, the House of Representatives, who have joined his standard, and who wish to “have the Government for a year,” in order, as he says, to discover what the “popular will” is in regard to “great questions,” which at present have neither form nor pressure, -but which are to be evolved during the recess. The “ great ” policy of reducing Ministers’ salaries and taking off a few pounds a year from hardworked undersecretaries, for' the benefit of the young hearts of unborn generations, does ° not appear to commend itself very forcibly to the “Lords.” Colonel Whitmore, who loyally exerted himself to upset the' Ministerial coach last week, does not care to trust himself with the strange crew of the frail barque which now carries Czbsar and his fortunes; but, not ungenerously, he has offered to throw them a line and give them a tow for a day or two over the snags and shallows in which they find themselves. Yesterday in the Legislative Council the honorable and gallant gentlemen proposed to take the role of Deputy-Minister, or rather that of legate of the high priests of the unborn generations, and to put himself in charge of the gas and water Bills and the other Bills of a non-political character which are now on the Order Paper before the Council, pending the finding of a Minister in the Council, or the .making of one, ad hoc , out of doors. It seemed for a moment probable that the majority, in its tenderness for the avowed weakness of the infant Government, would have accepted the services so kindly offered ; but 'there was perhaps a little too much of talking on -the part of those who were really disposed to make some sacrifice of points of form in order to get on with work, and at length a speech by Sir Dillon Bell, ' which was intended to be. calming and mediatory, but was really provoking, set the backs of hon. gentlemen up on the point of principle. The Council then resolved, on the motion of Colonel Brett, that it would adjourn from day to day until Sir Georoe Grey had time to complete his Ministry. The resolution was carried on the voices, Colonel Whitmore declining apparently to take the division, which we think might have resulted favorably for his proposal. The decision of the Council is, upon the point of principle, undoubtedly right. The Government ought to be represented by a Minister in the Council, and it is at least remarkable that out of so large a number of gentlemen as are upon the roll not one has yet been found willing to identify himself completely with Sir George Grey’s followers; we will not say with his policy, for he has announced none that deserves a moment’s serious consideration. It has pleased Sir George Grey to abuse the Legislative Council, and to heap insults uponjts members ad capiandum vulgus in his place in Parliament, as well as- in his stumping tpurs ; but we are sure that no recollection of these insults colors the present action of the Legislative Council, and that the difficulty which he has experienced in finding a representative amongst its ngembers has another source than individual or collective resentment, towards himself.