The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1877.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5188, 7 November 1877, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1877.

Most Governments think it necessary to face a vote of want of confidence at once, not to allow any business to interfere with a decision, and to make it a condition of retaining office that they should obtain an absolute majority. The Atkinson Government was twice challenged this session, and on each occasion they met the attack at once, urged on the debate, and courted the immediate decision of the House. The Grey Government pride themselves on being far better tacticians. They openly boast that they can outwit the present Opposition in the lobbies, and that they have on the present occasion successfully tricked their antagonists. The boast is well founded, but the credit they will get for their tactics remains to be seen. A Government that is content to drag on a no-con-fidence debate by every dodge and scheme that could be devised to create delay ; to snatch at an unexpected moment what the Speaker characterised as a “ catch ” vote ; and finally to accept as a triumph a division won by the casting vote of the Speaker, when three of the Opposition were out of the way ;—such a Government is a sorry spectacle. Members of the House and strangers in the gallery looked on with amazement while the Premier of the colony cheered and clapped in a frantic manner on disposing in this way of a vote of want of confidence. No wonder the tail wagged in response to this noisy head. And all the men in the House who have abandoned their independence of thought to do what Sir George Grey tells them were jubilant. If their leader has no sense of dignity or self-respect, why should they have any ? He is satisfied with his position, why should not they be satisfied! It is a proud boast that they have enabled the leader of a small minority, by means of obstruction, of intrigue, and of every device for wearying Parliament, to snatch the reins of power, and for the moment to defy the majority of the representatives of the people. But they must know that such victories are really defeats. And the longer the defeat is delayed the more ignominious and the more crashing it will be.