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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5214, 7 December 1877, Page 2

The Government placed themselves in a ridiculous position with reference to the Loan Bill. After all the denunciations as to past loans, they proposed to borrow double the amount shown to be necessary by the late Government. The Loan Bill was brought down without a schedule to show how the money raised was to be appropriated, so that in fact a scramble was invited for the distribution of the funds. But the House was in no temper to trust the Government with unlimited supplies, and had no hesitation in knocking about their proposals mercilessly. It might be inconvenient to upset a Government the last day of the session, but there was no fear that a Government that has lived for the last six weeks evading votes of want of confidence, adopting the Bills and Estimates of their opponents, and accepting their dictation, would seriously resent the refusal of their loan policy. Dew were willing to advocate the four million loan, and it soon became evident that the House would not have it. So a sort of Dutch auction was instituted. Mr. Ballance was put up to propose three millions. The House would not have this ; but when the two millions, which was really wanted, was proposed, a desperate rally was made, and the Government were reduced to employing the services of Mr. Wood, the member for Mataura. “Let us say two millions and a half and it was knocked down at that figure. This is the way the Loan Bill was passed under the auspices of Sir George Grey, who complained sadly that the House would not let him save the country. It is always useful to watch the criticism of our neighbors on the proceedings of our Parliament. The.foolish privilege case raised by Sir George Grey has now been heard of elsewhere, and we republish to-day articles from a leading Victorian paper, the Australasian. Our own opinion has been already expressed, and wo have nothing to add to the comments of our Melbourne contemporary, except to warn our readers again that the credit of the colony will be steadily depreciated so long as Sir George Grey is at the head of affairs, and is known to be as desirous aa ever to drag the colony into his childish quarrels. If we are to judge by his antecedents, he is only beginning.