The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1878.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5489, 30 October 1878, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1878.

An article in defence of the Ministry recently published in a Northern contemporary has afforded ns considerable gratification and amusement—gratification because it contains a large proportion of truth, and amusement because, in his clumsy attempts at consolation and encouragement, the writer lays hands on the colleagues of Sir Geokge Gkby almost as heavily and roughly as their worst enemy could desire. Such kindly blundering is not unusual when a bad cause has to bo defended, and is apt to elicit from the sufferers a bitter cry of “ save us from our friends,” Naturally enough the central figure held up for administration, or, more correctly speaking adoration, is the Premier himself; but it-is paying him a dubious kind of compliment to say of his efforts in Parliament “ that some of his strongest denunciations have been of arguments brought forward by colleagues, and some of his most powerful and eloquent appeals have been addressed to the House against the course to which they would have persuaded.” The truth contained in tho sentence is obvious to those who have followed the course of tho debates, arid in order to show that he is writing with a fair knowledge of the facts, our contemporary instances the Premier’s opposition to the Attorney-General when the Judicial Commission Bill was under discussion, and the passage of arras between Sir Geoeoe and the same learned gentleman on the - Beoojihall contract. Bad health is given as the reason why Sir Geokge has distinguished himself less in debate than he otherwise would have done ; but it is a matter for surprise both to his friends and opponents that on occasions when he appeared thoroughly to rouse himself he should have spent his energies and elocution in attacking those who sit on the same benches as himself. This Auckland critic of Ministerial doings can see nothing but perfection in Sir Geokge, and bestows on him specially a lengthy paragraph of fulsome compliment. His passages of arras with those to whom he is bound by the closest political ties may “ embarrass the Ministry, “ and give occasion to the enemy to re“joicsi;” but it will be found, we are told, that in almost every case where they have differed this hero of tho mob has been right and his colleagues wrong. And even these serious differences do not seem to suggest to our contemporary that change is not only desirable in the' interests of the country, but that it cannot be far off. He admits very candidly that the Ministry have <f taken leave to differ from “each other to a greater extent than “ other Ministries,” and that they have carried their opposition to each other as fatf “ as it was sate for any Ministry to go, “ considering the exigencies of the "pirty.” We do not question for a moment the implication that other and more serious differences of opinion exist amongst the occupants of tho treasury benches than have as yet been made public, and that they have only been kept out of sight in order that things might bo made “ safe,” or, in other words, that place and power might be retained. But it must be painfully apparent to hon. members on tho" Speaker’s right, and pleasurably so to those on the left, that the length to which these public dissentions have already, gone has long since passed the point of safety, and that, to use tho words of a correspondent, Ministers merely retain their places because prominent members of the Opposition do not care just at the present moment to take upon themselves the trouble and responsibility of assuming the reins of power, Hut although our contemporary can find no fault in Sir Geokge Grey, and can seo no signs of weakness in the Ministry, ho admits there has been a feeling of disappointment in tho country with regard to what they have accomplished. They are, ho says, nearly all now to office; they lack caution and circumspection ; and have Been guilty of the error of undertaking too much. There is, he says, considerable disparity in their personnel, and ho does not appear to entertain a very high opinion of them individually. Mr. Stout is deficient in tact and temper. “Perhaps his training as a schoolmaster is to blamo for his constant assumption of superior wisdom to those who Jjyi.illt to him. He takes up, naturally and unconsciously, the attitude of one who is laboring to bring down fais own elevated intellect to the mean capacities of his hearers. There is something in this exceedingly offensive to men in tho position of representatives.” Mr. Macandrkw shows too plainly his attachment to Otago. Mr.

Fisher is not of much uss in the House in conducting Bills or answering opponents. Mr. Sheehan comes off beat, and is described as “ being a useful man all round, as cricketers say.” Finally, Mr. Baixanob “ lias been the most unfortunate, in having had to cast overboard from the Ministerial ship, it not himself, at least a considerable quantity of the cargo for which he was responsible.” When it is borne in mind that these are the opinions of a journal which looks on Sir Geokgb Gkey as a combination of all that is noble and good and wise in a man and a politician, which is a firm believer in the present Ministry, and has done its utmost on all occasions to smooth over their shortcomings, and place their measures before the public in the most favorable light, is it strange, wo ask, that the ranks of the Opposition are daily becoming more dense, and that the (£ working men,” the bone and sinew of the country, are no longer prepared to hail Sir Geoege Gkey as their friend and saviour ? If ho has not deliberately sold them, ho has failed to carry out any one of the grand promises with which he beguiled them. Our bill of indictment against the radical Ministry is a far heavier one than has been brought against them by their Auckland partisan, and oven that, if true, should prove sufficient to oust them from office. The session gave them a grand opportunity of proving their practical worth, and the result has been such an exhibition of incapacity and impudence, of bunkum and jobbery, of want of tact and temper, as has never before been witnessed in a Legislative Assembly in the Australasian Colonies. So far from the aims of Government having tended to benefit the people at large by rendering them more prosperous and free, they have taken just the'opposite direction. Everything which could throw more power into the hands of the Ministry has been tried with untiring pertinacity. Railways, telegraphs, the electoral franchise, the audit, —they have meddled with them all, not apparently for the country’s good, but to secure to themselves greater power and a little longer tenure of office. The only thing to be said in their favor seems to bo that in debate they have paid rather more attention to the amenities of civilised 'life than many of the party have displayed in opposition on former occasions.