The Evening Mail. MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 445, 1 October 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1877.

The vote of want of confidence has wrung from the Government admissions in regard to the Waka Maori newspaper that, whatever may be the feeling in the House, will, &o far from exonerating the Government from blame in the estimation of the people, create an intense feeling of dissatisfaction and disgust. The hon. the Attorney-Gene-ral, with his usual modesty, essayed to cope with the difficulty which he thought would prove too ponderous for less acute and softer-skinned members of the Government. The hon. the Premier, as the AttorneyGeneral proceeded with the defence of the Government, as an old lawyer only can bolster up a rotten cause, and twisted into fiddle .strings every argument by exaggerating favourable portions and smothering those inimical to the Government, sighed " Amen !" He felt and looked indisposed, physically and mentally. He had not the slightest notion that a position which he and his fellow jugglers knew to be almost- a hopelessly bad one, could have been glozed over and made to appear half so favourable. Occupants of Government Benches are indebted to the Attorney-General more than to the justice of their cause for the impression that has been made upon those members of Patliament not troubled with a superabundance of intellect, and others who are glad to clutch at any flimsy pretext a3 a cloak under which to hide di>honesty and persona] gain. The plausible speech of the Attorney-General, with its peroration of venemous, biting sarcasm, may influence men whose principles are of an accommodating nature, to vote for the Government on this cpiestion ; but men of intelligence and of honour, who abhor such dirty transactions, are not likely to allow themselves to be influenced by the specious arguments of a wiley lawyer, who, like a wild animal at bay, resorts to every conceivable means to extricate itielf from a position of danger and dimculty. The merits of the Wul:a Maori business are pretty fully known, an 1 the whole affair wears a terribly ugly aspect. In defiance of the decision of Parliament, that the Government should cease to issue that publication, it has continued to foster it ; and, in order that it might have it under its immediate control, it has been edited by a Government servant, and issued from the Government Printing Office, it is absurd for Miuisters to attempt to justify their actions in this matter. They say. that it is not being issued at the expense of the country, but that it is being supported by several gentlemen. Has the Government printer authority to compete with private printing offices by executing general printing for the public ; and Avho are the gentlemen with whom the Government is so friendly as to violate those rules which usually govern Avell-appoiuted Government institutions ? We have a suspicion that these proprietors are having more than their share of the say in the Government of the Colony ; that t\\&y are helping to keep the present rotten Government in power, and, in return, are favoured with theprestige which the Royal Arms, the insignia of oui great and glori >us nation, and the imprint of Charles Didsbuky, Government printer for the Colony of New Zealand, can bestow upon their questionable publication. That the Government have become mixed up with bad characters is a moral certainty, and we —the people—have to pay for their indiscretions. £6OOO is a nice little sum to come out of the pockets of the taxpayers of the Colony. But it is no fault of the Government that they are compelled to pay this sum. Oh ! no. The paper that perpetrated the libel which shocked the Government as much as it did Mr. Pojssell—for everybody knows that the present Government hates libel —is not theirs. It belongs to several schemers. It is printed at the Government Printing Office, in return for favour* past and to cOme. The Government has no control over its columns, and it is a great hardship that 'when it perpetrates a libel they should be made to p;iy for it, and get into disgrace with the whole colony. Ministers wouldn't libel anybody for the world. • They may sometimes be compelled in self-defence to attempt to show that they are not worse than others by throwing mud at their opponents; but they do all this because they fear that, if Parliament should

realise the fact that there are more honourable and able men in the House than they, their occupation would be gone. The foregoing, which is about the meaning of the defence set up by the Government, may be all very good, and of, course we entertain every feeling of sympathy for them in their present painful position; but there is no guarantee that the same thing may not occur again, and we should not allow our sympathy to intervene on such an occasion as the present. It is a very difficult matter to foretell what may be the result of the "want of confidence" motion now before the House. The Government will offer tempting baits to honourable, gentlemen to help them through their dirty business ; and, viewed with eyes aglow with love of power, that can discern in the immediate future a probability of emolument or position, or both, the Waka Maori question will possess nothing to call forth deprecation. There is one thing pretty certain, and that is, there is but one feeling in reference to the Waka Maori embroglio, and that is one of disgust. The scramble for the sugar plums in ou- Parliament will shortly take place, and the people of this colony will know why honourable members vote on the side of the Government on this question, and learn to appreciate them accordingly.