Mr Gladstone and the Land Purchase Bill.

Te Aroha News, Volume VIII, Issue 489, 16 July 1890, Page 2

Mr Gladstone and the Land Purchase Bill.

Theke is at this moment some indication that the less irresponsible members of Mr Gladstone’s following are becoming conscious, not merely that they have been playing the part of political sheep, hut that they have been doing so for the benefit of a consistently erratic shepherd. The demand lor bland submission to Mr Gladstone’s initiative on all matters lelating to Ireland was originally acceded to in the full belief that his inexhaustible resources would speedily he utilised to the discomfiture and eventual overtlnow of the Unionist Government. Since then nearly four years have elapse' , ai.d the Giadstoniaii rank and file remains in ils pn.-tine con lition of ignorance as to what it may he .-upporting. If Mr Gladstone can ever he regarded as pledged to any course for the sake of its piinciplc, and without suspicion of being gui ied by I lu* tactical conveniences of the moment, that course is now s t forward in the Land 'i ransfer Bill of Air Balfour. To create a large number of peasant propriety.s in Ireland lias been the gist of all All Gladstone’s laud policy for many years past. Now that lie finds the wind taken from his sails by the action of a political opponent he is quite ready to ignore his own arguments if thereby he can prevent a measme repeatedly endorsed as to its principle by his own conduct from being passed by politicians whom ho so cordially dislikes. He is far too god 1 a strategist to move the rejection of Mr Balfour’s measure himself pr to allow his lieutenants on the front opposition bench to do so. Mr Parntll is, accordingly, the chosen instrument on this occasion. Mp Gladstone! has beeii almostcuriously consistent in his advocacy of land transfer, wliereas Mr Parnell can always plead his constant resolution to accept every instalment of land legislation in the Pickwickian sense, so to speak, in moving the rejection of the Land, Transfer Bill, therefore, the member for Cork merely follows the famous advice of Lord Mansfield to give bodily a decision which may he right, but to avoid giving reasons 'which are almost certain to be wrong. This is p'erhaps the best' course open to an Opposition which, as a body, stands deeply pledged to the principle it now strives to gender inoperative in practice. Once more, however,’they are compelled to place their necks under the yoke of Mr Parnell, and to reject in stolid silence a plan for the execution of which they have for ovsr four years believed themselves to be both anxious and eager.