The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1880.

Temuka Leader, Issue 256, 13 May 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1880.

•'Thb ‘’triumph of’ the Liberals in the Mother Couuiry was most opportune. The defeat of Sir Georgs Grey’s Qovei nmeot, followed as it wns by a less-to-be-regrctted but equally unexpected overthrow of the v Berry Government iu Victoria, set the Conservatives here a-crowing. The, con- ; fident tone in widen such journals as the I Home News certified to the certainty of the return of the Tories at Home, also helped to embolden them in the spiteful abuse of the leaders of ■ the Liberal pause •in New Zealand ; and wnen the Governor and. Directors of the Bank of England j>ut forth * manifesto for the guidance of their Tory followers, even Liberals, who . otherwise would be accepted as good judges of the political atmosphere, must have had.doubts about the success of the Liberal Cause. How marvellously loth sides were out in their reckoning is now well known to all. This triumph of right ovi-r might has had a salutary effect upon the sturdiest Conservatives »n our midst. A great change has come over them. The ariogaut tone in which they were* accustomed to write and speak of those who did not agree with them has passed away, and more reasonable arguments are made use of. When we find some of the leading dailies now' admitting that Sit George Grey— barring the Governor—is the finest Ei g ish gentleman in the colony, it needs no words of ours to convince Liberals i hat our Conservative friends are Incoming n little nervous. As in, the case of individuals so with Governments. The cause of leu of their downfall is some overreaching or over-doing, which not only < fills the cup to the brim, but. makes it to tun over as to scald the possessors of power and place so badly that they have to hide their heads to conceal their shame ; at so ignominious a defeat. The Conservative organs were much taken aback at the overthrow of their friends at home, and for a time w«-re completely dumbfounderee, the only sign of vitality being a faint fault-finding at tiir George Grey’s silence. Like a drunken husband who, Uluses his wife, if she speaks she provokes bitl ire ; if she holds her tongue ' he cannot endure the silence, so lie keeps pinching her to make her cry out.' Just now the Conservative journals, almost without exception, complain of Sir George's silence, simply because they have run off the whole reel of abuse and have nothing more to work upon. Wheu it is recollected how industrious the enemies of the Grey Government are in their efforts to destroy its influence, how determined iy they reiterate the ,fouudaiiouiess. statements against it, and how regardless of , truth they were when trying to encompass its overthrow, it will nut astonish any one to learn that they now £r*t and dude uider this season of silence. Various are the dodge resorted to to keep alive that spirit of re vengefulneaswhicii took possession of them When Sir Ueirge. Gioy told them be hoped to see the couuiry settled with men instead of sheep, and tnal lie hoped yet to , see the large cs ates uivided amongst the brawny laboring classes who are fast leaving the coiouy, it wns only after re-orting to means Which is a disgrace to any Inteligeut community that they were übie ,iu accomplish their purpose. Wj said tbeii, ant, we say still, that it is only » question of time ior the right to cOme lo life front again. Every careful observer must see favorable systems of the power oi the disease being broken iu tins' body oolitic. Ihe-unwi ling acknowledgment,tlna the Hall Government is not the Simon Pure, i.a a favorable symptom. The mild pro■.eot against the. excessively overdone iioyal Oounuissiou easiness, the gentle , retest against the itoad-mftk.-ijg Policy-^

adopted for expending the funds of the colony; and the deep-rooted, a'though less opelily-iicknow edged iversion to the Property Tax—are a.I proofs that the insanity, under which they raved so extravagantly, is p- ssing away ; and that they will soon bo open to reason A repetition of what has taken place in England*is not (on a small s ale) impossible here. The deliverances of the Auckland Rats nui_t cause every In ui trab e man tofeelasham d to own that s«ici treach ry could be ptr-pelrat-id by uien who profess to be actuated by love to their country Mr Reader Wood in nanicular—although lie does not sur- rise ua by his avowals, when we recollect his London Clownish Exhibition—cannot but make his wannest friends cry shame upon the man The excuses he m ikes are s- lame, it is u wonder his friends did not advise him to shut up, and not destroy their unju-t, unprincipled combination. The Hail Government must feel that they have been trusting to a broken reed, while the Liberal Party could not hold out taeir right hand of fellowship, should lie purpose to return from his backsliding. Indeed, w» feel sure (after what has taken place) that every honorableminded gentleman must feel it would be no credit to any party to have him attached to it. The scheming of the Premier, in order to secure the support of the Auckland phalanx, is in keeping with the whole history of his political life. No broad principles ever seem to lay hold i.pju Itis mind. No expansion of view, no idea of any great scheme for advancing the progress of this Britain of the South ever fiuds a place in his bosom, or if it does it ends like an untimely birth that never sees the sun. Is it, then, to be wondered at that an enlightened, inielflgent people should begin to desert his flag. Mr Hall might be very useful as second in command. If the vessel had an able commander, who could manage to keep him straight, he might be very useful. This wou.d, of course, be no easy matter, but by being always kept in sight of the binnacle, and liis|instructipns before him, he might bo made use of to some good purposed, as his knowledge of the colony and the colonists, is undoubtedly great. But as a leader he has been weighed in iho balance and found wanting. Who will take the lead i the coming campaign we are not prepared to sa}'. Sir George Grey would nut likely take command. Macandrew, we admit, is tod ea*y goingand proem "'mating, brmful of ideas, but trusting to the force ofi c r cumstances, or what luck would bring iibout. His ability, patriotism, and honest of purpose, however, no one 'will dispute. Mi Montgomery is the most likely man With him as a leader the ability to be found in both parties might be drawn t gether. Unless Mr. Stout could be induced to c me to the front we would be inclined to support Mr. Montgomery. That a reorganisation of the L'Vral p.*rt-y must be set about, and that without delay, roust now be evident to every one who wishes wdt to his adopted country. A Conservative Government is an anomaiy in a country whose business is conducted upon free t.ade principles Our Parliament meets on the 28th of this month: Had not the English Parliam nt been returned on the free trade ticket our chance of the reform* initiated it the end of last session of the Assembly being carried out would have been very poor indeed. Under the altered circumstances it is possible that a show of Liberalism may be made, but it is a moral impossibility for any really hearty reform or sympathy with the feelings of the people to emanate from the present Gov-mment. We hear from time to time an expression of opinion opposed to taxation for local purposes by the supporters of the Hall Government, but on any measures brought forward and passed by it during last s'-ssion, however obnoxious, however ruinous to the interests of the colonists generally, however damaging to the prosperity of the colony as a whole,their supporters ire extremely reticent in giving their views upon the subject. It is only by,watching the current of events that we are able to say the actions of their le-iders are not, giving unmitigated satisfaction even to their own prrty. Liberals have need not only to be united, but watchful and energetic. The comi g session may not result in the overthrow of the Hall Government, but before it ends the Property Tax, coupled with the Royal Commission scandal and the North Island roadmaking swindle, will -so stir up the wrath of the Middle Laland Rectors that after » dissolution the Hall p.*rty will be broken up, and their protection schemes east to the winds.