The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1883. THE GOVERNMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1122, 17 July 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1883. THE GOVERNMENT.

There was never so strong a Government as the present. It is gaining strength every year, and it is useless for the Opposition to waste time in trying to oust the present Ministry. It is not that either the House or the country has much confidence in them—they are execrably mean and devoid of anything like statesmanlike capacities, But there is a want of unity, and a want of leadership in the ranks of the Opposition, and it would be impossible for them to form a Ministry that could hold office for one month. Sir George Grey is certainly the only true leader in their ranks, but members cannot work with him, and so he cannot possibly acquire strength sufficient to oust the present occupants of the Treasury Benches. Mr Montgomery is neither fish, fowl, nor good mutton. He entertains very sound views on some things, but on other matters he is as conservative as another. The fact is there are two leaders in the Opposition ranks and they are spoiling each other, t his is very much to be regretted . We have not hitherto opposed the pre r sent Government, but we really think now that they are not worthy of confidence any longer. They have a splendid ;majority in the House, but they have not the courage, nor the pluck of men, and they resort to mean tricks, and equivocal doings to retain their seats. The dismissal of our Inspector of Sheep is an instance. Such a contemptible thing as to dismiss an old faithful public servant to make room for a favourite is the very essence of corruption. The Government are that would do that is capable of doing anything that would suit them. Then there is the exposure by Mr Levestam the other night. , He stated in the House that in order to secure the votes of the Nelson members in 1879, the Government promised to construct a railway in Nelson, but never did anything since. And now they have promised the North Canterbury members to construct the West Coast railway to secure their votes. We venture to eay that this prormse will not be kept any more than the promise to the Nelson members. With Mr Whitaker as Premier nothing better could be expected, but there can be no hope of a change until next election.

THE BANGITATA BRIDGE. We are not quite sure that the Geraldine Council did the right thing at its? last meeting regarding the Rangilata Bridge. In our opinion it would have been better if they had agreed to pay their share of the cost of making it. The position of affairs is this; The bridge required to be constructed ; both parties agreed on that point. It has been constructed in a manner the Ashburton Council thought best, and the Geraldine Council can raise no objection except that it has not been constructed their way. The Geraldine Council insisted that it would not stand if not built on cylinders ; the Ashhuiloii Council built it on iron | i es, and tbe difference between eylin 1 • rs and iron piles constitutes the whole disagreement. Of course we do not undertake to say | winch Council mis rigid, n.iiinr ilu wc |

think they can tell themselves yet, but this we can say; that whether the bridge is a success or not the Geral. dine County Council will have to pay for half the cost of its erection. The only loophole out of it is that some of the work was done by day labor instead of by contract, but there is a good answer to this. Contractors could not be trusted to do the work properly, and so to insure that it should he done as well as it could possibly be the work was carried on under the supervision of the Engineer. We therefore think the Council might as well pay with a good grace as go to cross purposes. If they were to go to law, it would result in a great deal of money being uselessly wasted.

QUEER MORALITY. That was a very queer kind of morality we saw some papers giving expression last week. Our contemporaries in Timaru, and a Dunedin correspondent said that it was a blessing that Stephenson blew his own head off at the samq,-time that he killed his wife, as it would relieve the public of having to read the horrifying details which would be elicited at the trial which he would have to stand had he lived . Indeed ? It was bettor that he died in the act of committing the most horrible deed that it would be possible to imagine, and spare the nerves of these gentle, amiable people, than live to repent and atone for his sins. We should like to know what are the religious opinions of those who talk in this way. Surely they cannot be Christians ?