The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1885. POLITICAL CRISIS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1386, 1 September 1885, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1885. POLITICAL CRISIS.

The Government scored another victory last Saturday morning, when they had a majority of four on the no-confidence motion brought forward by Mr Hislop. We are glad of this—not because we hold the present Government iu very high estimation, but because their defeat would lead to serious results. If they resigned we should have to witness the same disreputable scramble for office which disgraced the opening scenes of the present Parliament; if they appealed to the country it would involve a large expenditure of money, and parties would return to the Uouse iu the same chaotic state in which we find them at present. Their defeat could, therefore, only make confusion worse confounded, and on that ground we think it is well that they were victorious. But, though they have scored a victory, still tiny have been worse than defeated : they have been humiliated, humbled, and made to eat very humble pie to an extent that he® rendered them absolutely useless. They dare not practice economy because they would be sure to tread on corns ; they dare not be extravagant while an argus-eyed Opposition has them under its surveillance ; they dare not borrow ; they dare not lend ; they dare not suggest anything new ; they dare not move except in compliance with the behests of a House distracted to the verge of insanity by the corrupting influence of self-seeking cliques, whose hungriness to attain their own ends seems to rival that of the proverbial wolf. Their position is certainly unenviable, if not pitiable, and they have themselves to blame for a great deal of it. It has all been brought about by Sir Julius Vogel. When he entered politics he raised hopes and expectations which any sane man could see would not be realised. He would abolish the property tax put ou a land tax which would be spent locally, reduce the Education vote, and do many oilier things which would result iu bringing back prosperity, and the colony would go ahead then by “ leaps and bounds,” We believe we were the only paper in the R outb Island which did not praise up his Ashburton speech at that time,. We held that it was all nons Q nse, and subsequent events have proved how truly we gauged the situation. Last session his Ministry were all powerful, but instead of attempting to carry any of his promises into effect he brought cliques into existence by offering each section a special bribe. He then sowed the wind, and he is now reaping the whirlwind, The West Coast Railway clique, and the District Railways clique, and the other cliques that he called into life and vigour, dashed his Financial proposals in his teeth, and humiliated him to a degree that any other person would have interpreted as a hint that he was no longer wanted. He has been a miserable failure—he has politically ruined Mr Stout, and the best thing that can be done with him is to give him the £6OOO he claims and tel) him that tho colony can get on without him. But the most interesting subject to discuss now is ; What is to be done?

We have a Government too weak to do anything, and an Opposition too disunited to either turn them out or agree as to who shall take their places. What is to he done under these circumstances ? Captain Fraser, a member of the Upper House, has a motion on the Order Paper having for its object tlie appointment of a Committee to inquire into the working of Governmmt by party. We have for a long time looked upon Government hy party as a farce, a sham, a delusion, and a snare, but we thought it useless to suggest a change. There are pickings appertaining to office which the party in power always come in for ; and as each party expects sooner or later to get a chance neither of them would, wo think, entertain a change. In our opinion the best course to adopt would he for each Parliament to select from its membership seven men who should fulfil the duties of Ministers to the extent of carrying out during the recess the behests ot the Uouse, and no more. Instead of responsible Ministers we should have a Committee of Management ; but. it is useless to dwell on that point, as it will not be entertained. We have, however, a more practical suggestion to make, It is evident that things cannot go on as they are, and that something must be done—and the only way out of the difficulty is to form a coalition Ministry. There are in the House good, honest, capable men, in opposition to each other now, who, by practising a little forbearance and cultivating a ,{ give and take ” method, could easily come to an understanding. Of these we shall name Major Atkinson, and Messrs Kolleston, Stout, and Ballance. These are four very capablemen, who, if they would only coalesce, could form a strong and capable administration. We have carefully studied the subject,and inouropiniontbegreatest question involved in their union is : Who would be Premier—Mr Stout or Major Atkinson ? If that were settled there would be no difficulty in the way. In point of experience, length of service, and right, Major Atkinsou ought certainly to take precedence, and we see no reason why Mr Stout should not accord that position to him. He ban swallowed ten times more from Sir Julius Vogel. He has injured his reputation in bis company, and we see no reason why be should not go to this extent with Major Atkinson. We have until recently believed Mr Stout to be inspired by patriotic motives. Although bis position now is the highest in the land, he is making a personal sacrifice in holding it ; he does not gain by it, and on that ground we have put our faith in him. His connection with Sir Julius Vogel has weakened that faith greatly, but after allwethinkhira capable of great usefulness. We appeal to him to open his eyes to the realities with which he is surrounded. He has been duped by Sir Julias Vogel into assisting in developing the chaos which has destroyed his usefulness. Let him throw off the shackles, make a still further sacrifice, and range himself under the leadership of Major Atkinson, for that is the only way in which the colony can bn save' l . Haring agreed ou this point, where is the difference ? The land question is the most important of all, and on this all four are agreed. During the recess Messrs Ballance and Stout have suug Mr Rolleston’s praises as Minister of Lands ; Mr Rolleston said in his speech in Temuka that he felt the laud question was pretty safe while Messrs Ballance and Stout were in the Ministry. Mr Rolleston was certainly an excellent Minister of Lands—his mantle appear to have fallen on Mr Ballance. He has shown a thorough conception of what is wanted, so much so, that when the battle was at its fiercest last Friday evening Sir George Grey named him as one of the great Liberal party. He is capable and popular, blending the smviier in modo with th ejortiter in re to a great extent, ani is regarded as the best man of the present team. He too, is independent of politics ; he is, comparatively speaking, a wealthy man, and no objection could be raised to him. Somehow his reputation does not seem to have suffered to the same extent as Mr Stout’s through contact with Sir Julius Vogel. As for Major Atkinson, bis enemies will admit that he is a very able man, although some people are silly enough to think he will never come back to office. The man who can think so must be very easily gulled. He is bound to come to the surface immediately, for he has no rival on his side of the House. On the land question the above-named tour could not have any diffeionce, and on the education question they are equally agreed. It is true that Messrs Stout and Ballance advocated a land tax until recently, but they hare given it up on certain improvements being exempted from the property tax. There again the difference is not worth speaking about. There is no difference whatever between them with the exception of some minor details which they could easily set tie amongst themselves, and if they would only agree to work together the confidence which the country once reposed in its representatives would be restored. Will they do this ? Are they patriotic enough to make sacrifices if necessary for the sake of the colony ? We cannot answer for them,but if they do not we see no other way out of the difficulty, unless constituencies take into their heads to keep at home aspiring office seekers, and put new men in their places. At any rale politics have now reached Iho disreputable stage, and if they suik any lower, respectable, honest men will have nothing to do with them.