The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1887. CRISIS AVERTED

Temuka Leader, Issue 1552, 12 February 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1887. CRISIS AVERTED

Wb are glad to know that Sir Robert Stout has given up the insane notion of leaving New Zealand ; at present and going to England to attend the conference of Colonial and English statesmen wliicii is to be held shortly. To do ' so would result in the ruin of his party, and would considerably damage bis reputation,as a politician. Tip titne in entirely inopportune. Not only ar,e; weed the eve'of, the last session 0f..1b? present Parliament, blit there 1 is also to bo a gen'eraliT election, and.it iwould not , do for the,jUremier to be absent during these times, is, also, we understand to be a new policy, It is proposed to afjus.Obe Oastoms' duties with .the, view of our industrial .resources—or', in other words, a policy of protection will be submitted as ptjrt of the programme of Ministers when they go to ilie country. A Representation and Rdilistriijijtion of Seats Bill will; have to be passed before then, and by all it will be found »! very., tough work'. There are other important matters hanging in the balance,whicti' imperatively ’ ''demand all the tact and talent the Ministry can bring ‘ together to carry* it to a successful issue, and for the Premier ' to leave the colony while matters of speh importance are pending would amount to politibal treachery which would incense public opinion against him, and greatly weaken bis.-;id-: licence 1 ’ Sir Julius'Vogel once; before left New Zealand undbr sbrfaewhat similar circumstances, and it |is, not forgotten even bp to the present time’. If Sir Robert'Stotit left now; arid it resulted in his‘ party beiog brokenjup, he would find oh his return it woujd, n<>t be easy.for him to get it,together again and that be would be blamed fpr all. For his own . sake, as well as for the sake of Liberalism, we are gl(\d he has decided not to go; It was 5 doubtless a vbry clever Idea to take with , him; .theleader of the Opposition. By such 0 step he decapitated the/ Opposition as well as .'.his own party, and' By that means he no doubt, thought toequalise matters until he, returnied, and ; that things would remain exactly as they are at-present. We are ndt at all sure that he 1 was altogether tight. In bis absence Sir Julius Vogbl' would-' without' doubt become Premier; not ■ ; because he is the best man, but because he - is-, the j leader of the party ; he even now ibas precedence of the ■ Premier. Now, Sir Julius' Vogel ,is not at • all’popular. in the; House, and even a large ttuinb’er of-, the present’supporters ,pf the' Ooyern-, ment woo’d be only tpb.glad to! get rid of him. We, may say we do not sympathise with- them-in the least, but such 1 is the fact,’and, if on the reassjembling of the House they found" him 1 Premier, the probabilities are they would depose the Ministry,, Turning now; to . the other party,; we find that Major Atkinson is not at all in ; favor. , He is, of course, looked to as the chief of the party, but there are a great many amongst his followers who would not be -sorry to see him superseded. In support of this we,.have only to, point out,.that -last session, strong efforts, were put j forth to .get Mr Bryce to lead the party; and let Major Atksinson play second;; fid d’e to him. The position of parties, therefore, woulid be this': Sir Robert Stout would leave a very unpopular leader behind/ while. Major,jAthinsoh’s representative, would he tar, more likely, to secure the gobd • opinion- of iihe. House than he would himself; The arrangement of the Premier would therefore, have given great advantage to the Opposition bye,r., his own.party, and it is mpre than probable the result would have ' been j that the present Liberal parly would have’ been reduced to atoms before J next' election. For these reasons we are glad that ‘"the Premier has decided on staying in the colony at present. He 'has undoubtedly made a sacrifice ; be is anxious to go Home, no, doubt to see the Old World and bis friends, and if he at,tendp,d the Conference the .colony would haye to pay his expenses. It was a great lenfptation, certainly, but he has.resisted' 'it ; he has sacrificed his oyvn feelings for the good of the Liberal party; land it is much to his credit. : ■