The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1887. DISHONEST CHARGES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1664, 24 November 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1887. DISHONEST CHARGES.

The Ministerial Press is just now accuiing the Opposition of delaying and obstructing business. A more groundless charge never was made! What business has the Opposition delayed or obstructed? Who has brought the business forward ? What business is there before the. House ? None worth mentioning, with the exception of the Financial Statement, and the Opposition has done nothing more |than criticise It ; and the Ministerial party have done the same thing, and have been as long-winded as the other side. : The fact is, the Opposition cannot obstruct business; for there is no business for them to obstruct. Sir Julius Yogel made an onslaught on the Government a few evenings ago because of their dilatoriness in bringing forward business, but the Government treated the matter in the most cavalier way. They did not even deign to reply to him. What truth can, therefore, be in the accusations that are being hurled at the Opposition that they are obstructing business for tactical purposes ? and is it not a shame to try to hide the f eebleness of the Ministers by making such charges against their opponents ? The fact ot the ; matter is; ' the present Ministry hold their political life in their hands; they are afraid to move hand or foot, because they know full well that neither the majority of members nor the House have tic slightest confidence in them They are kept in office so as to keep Sir Julius Vogel out of it. If Sir Julius Vogel was out of Parliament they would not be allowed to live 24 hours. Knowing their weaknessknowing the slightest false step would completely ruin them—they are afraid to bring forward their measures, or expose to public gaze, the balance of their policy. They refuse to give any idea as to the details of their retrenchment; they are shillyshallying with every subject, just because of their weakness. It is now seven weeks since Parliament opened, and the only business of any importance brought fprwared is the Financial Statement. We ought to have had the Minister of Public Works’ Statement and the Statements of all the Ministers by this time, andsomething ought to have been done. Yet so far the session has been purely waste of time. If the Opposition had caused a no-confidence debate or did anything to prolong the session there might be grounds for the accusation, but, so far as anyone can see, to accuse them of obstruction is the most groundless charge that’ has ever been made. WELL-MERITED SNUB. The Minister of Land appears to fill a large space in politics just now. Day after day the special correspondents have something to say about him, and about how he is going to revolutionise the land Jaws Of the colony. Amongst other things, he is credited with entertaining a great desire to destroy the perpetualleasing system, with the view of establishing freehold in its stead. He has made this known, and he has also signified his intention of offering facilities to the present perpetual leaseholders to turn their holdings into freeholds. This got to the ears of the settlers in a Special Settlement held under the perpetual lease system in the North Island, and they at once demurred. They have got up a petition to Parliament praying that the perpetual-leasing system be not disturbed, as they prefer it to any other. This cannot but prove a good snub for Mr Eichardsbn.' It may be a lesson to him: it may open his eyes to the fact that because he happens to be a Minister by a mere accident, he must not do exactly as he likes, There is also,, we are told, great consternation amongst village settlers owing to the reports that have been set afloat in connection with them. This has grown so intense that be has now made it known that the engagements entered into by the late Government will be carried- out. That is satisfactory, After all the noise and all the trouble, and after all the abuse that was heaped on the devoted head of Mr John Balance during the last election, the present Government deem it desirable to carry on the Settlements on the same lines. In this matter two facts stand out prominently: First, M> John Ballance’s Villi fro NfiHlejncnts have not proved . So rten tbe .•« to petition Parliament not to the perpetual-leading system. Second, Mr John Ballance’s Village Settlements have not been such corrupt jobs when the present Government intend to continue the work he had begun. During the fortnight that Major Atkinson was preparing his Financial Statement several members

inspected these Village Settlements, but not one of them has returned with any condemnatory stories about them. They have very readily asked very impertinent questions, but none of them has so far attacked the Village Settlements. And yet dastardly, cowardly lies were told about them during the last election.