The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1887. VOTE OF CONFIDENCE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1668, 3 December 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1887. VOTE OF CONFIDENCE.

The farce is now over: the curtain has fallen, and Major Harry Albert Atkinson stands before the world as the great and glorious Premier who has carried a vote of confidence in himself. The incident is probably unique in the history of Parliamentary institutions—at any rate, in the history of this colony. Never before has any Premier moved a vote of con* fideuce in himself in this colony, and we trust it is the last time any Premier will take up the time in thus trumpetting his own virtues, “ Great thoughts, like great deeds, need no trumpets.” “ Virtue, dear friend, needs no defenoe ; The surest guard is innocence. None knew till guilt created fear What darts or poisoned arrows were.” It is because guilt has created fea in the breast of the gallant Major that he is so desirous of compelling his followers to repose ‘confidence in him. His great argument is first duty of Parliament is to retrench, and that that is sufficient work fur the present session. If he believe in this argument, why has he introduced a new Land Bill ? Surely it was as easy to revise the Customs tariff in favor of local industries as to frame a Land Bill! Why, also, has he introduced a Bill placing railway management under Non-political Boards ? It would have been far easier to revise the tariff than frame and introduce either of these Bills—yet Major Atkinson does not blush to say that he has not time to do it this session. No one asked for an amendment in our land laws during the last elections —with the exception of the “ Political Reform Association,” and they did not know what they were talking about —but two-thirds of the country favored a revision of the tariff, and now the Government is forcing upon us what we do not want while it is resisting the most pressing demands for what we do want! Why is this ? The explanation is simple: There are 58 Protectionists and 37 Freetraders in the House, and the 37 Freetraders are all on the side of Major Atkinson. The number of Protectionists who support Major Atkinson is about 17, and the balance of 41 members support Sir Julius Vogel. Major Atkinsou sees that the moment he attempted any alteration in the tar.ff he would lose the support of the 37 Freetraders, and thus these 37 gentlemen are ruling the country at present. We are, therefore, ruled by a minority, and the worst of it is that the laws which are at present passing through Parliament are of a most vicious character. Never has there been in New Zealand a worse Government than the present one; never has there assembled a less competent Parliament. A large proportion of it' is made up of brainless, beardless, briefless barristers, and others, who find that their only means of getting their names before the cou .try is by asking questions. If our readers will take not ce they will observe that it is very seldom any of the able men of the House ask questions ; they will see also that the noodles who are Incapable of taking part in any discussion of importance are everlastingly asking questions. Jfc is not an uncommon thing for the Government to be kept two or three hours daily answering senseless questions, and it has gone to such an extent ins session that Major

Atkinson has had to protest against it. Now, these are the class of men whom we have to legislate for us, and it was to overawe them that Major Atkinson moved a vote of confidence in himself. He has succeeded, and they have submitted to his bounce. There never sat a man on the Ministerial Benches more firmly than Major Atkinson does at present, for there has never been a more ignorant Parliament, and it is to this he owes his success.