POLITICAL NOTES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2071, 12 July 1890, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

The most shamelessly inconsistent man in Parliament is Mr Wcobie McKenzie. He represents the Otago Daily Times ring, and has not the slightest regard for truth. Like Sir Harry Atkinson he makes_ most Liberal speeches to his constituents, but is one of the most violent Conservatives in the House, Last Wednesday he accused the Ministry of which Mr Ballance was a member of being the cause of all the financial difficulties of this colony. The facts are these: The Stoity-Wogel Ministry brought in a measure in 1885 to increase the customs duties; Mr Scobie Mackenzie was the very man who raised the cry “keep the Ministry in, and their measures out” on that occasion, and thus with others refused to give the Ministry the means of paying their way. Now he does not scruple to say the late Ministry left a deficit behind them when he himself was the very man who refused to give them the means of paying their way.

In our last issue we published a list of the very serious charges against the Government. They were to the effect that Ministers used their position to assist the 6ank of New Zealand with public moneys. These charges were made last Wednesday week, that is on the 2nd instant; they were afterwards repeated by Mr Kerr, yet the Govern 1 ment took no notice of them until they were challenged to do so by the Wellington Press. If the Government were innocent one would think that they would not lie down so long under them, bu< they did, and yet that is not the most curious part of the affair. The Wellington correspondent of the Press ssiys that “ a difficulty is experienced, which so far has proved insuperable, of choosing a committee that shall be acceptable to both sides of thejHouse.” Judging from this the Government want to pack the Committee of Inquiry with their own and the bank’s friends, so that the whole thing may be smothered. If the Government were honest why should they care about who should constitute the committee. The fact that they are trying to pack the com-,

mittee is more than snspicious. Mr Mitchelson on last Thursday moved for the appointment of a committee t but was refused leave to do so, and Mr Ballance explained that the reaso n was the members of the committee were not acceptable to the Opposition.

Mr Hislop recently denied that two members of the Government were indebted to the Bauk of New Zealand. Mr George Buckley, who it will be remembered examined all the affairs of the bank, arid who is at presentin Christchurch, says that they were indebted, and that he compelled one of them to resign from being a director. In a letter to the New Zealand Times he says: “It was known to every second man one met in the street: in Auckland that two members of the present Government of this colony were largely indebted to the Bank of New Zealand, and it was equally a fact, sir, that when the circumstances surrounding the indebtedness of one at least of these gentlemen became known to the Board of Directors, of which I was a member, I was impelled to intimate that I would not remain on the board unless he resigned, and ‘resign’ he did.” The Hon. Mr Hislop now denies the indebtednes of the two gentlemen, consequently either (1) they have paid the debts, (2) they have been paid for them, or (3) they have been wiped out by some other process.” -This proves the most important of the charges against the Government, and throws doubt on what Mr Hislop when he recently denied the indebtedness of his coL leagues. Was there ever a more scandalous affair?

It was a pity th« team which Sir Harry Atkinson got together in 1887 ever separated. Mr Fisher was kicked out for corruption, but he showed instances where the Premier himself was guilty of exactly the same kind of corruption, and the Premier did not deny it. Then Mr Richardson allowed an immense estate to fall into the hands of the late Hon. Robert Campbell. Then Mr Hislop had to get whitewashed by his constituents for corrupting the fountains of justice, and now we find him telling falsehoods in Parliament. Furthermbre.it has been as well as proved that two Ministers were mere puppets of the Bank of New Zealand, and that they used their position to prevent the bankruptcy of that institution. In the face of all this a majority of Parliament supports them. Ihe receiver of stolen goods is as bad as the thief, and those who assist a corrupt Ministry to carry it on are in every way responsible for the corruption.

The Opposition, headed by Mr Ballance, have presented Sir Robert Stout, who is now in Wellington, with a requisition asking him to re-enter politics, and promising to follow his lead. Sir Robert has taken time to consider the matter, and the general opinion is that he will consent. It is said that Sir Robert Stout is making about £SOOO a year out of his profession at present, and if he gives up this to become Premier at £IOOO a year it simply signifies that he is a true patriot, and more than a patriot. If the country will not confide in a man who makes so large a sacrifice for its sake, then the country deserves to go to the dogs, as it has been going for some time. The tact is, we have no Government at present. '1 he present Ministry has always been regarded as a One-Man Ministry, and it is no secret that Sir Harry Atkinson has ruined his health in trying to carry them on his shoulders. But what must it be now ? It must be a OneMan Ministry with that one man uselessly invalided, and yet the majority keeps these useless noodles in power. It is a strange state of affairs. We sincerely trust that Sir Robert Stout will see his way to comply with the wishes of the Opposition, and if he does we cannot believe that the colony can be so mad as not to rally round him.