The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1890. PARTY GOVERNMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2136, 11 December 1890, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1890. PARTY GOVERNMENT.

The Conservative papers are discussing now the question as to who has the 1 majority in Parliament. All of them admit that the Government has been beaten, but they hold that Mr Ballance has not a sufficient number of followers to enable him to carry on the business of the colony. One thing is ominous, however. Sir Harry Atkinson has, m his interview with the representative of the Press Association, suggested the possibility of a coalition ministry, and the cry has been taken up most hopefully by the newspapers which have always supported him. This one fact tells its own tale. Why should Sir Harry Atkinson and his supporters be so ready to form a coalition ministry now ? Simply because they have been completely defeated, and they prefer half a loaf than no bread, As they cannot control the whole Government of the country they will try to get a share of it, but if they had a majority they would take care to have everything their own way. Another peculiar expression which Sir Harry Atkinson dropped was that there was no difference between his own party and Mr Ballance’a followers except that the latter wished to do in a hurry what his ministry wished to do slowly. That is really absurd, Mr Ballance’s party wish to change the incidence of taxation at once in the direction of substituting a Land and Income Tax for the Property Tax, while Sir Harry Atkinson and his followers are deadly opposed to it. Another difference is that Mr Ballance’s party desire to have Targe estates settled as soon as possible, while the Atkinsonians denounce that as confiscation. Theie are also many other changes to which Mr Ballance’s party are pledged, and consequently we hope that they will accept no compromises or coalitions, but endeavor to carry out the reforms which they think necessary for the good Government of this colony. The great question is, What will the Independent members do? They, as they have always been, are a disturbing element, and consequently it is very difficult to say bow things will turn out yet. The Independent and Doubtful members hold the balance of power in their hands. They generally go to the Atkinson side, and if they do so in this case, of course the ministry will be stronger than ever. In that ease we shall find ourselves as we were before. The only solution of the question is to call Parliament together at once, and have the thing settled so that we shall know exactly who is to govern the colony in future.