The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1891. TORY TO THE CORE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2155, 27 January 1891, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1891. TORY TO THE CORE.

Jtjst about 12 years ago Sir George Grey, who was then Premier, advised the Governor —the Marquis of Normanby—to call Mr Wilson to the Legislative Council. Before the arrangements for doing so were completed a motion of “no confidence” in Sir George Grey’s Ministry was brought forward in Parliament, and the Marquis of Normanby refused to make the appointment until the division on this motion had been taken. The reasons he gave for this were that if the “ no confidence ” motion were carried the Grey Ministry would be defeated, and that a defeated Ministry had no right to make any appointment to the Legislative Council. This question was afterwards submitted to the Home authorities, and the Secretary of State held that the Marquis of Normanby had acted rightly. Now look upon that picture and then upon this. Compare this with the action of Lord Onslow. In the present instance it was not a question ot doubt. Ibe Government were hopelessly defeated, as shown by the fact that they have since thrown up the sponge without a fight; the leader of the Opposition laid before the Governor cogent reasons for delaying the appointments until after Parliament had met; public petitions protesting against them poured in on him from all quarters, and the press from end to end of the colony almost unanimously condemned them. Notwithstanding all this, and in supreme contempt of public opinion Lord Onslow consented to make the appointments. Now, who was right ? Lord Normanby or Lord Onslow. It is evident both could not be right. Lord Normanby’s action met with the approval of the authorities at Home, and it is very possible Lord Onslow’s will also be upheld. Tory thickheadness is capable of anything. The Tories in the Old Country will no doubt uphold Lord Onslow in playing into the hands of the Tories of New Zealand, but still it is possible to make things so uncomfortable for him as to force him to resign. He told the deputation of the people’s representatives in the most cavalier manner that he was responsible to no one in the colony. There he made a great mistake. He is responsible to public opinion. “ A nation’s voice is a sacred thing; ’tis stronger than a King,” and stronger than dozens of governors. Kings, Queens, Emperors, and even such high and mighty personages as Governors have had to bow in abject submission to public opinion before to-day, and if we mistake not Lord Onslow will live to regret his conduct. The Czar of Eussia could not have

treated public opinion more contemptuously than Lord Onslow has treated it in this matter. Practically the whole country called on him to abstain from participating in such a disgraceful piece of business, but he ignored it, We hare hitherto on all occasions opposed the proposal that we should elect our own Governor. We have held that a Governor appointed as ac present was the chief link in the chain which bound us to Great Britain, and that to break that link would weaken the whole chain. Lord Onslow’s conduct, however, has gone a long way towards making us a convert to the elective Governor proposal, and if he is backed up by the Home authorities in this affair we certainly shall henceforward throw in our lot with those who advocate the change. We shall do so with great reluctance, but really in the face of what has just happened we cannot see that there is any help for it. Selfrespect must prompt us to resist the authority which not only despises us but also participates in the repressive measures employed to keep the people under foot. The appointments to the council is a terrible blow to the Liberal party; they will not be able to do anything because the Legislative Council will block the way, and it is not very much to Lord Onslow’s credit that he has played the leading part in the whole transaction.

SIR HARRY ATKINSON.

Sib Harry Atkinson is shelved at last. We regret we cannot congratulate him. Had he shewn any contrition for past transgressions, or given any signs of having repeated on his political death we should have forgiven him, but he did not. His ruling passion came out stronger than ever in death. He has provided himself with a sinecure and his friends with seats in the Legislative Council. The Speakership of the Legislative Council is a delightful sinecure. He gets £6OO for sitting for a couple of hours per day during three months every year on a softly cushioned arm chair, in a splendidly ventilated chamber, listening to a few respectable old gentlemen droning out lazily a few political platitudes. The position is really the best in the colony. But we should not have begrudged it to him if he had got it in an honorable way. He has done a lot of bard work for the colony, and though be did it badly, still we should not have begrudged him a snug billet to wind up with if he had not unpardonably sullied his career with the appointments to the Council, Mr Whyte is an agent for the Bank of New Zealand Assets Company. The Bank of New Zealand had not sufficient friends in the House already without adding another. Then there is Mr C. C. Bowen manager of., another Loan Company, Mr J. D. Ormond champion of large estates, and Mr Johnston a very wealthy Wellington merchant and land owner, and Mr Fulton famous as a Bible-in-sehools advocate. Then there is Mr Dowuie Stewart. He was a Liberal leader two years ago, but was bought over with a seat in the council. These are all thoroughbred Tories of the most pronounced type, and have been put into the Legislative Council absolutely for no other purpose than to render G-overnment impossible by Mr Ballance.

THE SPEAKERSHIP,

We heartily congratulate the Liberal party on their first victory, Down here, of course we always delude ourselves with the notion that Mr Rolleston is a great man, and has great weight m the House, but the result of the division on the Speaker ship ought to open our eyes. He apparently is not such a great man after all, and has not such an immense weight in the House. It has been made very plain by this division that he is not very popular, and that he need not hope to become a Premier. We cannot say that we are sorry for it. Mr Eolleston has not behaved well since 1884. He is not a Tory by conviction, but because the Liberal side is not respectable enough for him. During the last three years he has denounced with great vehemence the land policy of the late Government, yet in his recent election addresses he said not a single word against it. He, too, sat in the conclave at Wellington, at which Sir Harry Atkinson an nounced the appointments made tothe Legislative Council, but the very respectable Mr Rolleston said not a word against them. For the reason that we think that Mr Eolleston is not a whit better than other people, we are glad he was defeated. He has deserved the defeat, and serve him right. We congratulate Major Steward on his election, he is eminently fitted for the position, and we feel certain he will give satisfaction in it.

THE NEW GOVERNMENT

Mb Baeiancb has formed his Government, and we feel certain they will give satisfaction. Of Mr Ballauca we need say nothing further than that he is a man of great ability. Mr Buckley, too, is an old minister and well known, and all Canterbury, of course, knows Mr W. P, Beeves as a young gentleman of great ability ahd promise. He is the best scholar in Parliament, and the most enthusiastic radical in Hew Zealand. Mr John McKenzie is a very clever Olago farmer, and has been tne severest critic of the land policy of the late Government. He will make a thoroughly practical Minister of Lands. Sir George Grey I

said recently that Mr Seddon was a I more able man than Mr Bradlaugh,! who has gained a world-wide reputation. Mr Ward, of Invercargill, is acknowledged as a very able financier. Mr Goldie will probably be the Auckland minister. He will be brought in to conciliate “ sainflintism.” In point of ability and practical knowledge of the requirements of the country they will prove themselves the superiors of their predecessors.