THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 273, 23 August 1872, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1872.

The Fox-cum-Vogel Ministry is now on its trial, at Wellington, and, from what lias already transpired of the proceedings, we cannot help thinking that Mr Stafford has established a very strong case against them. Mr Fox, in reply, is repor'ed to have “complained of the vagueness of the indictment preferred by Mr Stafford, and that there was really nothing to answer.” This reminds us of the sort of speech we have often heard counsel make use of when defending a prisoner against whom the clearest possible case has been made out by the Crown. The learned gentleman, in such case, usually commences by saying that during the whole of his professional career he never remembered a prosecution break down so entirely as it had done in the present instance, and, before proceeding any further, he would ask the Court whether it considered he had any case at all to

answer. This is the usuaT stereotyped style, as doubtless many of our readers are aware, and, as Mr Fox is* a barrister—though we never heard of his attaining much eminence in that line—it may be that he has adopted the forensic method of proceeding, as being the best calculated to hoodwink the House. We do not fancy, however, that lie will succeed. Mr Stafford has, doubtless, “ counted heads” before putting his motion on the paper, and much of what he states is so undeniably true that the House can hardly pronounce a verdict other than one of guilty against the Vogel ites. Mr Fox says that the present Ministry has inspired confidence in the Native mind, and initiated a large policy of colonisation, and that the House will require greater justification than Mr Stafford’s speech to turn out the present occupants of the Government benches. Now, the native mind is a curious thing, thoroughly understood by few, if any, Pakelias ; and we very much doubt if the Maories have an implicit faith in the administration, or indeed care very much about the matter. Their modes of thinking and acting arc not inspired from Wellington, whoever may be in office. Even supposing that the Ministry has inspired confidence in the natives, which w« very much doubt, we certainly think they have not been equally successful with the Europeans, From one end of the colony to the other there is a wide spread feeling of d issatisfacion throughout the colony at the reckless and extravagant policy which is being pursued by the Ministry, of which Mr Vogel is the leading spirit. That he is a clever, and in many respects, a very able man, there can be no doubt; but, as Mr Stafford says, he greatly wants prudence and forethought. The establishing a direct line of steamers between New Zealand and America was a grand idea, but it has never been propeily carried out, and the Mail Service by the San Francisco route is so irregular as to be all but useless. The Immigration policy adopted has been almost universally condemned. The country is paying dearly for a class of immigrants we could do very well without, and at the same time people are leaving for New South Wales in no inconsiderable numbers. Then again, in the matter of public works, almost universal dissatisfaction has been felt, and the absence of the members of the administration from the seat of Government during a great portion of the year, which has really placed the Government of this country in the hands of two or three under secretaries. The civil service ought also to be re-modelled and great reductions made. All or most of these points v ere urged against the Ministry by Mr Stafford, and his statement was supported by facts and figures which are undeniable. 'i here can be little doubt that Mr Fox’s defence was a weak one, especially when compared with the argument of Mr Stafford, and, as we have said, we think that the verdict that the House will pronounce will be that the Vogel administration lias made great promises and performed but little, and that it has been weighed in the balance of public opinion,»and found wanting. It is not an easy task that Mr Stafford will have before him if he is again called to the head of New Zealand affairs. He will not easily find a team to pull well together and carry a working majority in a Parliament which is split up into sections having conflicting and opposite interests, and where for the most part there is always a scramble for the political loaves and fishes, which will not be so plentiful as they have been for the past year or two. It would seem from Mr Fox’s speech that if the Ministry is out-voted the Native Minister will retire as well as his colleagues, and will not remain to form one of a reconstructed Cabinet under Mr Stafford. A new lot altogether will therefore have to be picked. The names suggested by the Colonist , which is supposed to know something of the matter are as follows :—Premier, with a seat in the Upper House, Sir D. Monro; Colonial Secretary, Mr Stafford ; Treasurer, Mr Fitzherbert ; Native Minister, Mr Gillies ; Customs, Mr Curtis. But whether this is altogether correct may be doubted. It is, however, pretty clear that if the Vogelites go out, Mr Stafford will be practically the chief Minister in the next administration. He has two grand qualifications for the post. He is perfectly independent, we believe, in a preliminary sense, which is a fact not to be lost sight of, and we believe he is no seeker of office for the paltry pay attached to it, which is a matter of consideration to more needy men. He has also had long experience, and is certainly one of the ablest men in the colon} s ', as even his enemies may allow. He may have many faults, but we are speaking in a political sense. He is no place-hunter in the sense that Mr Vogel is one. That gentleman is undoubtedly clever — in fact, “ too clever by half”—and we think the colony will gain by exchanging such a political “Jeremy Diddler ” for one who has at all events some pretentions of being a statesman.