The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1884.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4815, 14 June 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1884.

The wily Premier is making every possible use of his time, and showing at what value he places the ordinary M.H.E. in the matter of intelligence and political honesty, at the same.time displaying a lofty and supreme contempt for all respect of political honor himself. The poor man is evidently to the most narrow straits in his efforts to keep his comfortable seat, and seems determined to leave no stone unturned in his struggle for the retention of his portfolio. Common decency alone might have suggested a different course to him, but Major Atkin» son and propriety, civil and political, have ever been strangers. Where rough and tumble political warfare has been waged the worthy Taranakian has always come off well, where the refinements of debate have been requisite, the man has ever betrayed a woful lack of them, and has come forth with that glorious demonstration of freedom which is the privilege of every Englishman, be he of gentle or .other manners. The astute Major, ignor* ing all conventionalities, has allowed one of his supportsrs to wire to his constituents in Otago that the Government intend to call for tenders for. the construction of several locomotives and 100 wagons in the colony, these to be wholly—excepting the wheels—manufactured in the colony, and in addition to this, he throws out another bait: tenders are to be called for the construction of the cylinder bridges necessary for the Otago Central and other railways. This is all very indecent, and the administration of these sops to 'even those members of our honorable House, weak enough to take them, appears to be very undignified on the part of any Ministry. It appears though, that the Premier has made up his mind to retain office at all hazards, and he is by no means particular what efforts he will uee to that end. To-day we see a telegram to the effect that the Government steamer Hinemoa is laid on for a pleasure trip to Nelson, another means adopted of mollifying angry opponents, no doubt. This* impudent disregard of all political decency is to be severely condemned, and it can only be hoped that such barefaced conduct^ will meet with the reception it merits. It is beyond record where such undignified conduct has ever been known before. We can only express the wish that these tricks and artifices will meet what we deem their dessert; and that what we may suppose Major Atkinson considers finesse —but which % most, persons with any sense of the fitness °f things will put down to the same cause we hays—will bring their own defeat, and not leave a lasting stain on the political institutions of the colony.