The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1884. MR WATERHOUSE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1776, 1 September 1884, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1884. MR WATERHOUSE.

His Excellency the Governor has again displayed his good sense by sending for the Hon G. M, Waterhouse to form a Ministry. Mr Waterhouse occupies an unique position. He is an ex-Premier of two colonies and he has kept himself aloof from all political partizanship for many years past. If anyone can arrange a Ministry in the present state of. political parties, it is he. We hope he will accept the task, and feel sure that if he does do so he will act from a sense of duty and not from any craving for place or power. | We have no desire to see Mr Waterhouse shape a policy for New Zealand. Though a wise and experienced man, bearing an unsullied reputation, he takes a gloomy view of the future of this colony which is unwarranted by facts. Mr Waterhouse has in a measure attempted to be a good colonist and failed. He naturally attributes the cause of his failure to the sad condition of the colony, when. really.it is due to some defect in himself. He held two large stations in the Wairarapa for some years and spent large sums in improving them, but finding they did not pay he parted with them. Subsequently he purchased another large estate in the Hawke's Bay province, and possibly ho finds that this last venture has not realised his expectations. We have a great respect for Mr Waterhouse, but we fancy he would be the wrong man to develope the resources of New Zealand, However, this is not the task he is now called upon to perform. He is, we presume, merely expected at a critical juncture to give the colony tho benefit of his experience and high character in order to reconcile party leaders and to recall them to a sense of their duty to the colony. We venture to hope that if Mr Waterhouse does undertake the task'of forming a Ministry the members for this district will give him their support. It was with some pain' we observed them voting the otherday for the ■ abortive Ministry which Major Atkinson put together. They appear to be tied to Major Atkinson's apron string at a time when it is evident that their duty to the colony and their constituents required them to take a more independent position. The colony and the Wairarapa has lost faith in Major Atkinson as Premier, We have been- wont to place great confidence in Messrs Beetham and Buchanan and to be thankful that the Wairarapa has possessed in them such trustworthy representatives. The interests of the colony and the district are, however, a stronger consideration with us than even our regard for two gentlemen to whom this district is under a heavy obligation. Sir Julius Vogel, when he failed in forming a Ministry a few days ago, released his followers from any pledges of support which they had given him. Major Atkinson, 'in ttic interests of the colony, should follow his example. If he is not prepared to do so, his followers should exercise their. undoubted right of refusing to remain as members of a party of obstruction.