The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1888. The Constitutional Party.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2969, 6 August 1888, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1888. The Constitutional Party.

The latest invention of the enemy in political circles in the Empire City is' the birth of a curious animal called "The Constitution Party." The parent of this party is no less a personage than Mr Vincent Pyke, and under such a leader one almost wonders .whether a regard for tho established form of Government uudor which we live or a desigu for the perpetuation of the noble art of logrolling is tho dominant sentiment. There is an obvious doubt as to whether tho rights of tho people or the privileges of a railway ring aro the Magna Gltarla of the new political organisation, In a democratic community like this, where full power is vested in the people the term "constitutional" should bo a title of honor mid not the watchword of political plunderers who havo manifested an unmistakeable intention of sacrificing the land and money of the Colony to bolster up a railway that in the present position of Now Zealand cannot honestly be constructed, Time was when tlmt gay political rover Mr Vincent Pyke gavoa manly support to tho Radical party in the Assembly, and time was when ho deserted that party because he could not work certain points on behalf of his constituents, and now ho has in a similar spirii thrown over the Conservatives. The creation of a new party was therefore essential to tho maintenance of his political prestige, but why, oil why, should he adopt tho last title for his new party to which in common fairness it could possibly lay 110 claim. Is there anything " constitutional" about politicians who aro wont to sit on rails, or in members whose adhesion to the party'in power, is dependent upon the grants of land aud money which they can secure for thoir own districts. It is said that this now party is composed of some four and twenty men, and if in honor of their name tliey had called themselves tho Blackbird party, tho name would have been more appropriate than the one which they have chosen. Perhaps the term " tho Cuckoo party," would havo been still more appropriate, bearing in mind the propensity of this songster of the grove, to lay eggs in other birds nests, and as much as possible to appropriate their food and nourishment, Mr Pyke, after all, is best known as a humorist, and has possibly called his fellow cuckoos and himself the "constitutional party" as a piece of extravaganza. If within his party ho lias collected all the men of his own kidney lie has done the state some service, because his friends and himself are now earmarked as disappointed logrollers, who are not sufficiently strong to get into power themselves, and who will bo likely, as long as thoy are out hi the cold, to take caro that no one else plunders the treasury.