The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. THURSDAY, DEC. 11, 1890.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2873, 11 December 1890, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

THURSDAY, DEC. 11, 1890.

Equal and exact justice to all men, O? whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

Those members who have earned for themselves the capital letter 0 after their names in the columns of the papers are in the position of being a flock without a shepherd. Judging by their husting speeches, the'elements of cohesion are utterly wanting. They are much in this respect as would be a flock just drafted in small numbers from several others.. To plausibly criticise the actions of those who hold responsible positions is a task that requires very little natural ability, and a very small modicum of political capacity, more particularly when those who are the judges as to the justiee of the criticisms are more ignorant of facts and less checked by the feeling of responsibility than the critics. The colony from causes, some of which were avoidable by those who have directed its affairs, and others the natural outcome of unavoidable events, has drifted into a most unsatisfactory position. It is, therefore only natural, although perhaps not quite just, to cast the blame on those who held office at the time of the election. The electors, neither individually nor collectively, are prone to "take the blame for an unsatisfactory state of affairs upon themselves. They entirely ignore the fact that the unfortunates whom they condemn have been compelled, by their own want of intelligence and honesty, to pursue a disastrous policy. This, of course, is no legiti- j mate apology for those who profess to be the thinkers on political questions, and who in consequence are trusted with the reins. It is tiie habit of those men to console their consciences with the sophism, "If the other fellows get in they will be worse than we are, who at any rate attempt to stem \ the current which is drifting us to-1 wards the rapids, whereas they would pull with all their might in order to expedite the descent of the ship of state* into the vortex." There can bo no question that the letter 0 against the names of '.he majority of the newly elected members does not in any sense] mean that they will be followers of | Mr Ballance who is the only prominent man elected belonging to the opposite party, we apply the term in its purely parliamentary sense. They are with the present Government, and are pleged to bring about its downfall. Many are pledged to tho imposition of a Land-tax and have adopted this measure as the principal plank in their platform, and havo promised not to support auy Government, which will not undertake to carry it Mr Ballance does not think with them, they cannot therefore adopt him as their leader or he them as his followers. This position renders it almost imperative that Mr Ballance should bury his convictions or unite himself with the party who are not prepared to single out tho unfortunate landholders and farmers as tho scapegoats for past dishonosty and extravagance. As we have pointed out there are no two clearly defined political parties in this country, tho etiquette therefore which is as binding as a written law on homo a tatesmen does not applyThe question which is disturbing men's minds at the present time is j as to the action Sir H. Atkinson | is likely to take. To us it is, manifest that there is only one course opou to him and that is to call the House together at the earliest possible moment, ascertain the exact significance of the " 0 " appended to the names of members and act accordingly. Ic is tolerably clear that as a "Ministry he and his colleagues will not command a working majority. This being tho case he should place his resignation in the hands of tho Governor, and recommend that Mr Ballance lie " sent for " to form a Ministry. That he will be able to get a team into harness that can remain between the (races, except for a very limited period is not to be expected, and notwithstanding his ambition and pliability we should be inclined to believe that he will altogether decline the task unless His Excellency presses him to do so, a most unlikely event if Lord Onslow has mentally grasped 'the political situation. Mr Ballance will then recommend that some other member be sent for to undertake the duty, and we can readily imagine that this process will be "one through a number of times, so mixed are the members as regards their political proclivities, and they have been returned to a large ex-1 tent not pledged to follow any particular leader. Sir H. Atkinson has served tho colony long and with considerable ability, and now that his health will not allow him to fulfil tho functions of Premier > fc is to \° hoped that if seat for ho will advine tho Govornor to request como othe? gentleman to undertake the duty. I'b.P most astute and experienced politicians are puzzled as to what is likely to bo tbo result of the late eloc'tion. Never in frhe history of the colony has such an heterogeneous mass of humanity hocfl pitchforked i&to tho IJouso.

Wo aro unwilling to assume the prophetic role, uutit at any rate the mass has been brought together and some of the old parliamentary hands have atlemptod to mould it into workable combinations. The sooner they are afforded this opportunity the better, as in the meantime the uncertainty as to results is doing mere li.irra than would possibly a little bad legislation.