The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, JAN. 29, 1891.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2893, 29 January 1891, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, JAN. 29, 1891.

The speech prepared for the Governor to be delivered at the opening of Parliament is looked for as giving a forecast of the policy the Ministry of the day propose pursuing with regard to important or urgent matters, and the legislation which they propose forwarding. It can scarcely be matter for blame that the utterances of Lord Onslow on Tuesday were particularly bare of some of the usual attributes. The first paragraph, in which he gives his reason for calling Parliament together is his own, the remaining two the composition of his advisers, and constitutional practice holds him blameless so long as no proposal is made to do that which would be ultra vires or a statement put forth of such high colouring as only to amount to an untruth in its very highest definition—the intention to deceive.

We learn that it is the intention of the Ministry to make an " exhaustive enquiry into the financial condition of the colony." It is implied that they will ask till after the current financial year, which is provided for, to submit a policy for the consideration of Parliament. They are, of course, to be wise ami economical to a decree greater than could he even hoped for from those they havo displaced. It is not a pleasant feature, in popular Government in this colony, that each successive Ministry refuses to receive the statement of" tiniinces by its predecessors as liuing correct. We mean, of course, as regards the actual indebtedness and revenue of the colony ; that they should differ as to the incidence of taxation, implies only difference of opinion, but to refuse to accept the figures of the ex-Treasurer implies that, in their opinion, they have been so manipulated as to convey untruths. Outside the circles of national Treasurers and the pro-

fussioiv.il promoters of companies it is generally accepted that figures are" rnliablo, but the above rreatleninn ctin tell a different tale. Each public Treasurer usos the figures at his disposal in order that as small a modicum of merit as possible shall attach to his predecessor. He makes out as bad a case as he can aud after a lapse of time uses his own coloured statements to prove " what a good boy am I," This has been the custom for years, and there appears to be no intention on the part, of Mr Ballauce to depart from it • but it requires some time and study to do this effectively; we mean in a way to hood-wink the public. The remainder of the speocii is confined to expressing opinions as to tho departments of Government which require reform. No matter to which party a man belongs he canuot refuse endorso the statement that each requires some alteration, fov tho simplo reason if for no other, that, legislators, no movo, if not loss than others, are not to bo credited with lnfallaliility This being the case we cannot see by what ingenious process a long debate on the Address-iii-Ueply is to be kept up without making the speakers ridiculous. We are strongly of opinion however that

i very much more detiuito statement iif ;i policy is duo to Purlinniont iiiid thp c'Uiitiy heforo tho members aro again dismissed to thoii homes. It is for the Opposition to insist upon this, and they should leave no stone unturned to secure it. If popular opinion is worth anything it should bo movo valuable nfter all 'tho points of a particular uuebtion have b rod well threshed out for them by the nowspupurs It is a sorry cause which is damagealilo by honest criticism, and the mask of the dishonest critic is soon turn from his face in these days ami the cause liu desired to assist by his dishonesty damaged.