The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, JANUARY23, 1891. THE NEW M.L.C.'s.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2296, 23 January 1891, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, JANUARY23, 1891. THE NEW M.L.C.'s.

The expiring Government have sue- 1 ceeded, m gross breach of the distinct agreement entered into with the Opposition last session, and m flat contradiction to the universal voice of public opinion, ir> getting their batch of nominees elevated to the Upper House. Who are these gentlemen for whom every consideration of honor and even decency has been cast to the winds ? What have they done that they should be made members of an assembly, whose most conspicuous characteristic even now is its disregard of public opinion 'I The gentlemen who have been recommended to His Excellency the Governor—and, it is stated, apparently on authority, approved by him—are Sir Harry Atkinson (Taranaki), Messrs J. B. "Whyte (Waikato), J. D. Ormond (Napier), C. J. Johnston (Wellington), C. C. Bowen (Canterbury), W. D. Stewart and J. Fulton (Otago). The ■retirement of Sir W. Fitzherbert from the speakersbip of the Legislative Council, cleared the way very opportunely for the elevation of the Premier of" the moribund Ministry to the Council and its Chairmanship, and under all the circumstances we do not propose to cavil at the appointments. But it is altogether too clear that the majority of the other appointments have been made m order to cloak certain nominations which are regarded by Parliament and the public with the strongest disfavor, but to which the Atkinson Ministry m some manner became pledged. The dust attempted to be thrown into the eyes of Canterbury takes the form of Mr C. C. Bowen. Mr Bowen is a most estimable gentleman. His public services entitled him long ago to the honour of a seat m the Council—indeed, he was for some time a member of the Council, bat resigned m order enter the lower House, —and our surprise is that a gentleman of hrtherbo untarnished honour should allow himself, after a long retirement from politics, to be made use of as a blind to a transaction which he must condemn. Mr Orinond was understood to have said good bye to politics m disgutt, but apparently his services are required a3 Assistant dry nurse to his party,—Sir John Hall being of course the chief "Gamp." Messrs Whyte, Johnston and Fulton were old members of the lower House and of course, staunch supporters of the Atkinaonian party ; it is claimed that personally nothing t can be said against their fitI ness for their new sphere, but on the other hand no reason can be given for their translation. We come, lastly, to Mr Downie Stewart. Of the nature of this gentleman's relations with the Atkinson Government vre know little beyond what is common talk m political circles. His claims on his party must be of the strongest, for qualifications such as would justify his appointment m face of the agreement that no more nominations to the Upper House should be made he has none. It is freely stated that the other five I nominations—we leave Sir Harry ! Atkinson's out <■>£ count—have been made for no other reason than that Mr Stewart migi.it" get m with the crowd." Everybody will remember the appoint; I ment of Mr Stewart's late partner Mr Denniston to the judgeship which ! should have been Judge Ward's, and as there is more than a suspicion that Mr Stewart is destined for one of the legal offices m the new Ministry which the remnants of his party will endeavor to fotTOj it is naturally asked what can he have -done to have such claims upon the honors *nd emoluments m the bestowal m esse and m posse of the Atkinson party ? The present nominations to the Council will be recorded as one of the greatest scandals m the history of N.ew Zealand.