A RECONSTRUCTED INSTITUTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3452, 17 February 1912, Page 7

A RECONSTRUCTED INSTITUTION.

“NO CONNECTION WITH THE OLD FIRM.” THE “POST’S” OPINION(From our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 16. The “Post” (Independent), which has been in the past rather favorably inclined towards the Ward! Government, is bitingly satirical. In winding up its leading article it says: “Craft and subtlety characterises the Speech. It may be deduced that before Lord Islington agreed to voice the Government’s mind*—that mind so wonderfullv re-made—he had to be assured that his advisers had a reasonable prospect of securing the confidence of the House of Representatives. It may be presumed that the Governor would not’ permit himself to be the vehicle for expressing a mere manifesto. The Government cannot, of course, prevail for any length of time unless certain men pledged to defeat the Government readjust themselves in the ultimate trial, of strength. The Government may be hoping to salve the conscience of such persons by representing itself as a reconstructed institution with no connection with the old firm.’ We have emphatically given our opinion of this matter. We cannot see honor or dignity or any lengthy term of power for a Government which tries to lengthen its life by devious shifts. It is a desperate extravagance of promise. Last session Sir Joseph Ward remarked that the Local Government Bill alone was big enough te use up one session. According to that estimate the prospects in the Governor’s Speech would require at least five or six years.”