The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday September 20,1890. UNHONORED AND UNSUNG!

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 509, 20 September 1890, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Saturday September 20,1890. UNHONORED AND UNSUNG!

Bo jrtet anti fear Hot ; Let all tho ends thou alm’st athu thy oountry'a, Thj Gkjd'Pt mid ttufh’fe

At the opening of the just-concluded session, the Governor invoked the blessing of Providence upon its deliberalions ; at its conclusion the people of New Zealand, with scarcely any exception, are inclined to hurl curses at it. From beginning to end it has been one of the most humiliating scenes that has ever taken place in the Parliamentary history of the colony. The Government was only tolerated because the people had faith in Sir Harry,

Atkinson. They trusted to his individuality to overcome the discrepancies of his colleagues, and while he was able to remain at his post they had the semblance, at least, of good government. But there is no doubt the people have paid dearly for their faith, and any good that Sir Harry may have effected has been modified, if not nullified, by | the persistent blunders of men who were never meant to be in Parliament at all—much less to govern. It may be that with the present personnel of the House, the fault lay, not so much with Sir Harry, as with the people who elected the members. Perhaps, as regards our own district; such an argument would, to a certain extent, apply. If it applies to the whole colony, then we can only say “ Qh, unhappy country, that must make such a -confession ? ” But whose ever the fault, the fact remains that such a state of things did exist, and with the breaking down of Sir Harry’s health, it made “ confusion worse confounded.” The session was altogether atactical mistake, and should never have been entered upon, and surely the warnings given to that effect, were long and loud enough. The only ground upon which the session can be accounted for, is that the former sessions of the present Parliament have been so barren that the Government felt they must make an effort in order to go to the country with some better record. They were, however, forgetful or painfully oblivious to the fact that for a Government in such a position, and under such extraordinary conditions as exist, to attempt to bring anything important forward at such a period, when honorable gentlemen were intent more on securing the succession to their seats than on real business, meant nothing more or less than failure. These are matters which a Government'with any claim to foresight should have seen and guarded against. To attempt a session with a strong man at the head of affairs would be folly; to do so with the head practically useless was Sheer madness, and has met with the disaster which it merited. As a consequence, a Parliament which, although it could not be greatly praised, would at; least have escaped with little blame, will go down to posterity with loss of credit, if no worse befalls it. “ Accusations against Government ” occupy the greater part of Hansard. Those accusations may or may, not be true. They depend tp a great extent upon expert evidence. But the country will' have accusations of another nature Parliament, the truth ©r Wterwise of which every man can judge for himself—and if the Government say they have fulfilled the trust placed in them, it is hard to see how they can arrive at such a conclusion except upon facts which are not visible to the general body of people.