THE Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1881. SAVED BY A SURAW.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 151, 3 August 1881, Page 2

THE Manawatu Times.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1881. SAVED BY A SURAW.

BCVNXC

The Ha,U Ministry has yot another life, but the ea&ipe ft-oni final extinction "was so dph'ow that there was do fuQ m it, and the means by ' which they escaped igaotu'mous de- | feat was o2 such au anomalous characfcei* as to augur badly for a lengthened fata re career. If we except Ministers themselves, the-e was not I one of the forty -one who registered j their votes with the Ayes who had a solitary word to say iv defeuce of the Treasurer's Local Finance scheme ; on the contrary four-fifths of them coadeaioed it m no mild language. "With Machtateltjaw cunniag the Mioisierial organs and red-hot pnrHsans of the Government m the House, wouM insist —notwithstanding ihe indicia oh denials of the member for Clive — that Mr. Oumond was m lea « no with ihe senior member for the- Thames, and persistently refevred to the Oi?"\rovD-Grß><:Y party, well iuoffiog that the veiy thought of such a combination was distasteful to Ihe House, and would cause a revulsiou m favor of the Ministry sufficient to outweigh their shortcomings. It is perfectly sickening to hear the ebul'tlou of chm-ued up wrath and virtuous iudigual.ioti which is hurled at ihe hon. member for Clive for his alleged traitorous conduct, by pseudo-itumaculate legislators and -Mioisters. and their literary fuglemen of the Press, notwithstanding that it ha* been freely admitted that so long ago as last Session. Mr. Ohmonb's utterances proclaimed that he owed no allegiance to the Halt. Administration. " Circumstances alter cases," and those gentlemen, political as well as literary, who affect to he horrified at Mr. OttMO'sn's so-called perfidious disaffection, have quite forgotten the peans of jubilation which they chauuted over the black-hearted treachery and corruption of the notorious Auckland Rats, when they sold their honor and party for a mess of pottage, and crossed the floor of the House, mid a torrent of execrations " from those they had. basely betrayed, and the ill-disguised loathing and contempt of their teniptora and purchajjers. Is there the

slightest comparison between the action of Mi*. Obmond and that of the Auckland Rodents, who basely betrayed party and principle, and sacrificed honor and self-respect for a filthy bribe? And yet, although secretely despising the traitors, the toady Tory Press lauded their- magnanimous treachery — if we may use a paradox. The Ministry have certainly scored a victory, but there are some victories more disastrous thau a defeat, and that of Thursday night may be fairly classed m that category ; for it was quite evident that the majority did not range themselves under the Ministerial banner through love or admiration of its leaders, but from a thorough dread that a change might throw the reius of power into the bauds of the Knight of Kawa. During the debate supporters of the Government hurled anathemas at the heads of the so-called obstructionists, and the Wellington Press deuounced those who would rote for the Fa no end m cut as \visbiug to throw out both the Railways Construction and Representation Bills. The Country vras told tbat everything was matured, and the moment the division was taken upon the No Coundeoce motion, both the important measure referred to would be brought before tbe House. Tbe Ministry ba,ve been, saved by a straw ; they bave got an exteuded Jeaseof power, and itisto be hoped the promise will not be shamefully violated, as it was last Session. There is a difference, nnd a wide one between the Ministry and tbe Opposition; for wbile the latter are taunted with the possession of too much policy, the sneer is one which can never be levelled at their opponhents, who instead of aviog any matured plans, have systematically waited for tbe popular wind, and then trimmed their sails to catch the breeze. The question of local government never would have been touched upon, were it not tbat both Sir Geokge Gteet and Mr. "Wakh;fjeld brought thematierprominently before the House, and now that it has been universally condemned by friend and foe. its author intends to relegate it to the obscurity from whence it should never have emerged.