VIEWS FROM DIFFERENT STANDPOINTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1688, 15 October 1887, Page 4

VIEWS FROM DIFFERENT STANDPOINTS.

It is surprising what different pictures different artists will paint of the same subject, as viewed by them from different standpoints, although the painters may have been brought up m the same school and may even be | members of the same family. # This reflection, we think, will arise m the mind of most of our readers when contemplating the pictures, painted by two highly gifted artists, of a common subject — the difficulties experienced by Major Atkinson m getting together a team to represent a Ministry. The - artists are members of "the Happy Family" now performing m Wellington, than which, according to the testimony of a colonist recently returned from England, "no more striking spectacular exhibition of natural contrasts was ever witnessed, either m the Home Country or elsewhere." The " Happy Family," now doing duty m the Ministerial menagerte m the Empire City, comprises groups, of* such widely different habits, feeling, and temprements that Nature has implanted m the members of each group, a mutual dread and distrust of each other, and though, at present, living on terms of the utmost harmony, is liable to be rest asunder, should any 11 bone of contention "be introduced bto its midst. Here we haye — metaphorically of course, for we should deprecate wounding the delicate sensibilities of even the most tender and youngest member of the " family " — here we have, we say, metaphorically, the lion and the ass, the tiger and the calf, the wolf and the poor little " innocent lamb," all living m concord and doing their best to serve "The King of Beasts." Dropping metaphor, however, and returning, after this rather long digression, to our subject, the views taken by brother artists of the quill — the respective editor of the " Timaru Herald " and the " Wellington Evening Press," of the difficeHies experienced by Major Atkinson tn his attempts to form a Ministry, we may observe that the former, perhaps, is too unpleasantly realistic, while the latter is — W ell, perhaps, just a shade too imaginative. Our Southern contemporary treats the subject thus : — " Those who are inclined to doubt the correctness of our statement that Major Atkinson experienced a difficulty m getting together a strong Ministry, and was compelled to his actual choice m the absence of better materials, can know very little of what has been talked of m political circles m Wellington since the resignation of the Stout- Vogel Government. The name of almost every man of note who was known to have been hostile to that Ministry was mentioned iv connection with the probabilities of Major Atkinson's Cabinet. Even Sir George Grey was suggested as Premier, and some of his former bitter opponents would have gladly seen him occupying the position. Some of the newspapers were full of the names of men who were said to be included m the list, and this apparent superfluity of materials tended to create a belief m the minds of the Yogel party that Major Atkinson's difficulty would be one of selection, 2nd that he was sure to offend a numberof aspirants to office who would necessarily be left out m the cold. But before long the true state of the case began to be revealed. It was found that there was no such anxiety for office. One by one the great men, and even the second-rate men, bashfully demurred to occupying positions m the new Ministry. Sir George Grey was much obliged, but preferred to remain untramelled by office, though he would assist m carrying through a scheme of retrenchment . Where is Mr Ormond, where Captain Russell, and where, oh ! where, is Mr Scobie Mackenzie, who fought such a notable battle with the ex-Premier, and assisted not a little to drive him from his Dunedin seat ? And, finally, where is Sir John Hall. and where is Mr Fulton, that stout and able supporter of Major Atkinson ? The answer is that they did not care to tinner take the ugly work of retrenchment, and preferred to wait for a nrnre convenientopportunityfortakingofrice." Our Wellington contemporary — the artist we have described as perhaps just a shade too imaginative, thus describes the situation : — " Instead of the Opposition being torn by jealousies and paralysed by heartburnings among rival aspirants to office, it is found, just as we expected, that those gentlemen whose public services and political prominence indicate them most markedly as suitable men for Ministers, are vicing. with each other m cheerful abnegation of self for the the promotion of the common objects of the party. Each one whom Sir Julius Yogel and his friends calculated would snatch for a fieldmarshal's baton and go straight over to the enemy if he did not get it, is begging to be allowed to shoulder a musket or beat a drum, or mount the recruiting sergeant's ribbons and enlist " strong/Tiealthy young men for Her Majesty's sfervice." Instead of being harassed by rival claims to office, instead of having to face the insoluble problem of dividing six portfolios among twenty members, m certain peril of losing fourteen votes, Major Atkinson has received unreserved pledges of support from the very men who have the strongest claims, accompanied by assurances of their entire willingness to leave the selection of the Cabinet absolutely to the leader to be chosen by the party. It stands to reason, or course, that when men like these set such an example, those whose claims are altogether inferior to theirs, will feel bound to follow it ; and, m effect, there is good reason to believe that not a single member will urge any claim of his own, or waver m his allegiance to the new Government because he happens to be left out. The Opposition thoroughly realise two things; first that the claims of individuals ? ' wholly obliterated by the urgenr 'JJ the political position ; and, sec 'i,™ that m a party constituting a *jqJ"Z\ majority, under a Ministry w^*^ follow with pride and enthu, siasra e JJJJ member will be a man of m&uinn*; Parliament and m the coSmlf Th it has come about that Major Atkinson instead of being bewildered 2' rival .claimants, finds *. difficult securing for colleagues the men who c services are essential to the prompt and effective execution of the policy which * he , Pf°Pj? .have demanded. iS g >s to(J l5 nDsu,>hhimielfby sU ndiDg r

From the latter extract our readers will be able to see with what wonderful facility the gifted editor of the "Evening Press" can make "the worse appear the better reason," and we are quite sure we need not remind them how\ much of that kind of thing was done by the Opposition press during the late campaign. From the former they «■ will be able to gauge the strength of. the Mini srv, and to determine m their own mind whether it is inthememorable words of Loid John Russell " Strong enough for the place."