The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1893. POLITICS IN VICTORIA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2895, 10 February 1893, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1893. POLITICS IN VICTORIA.

One of Max O'RelPs best jokes against the Australian Colonies was on their frequent changes of Government, which of late years, it must be said, have quite eclipsed the" records pre viously held by the. Central American republics. Soino of the recent changes have leen very peculiar, and the way in which parties have changed as well has been quite kaleidoscopic, Victoria, iv particular, has shown some startling combinations and disruptions. Previous colleagues have moved votes of no confidence in each other, and it is scarcely possible to tell who's who politically. Sir Graham Berry wag supplanted in the Agent-Generalship by Mr Munro, only to become the central figure in the Ministry of which the latter resigned the premiership in order to go to London ; for Mr Shiels, though nominally Premier, -could by no means be regarded as the real leader, Now M r Patterson has turned out Mr Shiels, but, it is declared, had first to protect himself agaio3t Sir Graham Berry's opposition by promising him the Agent-Generalship in succession to his own supplanter—a promise, it is s*id, which will be somewhat slow of fulfilment. Mr Patterson held office in the Berry Cabinets of 1875, 1877-80, and 1880-81, but his political opinions have changed since those days—possibly under the influence of prolonged and repeated travels, which included New Zealand, America and Europe. Such is the present decidedly mixed condition of Victorian politics and politicians, and what changes the nex^ turn of the kaleidoscope will show is impassible to forecast, Of one thing we are sure— that the task of rehabilitating the finances ef Victoria is one which will claim the exercig? of all the courage and capability that Mr Puttcreori has during the last three years shown he possesses.