The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 22.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 524, 22 July 1881, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 22.

Ie political situation is becoming deledly complicated. The Hon. John ill is about as astute a campaigner as y in the House, but even . he has, imagine, been taken . by snrprise. was a very good move of his when pretended to take Mr Sheehan's 11 for the restoration of the Proices as a want of confidence motion, c dodge was, however, a little too n. As was p..>in l ed out, the present nistry are not responsible for Abo!on, anl a large number of the Opsition would have gone into the opsite lobby to Mr Sheehan on this estion. This the Minister knew :fectly well, and if the question had no to a division Mr Sheehan would ire been in a hopelets minority, and s Government organs would have in enabled to boast of tlie trium int majority Ministers could comnd Whenever they called npon their porters. The Opposition, however, tl<l not have it, and the opportu- ' to secure an apparent majority easy terms was lost. )uring the same evening, however, 'eminent find themselves face to with a directly hostile motion, :h they will find it no such easy Ler to get rid of or defeat. This the shot is fired by one of their ds and supporters. Certiinly Mr out! has 'h'jqiieutly administered Inal admonition to the Governhe snppi rt.yl. Sometimes he has th J length of coercing them (for own good), and calling in the )f the Opposition to ass'st him, the ret enchment \resolution, A

less docile set of men might have rebelled against such conduct, and called upon some of their "candid friends'' either to fall into their phiees in the ranks or go over to the enemy. Mr Hall and his colleague's, however, possess more than an ordinary share of the Christian virtues of meekness and humility. They are always willing to learn, and having learned the opinions of a majority, tbey will never allow any crotchets of their own to stand in the I way oi carrying them out.

There is, however, now no longer the usual loophole of escape. Mr Ormond's motion 'characterizes the Government proposals as " unsatisfactory." In spite of the piteous appeal of the PostmasterGeneral, he gives no hint of what he wants. If he and a sufficient number of members would only say what they require, Government would take their Bills back and tear them up—eat them if necessary. But no They have to face the question as it is, and to find a majority of the House willing to affirm that their measures are satisfactory.

Under the circumstances we erano! see any hope for the Government except in the Opposition. On more than one occasion the hitter have come to the rescue of Ministers, and it may suit their purpose to do so now. If members vote straight according to the sentiments they have expressed, the motion must be carried by an enormous majority. Members as diametrically opposed to each other as Sir George Grey and Mr Wakefield would be found voting for it. But what next ? Could such a heterogenous assemblage form a party sufficiently compact to carry on the government ? Especially could they do so under the leadership of Mr Ortuoud ? We think not. And if not, what then ? Chaos. We are not in the counsels of the Opposition, but we imagine their wiser course to be to take advantage of the weakness and docility of the Government to see that the local government nnd other measures are moulded into proper form, to insist on the Representation Bill being brought down and passed, if they have to sit till Christmas for the purpose, and then, like Boodle, to "throw themselves on the country."