THE OPPOSITION

Dunstan Times, Issue 496, 20 October 1871, Page 3

THE OPPOSITION

In an article on the “composition of the opposition ", the Wellington Independent thus describes ihe statue of some well known members :—“ Of all persons in the Huse we should suppose Mr. Creighton commands the least confidence. His influence is confined to his own vote. Sworn to no party, of no sect is he. His brief administration in Auckland, affording a fair caution to those who know him what “to avoid ”in political places of confidence and trust. Mr Rollgs-ton presents the curious paradox of JrMng at the. same time the most consistent and the most inconsistent politician m the colony : consistent in “ generals, ” inconsistent in “particulars.” The country can only be saved by carrying o«t his special crotchets—the Government of the day> whoever they may be, are his special aversion. He belongs to what we may call the “Jeremiad” school of politicians, being nearly the last survivor, fortunately, in Parliament, and like the prophet who has given the name to the designation, pours forth a constant flood of lugubrious bewailings over everything in general and nothing in particular; he has one follower, rather difficult to manage, and impossible to drive—Mr. E. J. Wakefield. Of him we will say but this, that as yet he has shown no signs of ever being able to regain that position of an orator and a thinker which he maintained of old, and that his continual display of petulance and petty pride do not tend in any way to restore his influence. Next we have Mr. Donald Reid and his provincial—we were going to say “ tail, ” but that would be rude ; we will substitute “ following.” Mr, Reid, as Provincial Secretary cf Otago, in forming his Executive upon the last occasion, judicially selected two honorable members of the House, Messrs Bradshaw and Bathgate, as his colleagues. He may therefore be looked upon with respect as absolutely commanding, upon all critical occasions, at least two votes besides his own. On the other hand, his’ conduct in provincial politics has necessarily alienated from him the majority of the Otago members, and has utterly destroyed any chance of his taking a position in the House. Numerically, no doubt, Mr. Reid is a gain to the Opposition, in any other way he is by no means an acquisition, being obstinate to a fault, narrow in his views, having been entirely carried off Lis head by the adulteration of the “ League ” party in Dunedin, who tried bard to return him for the Superiuteudency. Messrs Bradshaw and Bdhgate a v e Mr. Reid’s colleagues, and when we have said that we have said all that is necessary of these gentlemen, who are neithei of them | likely to set the political Thames on fire. | Mr. J. C, Brown may be counted another I staunch follower of Mr. Reid : be is the author of the celebrated dirge of the dying member, recorded for ever in the pages of llansard. Eloquence is not his forte, but ho stands unequalled in what is understood by “ lobbying,” and might be possibly useful to bis party did he but possess those requisites for attaining personal popularity which are indispensable in tne [-position he assumes. Mr. Reader ’Wood, has been a Colonial Treasurer, and must have fully realised the humbug of the whole affair. Is it that those who have once tasted the sweets of office cannot view but with envy, jealousy, and all uncharitableness, the policy of the men who fill their places ? or is the resemblance of the mission to England to raise the ruinous three million loan become bitter from the ■ consciousness that those halcyon days, or days like them, are but the “shadowy phantoms of a vision?” Does Mr. Wood think to regain office under Mr. Stafford’s skirts? AA r ethink he is making a mistake ; and amicably advise him to trim his sails,, and work out of the shallows he has drifted into. Place aux grands. Mr. T. B. Gillies is the heart and soul of the Opposition. There is no douht about his being in earnest; he has a moral hatred of Ministers, and he shows it. His expression of countenance, bis voice when addressing Government benches, is the reverse of angelic, whilst he claws his head with his hands, as if longing to rend his enemies limb from limb. Fortunately it is brutum fulmen, and nothing more, and has little effect, beyond amusement, upon the House. We may he allowed to congratulate the Government that he is in the hostilecamp; he may be depended upon to make the life of the Opposition bitter to them, and, indeed, Stafford before long to wish that he had been horn in Hectors’ prehistoric age. Of Mr. Curtis, it is said—the happy valley of Nelson strong parties of cliques exist, fostered by rival newspapers edited with exceptional talent. It is difficult, probably to live there without imbibing strong party views, and the action of a me...ber of the Government with regard to certain matters in dispute before the Law Courts, may have originate! and intensified a hitter feeling, which has overcome the batter judgment of the Superintendent and his friends ; on all important subjects “ the fifteen ” differ into cirlo. Nay, the very subjects that hulk largest in their estimation are those in winch they differ the most. The land question and the native question must set them all by the ears. Mr. Stafford must take warning by the fate of Actaeon.