CONTEMPORARY OPINIONS ON CURRENT EVENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 2981, 7 September 1872, Page 2

CONTEMPORARY OPINIONS ON CURRENT EVENTS.

THE NEW MINISTRY. The Independent, discussing the probable personnel of the new Ministry, observes Messrs Stafford, Fitzherbert, Curtis, Reid, Wood, and probably Sir David Monro and J. C. Richmond in the Cpper House ; while Mr Shephard wili hold himself in readiness to step into the Superinteudency held by Mr Curtis. How will this programme suit the country ? No doubt, provincialiata will toss up their bonnets at the names of Mr Fitzherbert and Mr Curtis, though they will be rather puzzed to guess the role to be played by Mr Stafford. Perhaps, as he has acted the “disappointed man” so long, and so miserably, he will now essay the part of the repentant prodigal, by throwing himself on the bosom of his provincial father, Mr Fitzherbert. Mr Reid, no one can for a moment tloubt, is well qualified to relieveusof our land difficulties. In that respect he will completely eclipse Mr Vogel; while the one has raised money on the Colonial estate by by.

pothecation, the other will only do a cash business, and soon get rid ot the stogk altogether. Mr Curtis will act as an excellent drag upon the gushing spirits around him, and impart into the politics of the country the hypnotic element so peculiar to Nelson and with the same success, of course. Mr Wood will be the martyr amongst his patriotic band, should ho be doomed to live in the /lesert of Wellington. Being one of those placid tempered sybarites, people will be sorry for him, and possibly the seat of Government may bo shifted to a spot more suitable to his temperament. It was decidedly a prompting of genius that suggested the translation of the great colonial master of deportment to the dignified gloom of the Upper House ; but why, iu the name of all that is sensible, give him Mr J. Richmond as a coadjutor? Why divorce him from the sanctum of the Examiner, where he has so long relieved his distempered organisation of the atrabilious humors with which be has been so much oppressed ever since he caught that severe neuralgic attack by being sent out in the cold.

MR STAFFORD AND MR M'LEAN. The Auckland Evening Star (Opposition), in referring to Mr M'Lean, says it does not often fall to the lot of Colonial politicians to occupy so flattering a position as he does at the present moment. Often and sorely has his conduct of native affairs been criticised. Nothing at tim-vs was had enough to say of him. Hia treatment of the natives was un-English and unmanly, and though practical proof was afforded that his policy kept fire and sword from the homes of our settlors, our indignation was invited to boil over because he did not promptly and summarily avenge every slight and wrong at the hands of the v ative tribes. Now an opportunity is afforded to his criticisers to make Mr M'Lean stand aside, and for themselves to confront the Native difficulty. But no, thank you. They are prepared to walk over to the Treasury benches band in hand with Mr M'Lean ; but there is a ghost in the closet, and they will not peep in there unless they have Mr M'Lean with them to exorcise the dark spirit. Bounce is now stilled. Great is the policy of conciliation, and Mr M'Lean is its prophet; and the intermeddling of any other hands than those of Mr M'Lean is regarded as sure to embroil the Colony in a war of races. Such appears to be now the prevalent fooling in the House of Represen'atives, and as a party in opposition have an irrepressible craving for the honours and emoluments of the ministerial side of the House, Mr McLean is invited to prove traitor to his colleagues and Ida party and pass over, and be a tower of strength to their enemies. That such proposal should be entertained in an assemblage of Englishmen shows how ab sense of honor can b s , obliterated • y contact with the villanies of colonial politics. If Mr McLean could perpetrate such an act of treason he would give the lie to his past career, and appear the meanest truckster that has figured in New Zealand politics. But to expect Mr M'Lean to be so shortsighted and so traitorous as to abandon his colleagues and their common rolicy when it is temporarily under a cloud argues very little sense of honor and manliness in the proposers. Shoulder to shoulder the Ministry have fought together ; and side by side we hope for the sake of honor we shall see them fall together if they cannot stand together, The idea and hope exyressed that Mr M'Lean will let_ his duty to his country overcome his loyalty to his party is so exquisite bunkum that we cannot avoid contemplating it with pleasure. It assumes that those wanting place and power are animated by a love of their coun try, aud that Mr M'Lean must see it in that light. If Mr M'Lean cares anything for his country, he could not fad to view with alarm the smash that is likely to be made of the policy of colonisation on the intrusion of those who have never concealed their hatred of it, and he will I robably consider it his duty to do everything he can to avert such a catastrophe. On this point we think the mind of the Colony may be at rest.

THE WEST COAST MEMBERS. In promptitude of expression, though not in the formation of its opinion, the Wellington Independent has anticipated us when it declares that for the West Coast members to vote against the present Ministry would be to vote both against the sympathies and the best interests of those whose sympathies and interests they are supposed to represent. . Mr White has remained tine to his character by continuing in opposition, yet we venture humbly to think that, by continuing to do so, he is not so true to the instincts by which ho should be guided, or to the interests of the important section of the West Coast of which he is the honored, respected representative. He cannot surely refuse to confess that, at least so far as the West Coast is concerned, the Ministry’s administration has been wellmeant and not ill-executed, while among the strangely constructed Opposition of whom he is one he finds himself working with those who are opposed to the whole spirit of the people of the Coast—to the very objects for which they are at present actively agitating, and who exhibit no capacity for administration superior to that of the men who, on the sole pica of inferiority, it is sought to unseat, —Grey River Argus.