The Evening Star SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4170, 8 July 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1876.

The most enthusiastic opponent of the present Ministry must feel ashamed of the course taken by the section of the House who style themselves par excellence "the Opposition." Already it seems generally acknowledged that Sir George Grey is utterly unfit to lead a party, and, if we may believe current report, efforts are being made to secure a more able tactician. That there are men who vote with him of far more practical experience and far sounder judgment no one will dispute, but on the other hand there are too many rash, inexperienced, and impulsive members unwilling to subordinate their individuality to party organisation, for any politician to depend upon their submitting to the necessary restraint he would have to impose upon them to secure party la fact the Opposition is a divided one, and their tactics resemble a guerilla warfare. There is scarcely a single proposition made by the Ministry that is not cavilled at from one side oe the other. No broad views we enunciated calculated to induce confidence in any Opposition member. The wiser and older members mainly remain silent, and leave the petty quibbles and attacks to the juniors, two of whom appear determined to show the country how easy it is to waste the time of the House and the country by obatnic ting business for no earthly purpose for the mere sake of talking. It f» as well that it is so. The country by thia means is enlightened as to the motiv'jß that actuate members, and become & aware of the kind of talent seeking to distinguish itself. Whatever ho pe there might have teen of formir g an Opposition capable of conductit tl pu bH c affairs nuci-e tho cp::nn S , V; iV-rlianient, the miserable driv/i? ling and disunion manifest amc /A g the eighteen

or twenty who have ranged themselves against the Government must have dispelled it. If a motion is made by the Government, however reasonable in itself, up starts Sir George Grey and objects because it is unjust to Auckland, and, after him, follows that interminable jabberer, Mr Rees. After they have had their say, the Otago men must have theirs. Equally distasteful to them as to the Auckland faction, Otcigo's ground of opposition is not that of Auckland ; but assuming the two united to be successful, their success would divide them, and Auckland w©uld quarrel with Otago about the division of the spoil. But this wretehed cavilling regarding public questions forms the most innocent feature in the Opposition tactics. A far more reprehensible system is freely indulged in of endeavors to injure the personal reputations of the Ministry. Charges of corruption are freely made, which, if true, should certainly be visited with the severest reprobation, but should never be uttered excepting on good grounds. The damage done by such insinuations is not confined to the individuals. It is a stain upon the country, calculated to injure its reputation and credit. In his Financial Statement the Treasurer pointed to this when he said New Zealand had suffered in credit at Home through detraction, and this should induce serious consideration on the part of all concerned in circulating false statements of its social condition, finance, or the probity of its statesmen. Thus far no country can have been ruled by men less selfish than New ; Zealand's statesmen. There is necessarily difference of opinion respecting policy, and this was proHlinently brought out in the debate on Native affairs, in which some still advocated the system of conquering peace by force instead of by jus* tice, forbearance, and peace. The success of tho Native Minister, the prosperity of the country under the reign of peace, the moral and material advancement of the Maori race have no merit in Opposition eyes. There is, apparently, in some minds no dignity in such things. Sir George Grey, for instance, seems to consider the successful policy of the last few years a virtual censure upon his administration), and some of his followers follow in his wake. It is disgraceful to see so many Northern members still wedded to a like course of repression that has already cost the country so dearly. Admitting that there maybe cases in which resort to force is unavoidable, there is little dignity in so harsh an alternative; yet the firm but conciliatory policy is denounced as "effeminate" and the warlike praised as that of " dignity." It is time that things were called by their right names, and that war should be resorted to only as a dreadful necessity consequent upon the degradation of at least one of the belligerents, whose defiance of what is right, and just, and true has djagged the other down to its Wei, so far as resort to physical: force is concerned. There is no indignity but the highest moral and intellectual position in seeking to raise and civilise a nation by the exhibition of firmness, justice, and forbearance. The strong only can take such a position. The petty annoyance to which the Native Minister has been subjected has been because of a cock-and-bullj story of a murderer being present at some meeting he held with Tawhaio. Although this is denied by him, the snarling attack has been renewed. That such a thing was even likely is contrary to all Sir Donald M'Lean's antecedents,. and is less likely now that his influence is established than in times past. If ever there was a necessity for it, it has passed away. The matter is hardly worth notice, but we in the South are interested in observing how little the Northern members care about the past, notwithstanding the tax their quarrels have saddled the Colony with. .