THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1880.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1957, 2 June 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1880.

Who is the real leader of the Opposition is a question which has not yet been solved satisfactorily. Is Sir George Grey or Mr. Macandrow to pilot their fortunes during tho present session ? Some say one, some say the other. As to the views of these two gentlemen themselves there cannot bo much doubt. Mr. Macandrew, whenever ho has delivered himself to his constituents, has not spoken as a loader of men. His tone has been apologetic and desponding. Sir George Grey, on the other hand, has enunciated his views with all his old decision. He at all events does not seem to recognise that there is

a gulf fixuil between the past ami the present. Hn looks for tho same obedience from his followers as they gave him in days gbno by. He evidently does not think he has been weighed in the balance and found wanting. And taking the utterances of the rival leaders in the opening debate of the session, as given in to-day’s telegrams, the same relative positions appear to bo maintained between them. Mr. Macandrew, in speaking on the Address in Reply, does not attack the Government as the loader of a party. He brings no railing accusation against them. He thinks indeed the property tax had bettor be repealed, but lie considers that the best part of the speech is that which promises a short session, and ho generalises to the effect that too much time is spent in useless legislation to the detriment of adminis'iation. Tho tone of Mr. Macandrow’s speech, as summarised in the telegram, is rather that of a man tired for the time of party warfare, and anxious for a quiet life, or at all events of a man who considers that the time for active operations has not yet arrived. Perhaps ho asks himself—“ What would my party gain if we got into power ? The finances of tho colony are in a most critical state. Trade is depressed. It is impossible at. present to carry out public works on any largo scheme. Why then bo troubled wish the thankless task of conducting public affairs ?.” Mr. Macandrew would appear to see that tho hour is not favorable for the Liberal ‘‘ platform.” But with Sir George Grey the matter is quite different. None of these things trouble him. Pacts must be made to fit into his views, as his views are not at all likely to bend themselves to facts. He is like a light skater gliding over rotten ice, and calling to a number of twelve-stone men to follow him, as he is convinced that all is perfectly safe. He is one of those sanguine natures that are most dangerous iu real life, as they appear incapable of being taught by misfortune. But at all events ho takes a distinct stand, and leads the attack against the Government. But what an attack! He absolutely claims that the true cause of the depression in Now Zealand is the present Ministry, and says that tho Treasurer’s alarming statement must have been prejudicial to the colony. According to Sir George Grey, the fool’s paradise in which his Government lived was not a paradise for fools but for wise men. The most sagacious and most virtuous course for any Government to have pursued was to have endeavoured to keep up tho delusion for the outside world. No attempt is apparently made to prove that Ma jor Atkinson’s statement was not a perfectly true one —indeed, events have proved that, if anything, he was over sanguine—nothing is said of the late Government having run to the extreme length of its tether as to borrowing powers when it was turned out of office; nothing is said of the credit of the colony .having risen under the present administration. All these small matters are conveniently burked, and in effect Sir George Grey says to tho Colonial Treasurer: “The world is full of dupes. You told the truth, and you were a fool for your pains. It was so pleasant to borrow money and make railways indiscriminately. Why did you spoil the sport?” And then Sir George, in continuation of his plan of forcing facta to bend to theories, enunciates the startling proposition that the; present time of depression was not the time to reduce wages. A fictitious activity should have been kept up, and when flourishing times had come round again, a general drawing iu of horns might then have eventuated. Whether the flourishing times were to have been brought about by this fictitious activity, or whether there are natural cycles , of plenty and depression he does not explain, but one thing Is evident—his idea of political morality is not of the highest. Ho does not recognise any moral obligations attached to a man’s position when he is short of cash.. “ Nonsense,” he exclaims, “ wear your best coat and borrow. It is pleasanter, and pays better.” Or to put it in another way. “ When you are hard up go into the workhouse, and let the world at large keep you. When times are better you can come out again.” This is in effect what tho late Premier advises. But, setting aside tho morality of tho advice, is such advice even wise from a worldly point of view ? Does the outside world consist of such fools as Sir George would wish them to be ? We fauoy if he had remained in office a little longer he might have altered somewhat his views on the gullibility of tho English financier. And is the gentleman who enunciates such view in reality the leader of tho Liberal party ? Ho speaks as if he were, and the network of Liberal Asso- • ciations all over tho country believe in him. It is true that the Liberal party, as a whole, divides its allegiance between him and Mr. Macandrew. Mr. Montgomery, for instance, swore fealty to both in the ‘course of one short week. But between the reticent and desponding Mr. Macandrew, and Sir George, with his unwholesome political nostrums, the party will have to choose, unless, indeed, it turns in despair to young Now Zealand’s hope, tho young man from Mount Ida.