Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1155, 25 October 1871, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1871.

The opposition offered to the Ministry pn the part of the Provincial party in the House, although unexpected by them, cannot be matter of surprise. As was the case with Sir Robert Peel in the British Parliament years ago, our Government has betrayed the party that placed it in power. The Peel administration was vested with the government pf Great Britain to defend the agricultural interest against the onslaught of the free trade party; but, taking note pf the prevailing feeling of the coun try, they abolished the com laws —thus effecting a stroke far more bold than the leaders of the reform party were prepared tp make. The result of the clever dodge >yas pvitjently to add to their stability, because the, ftee-traders pould not consistently oppose a policy which "was but the legitimate carrying put of their own principles, and the pnly real opposition they had was from the most ultra of their own party, whom they had deserted. Just so is it with pur present Government: it was placed in power by the Provincialists to check the centralizing tendencies of the Stafford Ministry, but no sooner it' it in power than it disarms the party jt was expected to oppose, by adopting

its policy, and even going to lengths in that direction which would have staggered its leaders. The consequence is, that the only opposition worth mentioning the Government now sustains is from the fragment of its own party which it has left so far in the rear, and which is suffering from the annoyance of being so grievously disappointed in the party it placed in the government of the country. It cannot be supposed that Mr Stafford and those with him can .do other than sympathise with the Ministry in its onslaught on the Provincial institutions. Therefore it is hopeless for the Provincial party to look in chat direction for a leader; yet we believe that the feeling in favor of those institutions is much stronger than has been supposed, and should a master mind turn up to take the lead of that party, Messrs. Yogel and Go. may find ii more formidable than they have seen reason to expect.