Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1879. THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 7, 16 September 1879, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1879. THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

TT «• — The elections are now over, the appeal to the country has been made, and in a few days Parliament will again meet. To forecast; the result of the coming session wouldl^e impossible ; but from wfeat- we can gather of the result of the "elections, it is certain parties will.be pretty evenly balanced. The new leader of the Opposition will be the Hon. John Hall, and the House is to be. congratulated on the change. Doubt* less Sir Wm. Fo* will now find ample scope for. the exercise of his remaining talents in haranguing Bands of Hope and <£ood Templar lodges, and in showing off before audiences of women and children those theatrical quah'ties which made him an object for mingled pity and contempt when moving the no-confidence amendment last session. ' Mr Hall has a calmness and dignity whioh are indispensable in the leader of a party, although he lacks individuality of charactej: and self-assertivenss. Nevertheless he is certain to command a larger and more influential following than Sir Wm; Pox could have gathered. That there will be heavy fighting during the., session is undoubted. This will not be upon the policy x)f the (government, but upon its personnel. A large proportion of the-iaaembers have been returned to Parliament pledged to suppoit the Liberal party, and Sir George Grey as leader-; a second and influential section of the House, are returned as supporters of the policy of the Liberals, but opponents of the Premier ; whilst a third party (a small minority)* are opposed" to both the. policy of the Liberals ai*<l the prefent Administration. TB» existence of these three parties wilfetundojibtedry complicate matters. We feel certain the Auckland and Westland men willresolutely

oppose the deposition of Sir George Grey from the leadership of the Liberal party ; whilst the section of, the House following Mrßallance will support the Liberal principles, but will refuse allegiance to Grey. Should this middle party unite with the Opposition, the defeat of the Government is certain. The probable result would then be a reconstruction of parties, and a coalition Ministry. The whole question would be solved, however, by the retirement of Sir George Grey. Humors that he contemplates such a step have been afloat for a week or two past, but we place little reliance upon them. When facing a vast crowd a few days ago at Christchurch, where he was almost refused a hearing, the old soldierknight said, " I never ran away in my life, and I am not going to do so now." He will probably tell friends and foes the same thing in the House. It ..will be found that those who have united their political fortunes with his in the Liberal interest, must perforce stand or fall with him. That he is a mighty power in New Zealand to-day, not even his^most inveterate opponents can deny. A few weeks ago he was badly beaten by a majority of fourteen. The appeal to the country has resulted in the defeat of the leader of the Opposition, Sir Wm. Fox, whilst the following gentlemen who voted against the Government, have lost their seats, viz. — Messrs Baigent, Barff, J. E. Brown, Canington, Curtis, Cutten, Fitzroy, Green, Hobbs, Hunter, Murray-Ayns-ley, Bdwe, "Whitaker, Williams, the Hon. E. Bichardson, Captain Morris, Dr Henry, and Sir Kobert Douglas. Such a death-list as that surely demonstrates, not only that Liberal principles have a firm hold upon New Zealand, but also that the Premier is regarded by the people of the Colony as worthy to be entrusted with the direction of the affairs of Nlw Zealand.