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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 131, 3 June 1874, Page 2

Mu. O'Conor's forte appears to be opposition. A more ill-advised, irritating and injudicious speech than that made by him last night in reply, on the motion that the Council go into Committee ou the Estimates, we do not remember ever to have heard. His criticism of Mr Donne's remarks was unnecessarily Bevere, his attack upon Mr Adams altogether uncalled for. If his object be to convert a friendly camp into a hostile army, he will, if he continues to pursue the course he adopted last night, very soon achieve smarked success. The tread-on-the-tail-of-my-coat style of speaking may be very effective in a pugnacious leader of an Opposition, but is altogether unbecoming in the head of a Government ; and if bis colleagues do not induce him to temper the fortiter in re, for which he is famous, with a little more of the suaviter in modo, they will very soon .find a perceptible diminution in tbe majority by whom they are at present supported in the Council. To fight an open enemy is manly and commendable, but to make energies witbout cause is worse than childish. Mr Donne's speech was perhaps a little captious, but was not such as to lay him open to a charge of factious opposition, while that of Mr. Adams was entirely devoid of all semblance of hostility ; and the conduct of the Provincial Secretary, in , attacking these two gentlemen as he did, was quite inexcusable. The present Executive appear to give general satisfaction, and we should be sorry to see them deprived of a fair chance of showing how they can acquit themselves in the important and responsible position in which they are placed ; but if they wish to avail themselves of their opportunity, their leader must lenrn to übc more tact and to adopt a more conciliatory tone. If be will not voluntarily learn, he may depend upon it that he will be taught, and that the lesson he will receive will be a severe one. We sincerely trust that we have seen the last of such uncalled-for ebullitions of temper as that to which Mr. O'Conor gave way last night.