The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1877.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 145, 21 June 1877, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1877.

Thbee have been some ably-written articles in the Christchurch Press of late on the •prospects of the Ministry and the Opposition during the coming session. The opinion of that journal with regard to the Government individually and collectively we published a few days ago, and to-day we will give a summary of the. article on the Opposition. Our contemporary commences by stating that a mistake had been made in speaking of " the disorganised state of the Opposition, as to say that they are disorganised implies that they once possessed an organisation, but this is not the fact. There never was anything in existence so completely destitute of all evidences of organised life." The writer then goes on to aay that "it is a remarkable thing about the Opposition that they have never had a policy." There had been loud and continuous boastings of the grand schemes they were going to bring forward; Sir George Grey announced in the House that he had prepared a grand policy that was to place the public in command of " much larger sums," but the time had not yet arrived for. the disclosure of the precious secret ; then it was. given out that it was to be made public at a grand dinner of the Superintendents, but though the dinner came off and the Superintendents sang each other's praises at the top of their voices, the " policy '? still remained unrevealed. Then the new Parliament met, but the only policy suggested by Sir George was contained id his separation resolutions, and then in an indefinite form, the most important questions involved being left unexplained. His followers tried to supply the omissions of their chief, but their attempts were so contradictory as to make it evident that the matter had nerer been thought out by any of them. ' From the date of their defeat ou this question they never again pretended to have any policy of their own, and thenceforth gave themselves up to obstructiveness, and their conduct became so intolerable that all the respectable members dropped away and Sir George was left with nothing but the political riif-raff about him. During the recess they have made no sign except to get up that wonderful thing that called itself the Otago Convention, when " a small minority of the local bodies of Otago were induced under much persuasion to meet together at Dunedin and to play their antics for the diversion of thepublic. But the wouldbe 1 tragedy speedily broke down. It was fairly driven off the stage by the shouts of laughter that greeted it from every part of the colony, Since then nothing has been heard even of the leaders. Sir George is buried iv his island, and "Mr Macaudrew has given out that he means to leave the country, and appears to be only waiting for the testimonial which his friends are assiduously canvassing for, apparently with but very moderate success." The Press concludes its caustic remarks upon the Opposition as follows:—" Sucn a thing of shreds and patches was never seen. Falstaff's ragged regiment would be a well disciplined army in comparison with them. Marching in their company, Mouldy, Bullcalf, and Feeble would count as fine dashing soldiers. And it is not only that their plight is so wretched, it is so hopeless. If they could only agree together upon 'some distinct plan, there might be some chance for them. If, for example, they took up with what Mr Bolleston calls a modified form of provincialism, and went in for big counties, with influential Councils, and quasiSuperintendent chairmen, they would not be proposing what we should ourselves be able to agree in, and we do not think they would carry it, but they would at all events have a policy, and they would be pursuing an intelligible line. Or if they preferred separation — provided they could all agree in what they meant by it and how it was to be carried out —they would then also stand before the country upon a recognisable ground of party action. In either of these cases, though they might not succeed in their immediate purpose, they would have a definite object to fight for, and they would occupy an intelligible and respectable position. Being as they are, their position is contemptible and discreditable. There is nothing in which they can appear united. There is no large public question on which different members of the Opposition are not diametrically opposed to each other. They constitute a motley assortment of confused sentiments and clashing opinions. They have absolutely no motive for working together beyond that which animates the lowest order of politicians — the hope of getting the Government out and getting themselves in. Their only principle of union is the desire of place."