THE "LIBERAL" PARTY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 77, 31 March 1881, Page 4

THE "LIBERAL" PARTY.

Tbe following ia an extract from the speech delivered by Mr Bryce at Wangauui last week : — I haye v said something about the Liberafparty, let me say a word or two more before I have done with this part 'of "my subject. There ia n delusion 'in some parts of the country and io some portions of the Press that the House and the country are divided into two great sections*— that there is a deep and broad line of demarcation: between what they are pleased to call the Liberal party and what they call tbe Conservatives or Tories. Toil may take my word for it that that is a Jelosion, and nothing more. There are not tbe elements ia this colony to compose those two parties. Why, look at the House, examine its constituent members, and you will see that no such thing exists in the House. There are eight or nine members who follow Sir George Grey. Ask them what their principles are find they will tell you that they ate adherents of Sir George Grey, but if you BBk them for ony further explanation of their principles you will puzzle them co&sumedly. Then look at tbe party of Mr Macandrew—tbe elected leader of the House —elected leader, I am told, at a meeting of the so-called Opposition. Why, it is impossible to say who are bis followers and who are not. He was the elected leader of tbe Opposition, and if <» want of confldance was to b? proposed it ought to have been proposed by him; but when the vote was proposed Sir George Grey jumped his claim, and proposed it himself. Well, where are the other sections? No one would call the seotion I hive described the Liberal party. Mr Sheehan had a party once, but I don't think he has a party now. I have heard Mr Lundbn say that he wps "Johnny Sheehan's man," and it may be that Mr Sheehan's party is composed of Mr Lundpn. Mr Lundon has a party in tbe House, which consists of tbe four Maoris. But where is the Liberal party ? Ob, then there is Mr. Montgomery's party. Mr Montgomery is a warm personal friend of my own. He \b a man, I believe, who would do a good deal for me, and I would be sorry, indeed, to say a disrespectful word of him. His party consists of o regiment of three, who are 1 all officers. In the first place there is Mr Montgomery himself, then Mr Ballance, then Mr Turnbull of Timaru. Those are the three. I would not say a single word which would hurt the feelings of Mr Montgomery, but, for all that, I think I may describe. Mr Montgomery's party as sn inverted segment tbat does not add strength to the arch of the Opposition. It by no means proves the existence of a Liberal Party in the House, If you want to find the real consistent Liberals of the House, you must look for them in the ranks of tbe supporters of tbe present Government. I say that advisedly. Let me give you an instance. There is Colonel Trimble, a gentleman whose long and honorable life has been devoted to tbe service ol the extreme Liberal! at home. I myself saw a letter about Colonel Trimble written by — who do you think ? By the Secretary of the great Liberal Association of England. Tbat means something. And that letter spoke of; Colonel Trimble in the warmest and. most cordial terms, and referred to bis long services to the Liberal party. It . was written just previous to the last general election at Home, and contained expressions of regret that Colonel Trimble was not with the Association to fight the battle of the Liberal cause. Yet that same man, that same Colonel Trimble, has been held up in this country as a Conservative, as a Tory, and as a sympathiser with land-sharks. I say tbat it is a shame, a burning shame, tbat such things should be done here in the name of the Liberal Party. Gentlemen, some of you may be tempted tossy tbat although the Liberal Party does not exist in the House, it does exist in the country. Well, let me give you one illustration as showing whether or not it does exist in the country. Last session there wai in tbe House a gentleman named Ireland, as thoroughly honorable a man as ever lived. He died during tbe session. He was a man who was respected during life by every member of tbe House. Hie constituents thought, so highly of him at: the previous election—he was a poor man, only a digger— that they paid bis election expenses end returned him to the House free of all cost, and when he died, so greatly did they esteem him, that they begged that his poor mortal remains might be returned to his own district which was done. That was a Liberal member. He did not always vote with that section of the House which claims to be Liberal. He belonged nominally to the party, and invariably voted for Liberal, principles, and it was held up as a proof that hie constituents [must be Liberal because they had returned him. Well, the vacancy caused by Mr Ireland's death had to be filled up, end the same con-" Btituency returned Mr Horace Bastings. Mr Bastings ia a very intelligent man, but if I were aeked to put my finger on one man in the colony who had a par-, tioolar regard for the rights of property, I should put my finger on Mr Bastings. Now does that instance show any deep lines of demarcation? It does not. In my opinion it shows that no such lines exist, and I am further of opinion that they cannot exist in this country, because tbe necessary elements are not to be found here.