The Evening Mail. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 396, 4 August 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1877.

The political atmosphere at Wellington is becoming thick with rumours of great events likely to transpire ere the present session of Parliament becomes much older. The special correspondents of almost every journal—our own amongst the number—are flashing along electiio wires little bits of political gossip, most of which tend to show that a row will take placein the House of Representatives before loner. The Financial Statement delivered by IMajor Atkinson* the other night appears to have thrown parties into a state of confusion, from which there seems a probability of a strong party being formed for the purpose of dislodging the Government from their seats on the Treasury Benches. The proposals of the Colonial Treasurer with regard to the Land Fund have, it is said, displeased the Canterbury members, and have alienated from the Ministiy some of the few Otago members who have hitherto done their bidding with meekness and lowliness of .•spirit. The consequence is that advantage has been taken of the disorganiseel state of parties to form an Opposition upon a new basis, the great concession being the non-raising of the Separation question. The evertures re ported S' me time ago to have been made to Sir William Fitzhekbert to relinquish the dignified position of Speaker of the House of Representatives and assume the more active, if less lucrative, post of leader of the Opposition, have again been resumeel. Whether or not he will consent to the arrangement seems dependent upon the nature and strength of the Opposition likely to be formed. That a powerful Opposition might be organised, were certain eluiicalties which have hitherto prevented the cementing together of the several little factions who have hitherto opposed the Ministry removed, we have no doubt. There is now a strong feeling against the Ministry within trie House and without, consequent upon thegross manner in which solemn pledges have been broken—pledges by which the Ministry succeeded in obtaining the passing of the Abolition Bill and the retention of their seats on the Treasury benches. Then, again, the flagrant manner in which the

affairs of the country have been mismanaged, and the expressed wishes of Parliament set at naught, has caused a feeling of distrust to be engendered amongst many members who have hitherto given the Government a loyal support. As we pointed out some time ago, the only thing required to bind together a powerful Opposition upon some welldefined and broad principles was a man of experience, capable of, and willing to, take the command of the party. We then pointed out that, of all the members of the House, Sir William Fitzheebeet was the best fitted for the position. Were he to consent to take the leadership of the o.' position, and were the opponents of the Government willing to make concessions in order to meet one another's views, very little difficulty would be experienced in feirnrng a strong Opposition. Tnat there is such a desire amongst members at present we are freely told by newspaper correspondents, who even go the length of saying that some of the Otago and Canterbury members have expressed

their approval of the Land Fund becoming generalised, while the Otago and Auckland members are willing to forego the Separation question, in order to consolidate the discordant atoms which at present oppose the Government into one powerful and harmonious whole. To most of our readers the concessions to be made by Otago will doubtless seem altogether too great, more especially that portion relating to the generalisation of the Land Fund. However much we may regret the adoption of such a course, we cannot close our eyes to the fact that such a proceeding will ere long be brought about, whether we like it or not. Canterbury is parting with her landed estate at a most rapid rate, while Otago is not in a position to follow the same course. Directly the landed estate of Canterbury has been reduced to a minimum, as it sunn will be at the rate her sales are going on, we shall have the Canterbury members supporting the generalisation of tiic land —a proposal in which the members from most other parts of the Colony will be found readily to acquiesce. Indeed, many of the Canterbury members are known to favour such a proposition even now. To us the despoiling of our land fund becomes more and more certain, and it becomes necessary that the best terms possible should be made with regard to it, before the despoiler steps in. It would be useless to think of making terms with the Ministry, for they have already clearly demonstrated what little faith can be placed upon their most solemn promises. To a party dependant upon the Otago members for support and strength to carry the clay we must look, then, to make terms of some kind with regard to the land fund, though there is little hope of Otago being able to retain undisputed possession of it for any length of time. For this reason, then, if for no other, we think that the representatives of Otago should lend their aid towards the formation of an Opposition upon same broad, Colonial basis. If they should consent to do so, and a number of the Canterbury members could be brought to join with them there need be little fear as to the result. The Auckland members would be found throwing the whole of their weight on to t:;e side of the Opposition, while, were Sir William Fitzherbert to consent to take the command of the party, a large majority of the Wellington members would speedily join the ranks of the Opposition. With such a powerful combination it would be impossible for the Ministry to maintain the position which they have held for so long and with so much discredit. Were a combination formed such as that we have indicated, it would possess men of ability far superior to that of the Ministry —men of known integrity, and not mean, shifty mortals such as the pivsent Cabinet is composed of. Such a party as we have indicated would doubtless unmoor amongst its adherents Sir William Fitziierbert, Sir George Grey, Messrs. Macvsdkew, Stout, Kolleston, travers, r.eader wood, gjsbohne, Stevens, Bun>y, Sheehan, De Lautour, and Montgomery—than whom there are not a more capable lot of men in the House of Ilepresentatives besides a host of Jesser lights. If these could be brought to'/ether upon some broad and liberal platform, we nii.Liht then have a Ministry of which the Colony might well feel proud, and not a Cabinet composed of discordant atoms, bound together by no other tie than a desire to share the loaves and fishes and the many other precious pickings so plentifully placed at the disposal of our rulers. What the policy of such a party should be we are not prepared to say ; but the leading features should undoubtedly be the unity of the Colony, financial reform, equalisation of representation, a proper sjrstem of dealing ivith the natives, reform in our Civil Service, improved administration, and a cessation from borrowing and the stoppage of imnrgratiou, except to a limited extent, until the Colony has had time to reap some of the bene "its derivable from the vast public works which it has undertaken. Since the above was in type, we have received a special telegram conveying the intelligence that a party, such as that indicated by us, has been formed, and that there is every probability of Sir "William Fitzherbert accepting the leaders'!ip of the new Opposition. If this intelligence should prove to be correct, there is every probability of the Ministry being turned out of office before long.