The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 999, 3 July 1879, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1879.

Tits tiuie appointed for the w Parliament is fast approaching', nnd it may tie welt to take a prospective view as to what will bo the results of the SL-ish'ti. As Tot no intimation ot r»u otiieial nature has been given as to the course lively to bo followed by the ;.tUii.srvy : but many of out' contemporaries have indulged in the amusement of drawing up Ministerial programmes, atitl some "t tae •' *** 11 correspondents at V» elittr-toii have ma'.ie elaborate, bit: somewhat contradictory, predictions ad to what is t-- he done, ail of course, " thoroughly reliable." But it would he a piece of o«trojje»iw folly to believe evert one-halt' of the statement-, jnaiie hy these tor they are hut mortal, and are n»t endowed with the power of second-sight. It would oe impossible tor them, any more than any other person, to take a sly peep behind the curtain, and obtain a view "t the Ministerial programme. But, where there is so much chatt wc may hope to tiud a little -'rain. One of the most satisfactory piece.-, of information published by theso know gonttumen t.s that the various Ministerial measured are in a forward .it a to ; buc of what they consist we are Hot told. V> e ai'e, however, assured that amongst therit wilt he found a Representation Bill, the principles of which wilt be similar to those contaiiied in the measured withdrawn last session. Over this there wilt nnttuestienably he n strong tight, and the strength of parties will be fairly tested. The Opposition—that is the members who opp >:e the Government, for there can scarcely he said to he a property organised Opposition—are eager for the fray, and wilt lose no time trt forcing on a direct issue. Infortunatuly for them they have not a leader in whom wither the House or the country had any confidence. Sir William I'oxs day has {,'onc hy. The very pitiable figure he cut as I'render of the Ministry which first brought &r'Jti!tu» Vogel to the front, must ever be viewed .13 a beacon pointing to the dangers which surround the selection of the once brilliant politician as leader of the Opposition. Major Atkinson lost caste woefully in the miserable apology for a Ministry of which lie was the chief member, if not the chief sinner. Mr. Ormond might have aspired to the ■post, had he not damaged hi 3 reputation bv the unpardonable manner in which he hut session attacked Sir George Grey, against whom he mute broad and apparently apeciiie charges, which would have been ot a very damaging character to the rremier had they been true, but which recoiled agaiust the false accuser, he having failed to produce any evidence in support of tits witd assertions, iic is a fluent speaker, and an undeniably clever man, but these qualifications are nullified by a hasty temper and a very bitter tongue. These are scarcely the qualifications necessary to be possessed by a successful leader of an Opposition, while his decidedly " shady" transactions with the natives in Tlawke's Bay would always render him liable to seveio attack, should lie succeed in gettuig into oihee. Of Ml*. Whi taker of pleasant memories v.o iiwil say nothing ; but, for "autd lang syne," we will say a little. He it was that materially hastened the downfall ot the last Ministry, and he is not likely to be trusted again by those who are not only anxious tt> get on the Treasury Benches, but to retain their seats, if they should by ttnv ttuke reach the height of theirambition. The name of 3lr. IJolkatoii is the last on the list of members who appear to have any claim to the position of leader of •» Her Majesty's Opposition/' as Mr. G. Si'-Lean euphemistically term;*, the party at present out in the cold. The member for Avon is not, however, likely to.be opposition. 1-

most inccaanntly for over ten years, but has never yet succeeded in stepping into power. Ho lias not the mental capacity to originate anything in the shape of a policv. r.:i'! liis only aim in life is to tear to ta>'er.-> the policies of other mcmbois. In short. Mr- HoHosion is nothing if not crifi'.-'.I, and wore he to become a Minister to-morrow v.e doub: if he would bo i ' h " *'V ii he v.v;i; *- i m'.ucu t<< fsc'/orciy I criticise his own measures, if he could I Ha<l n-'.-.tiitv.' f cri'.ivi.-.u in the measures i' f 'l'.hf ::-i. Tin; nominal leaders of the t appear to realise the didictdt\ of the p-'jUt'ii. for v.e have been mby telegraph tha: Srr V. iiii-im i r f!S a:n:i 3iajor Atkinson iiave agreed to ;t r under Mr. "Waller J.ohnston, a i-i natively Voting politician. who has done nothing v.vrtiiy of notice Uey*i»iut making a few speeches pos-: r.f a ni'jr! tcuiti of plain practical! iienae. and whose only recomiiteuiiaiior. is that he ha? never done anything of a si'.liiciently striking nature to create enemies. 2io matter, however, whom the mantle may fall, v,-e feel jure that the new leader of the preseut disorganised and ungeneralled Opposition wilt lose no time in measuring swords with the .Ministry. Jt is even stated that a trial «>f strength will be made over the election of a Speaker. and that either jilv. l:.>n.'st»n or Mr. Seymour will be nominated in opposition to Mr. O Itorke ; but we can scarcely beiieve thai .such a course will be adopted, for Mr. Ovßorke's claims to the speakership are so well based that even party consideration should not lead to his being deprived of that honorable position. "We incline to the supposition that the issue will ba raised on a direct VfiLf of want of confidence. That it would be successful if tabled by a member likely to be able to form a strong Ministry composed of men cf moderate views v.e have little doubt. The Government have been considerably weakened by the resignations "t Ml". Stout and Mr. 13allanee. while the Opposition have been strengthened through the aposiacy of the ambitious young member for Geraldiue and one or two others. iiitt the chaiiCCS f a moderate Ministry being formed have t>eeit greatly lessened by the removal trim the House of Sir William Fitzherhert.in the absence of whom we fail to see a fitting leader outside of the members of the extreme parties. However, the Government arc not likely to risk the chance of being defeated on a direct vote of no :i!i'?e!iee. It is only reasonable to supi> ,~e t !>at they will seek to make the • me. t'>r principles and not solely for pow<?r. J»y bringing forward the Kcpresentathni I'iil immediately after the opening of the session they will throw down the gauntlet to the Opposition, aiid te.-t the feeling of the House upon that ami other measures or policy. It iterated they will then be able to demand an appeal to the country, aiul it is only just to presume thr.t the Governor will unhesiuuiiigh* grant a dissolution i: the matter a" issue oc some o t i.>ad j-riiu-iple of reform. Taking this view of

u.e case, there seems every pr. spac? of an early general election, and we shall therefore watch with increased interest t!:o O'U:'?'-* »>i I'Vutus.