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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1058, 10 September 1879, Page 2

The elections are now drawing to a close, there being only eighteen out of the eighty-eight seats, including Maori members, to fill up. Of the3e a third will be settled to-night, and within the next few day 3 the complete returns will be made known. So far the elections have resulted slightly in favor of the Liboral party, and there is little doubt that Sir George Grey will meet the House with a small majority. As will beobserved bythe tablepublishedin another column, and compiled very carefully, the elections that have taken place have resulted in the return of 35 undoubted supporters of the Ministry, 30 known Oppositionists, and 5 independent or doubtful members. The latter are men who have not declared themselves willing to follow either party, but, aa in every case the "doubtful" ones have declared in favor of the Liberal policy, it is very fair to suppose that some at least of them will be found supporting the Ministry that enunciated that policy. It will be observed that we have now classed Mr. Levin, who formerly figured as an independent member, a Ministerialist, and as we know that the Opposition Press will not agree with us in the alteration, we may at once state that we have the very best authority for stating that Mr. Levin will give the Ministry his vote, to enable them to carry out their policy, of which he is a strong supporter. On the other side, wo have classed Mr. W. A. Murray, the chosen of Bruce, amongst the Opposition, simply because he voted with Sir William Fox on the no-confidence motion, and not becauseof anyavowed intention of adhering to the Opposition ; but at the same time, as Mr. Murray is not firm in the faith of the Opposition, it is highly probable that lie will be found voting on the Ministerial side. It will not be the first time that Mr. Murray has disappointed one party and given the other side a very pleasant surprise. Of the eighteen constituencies yet to return members, we can safely say that eight will return Ministerial supporters, while seven are almost certain to elect Opposition candidates, and the other three seats arc doubtful. It will thus be seen that, if our estimate is correct, Sir George Grey will meet Parliament with a certain majority of one or two supporters, while it is highly probable that should a want-of-confidence motion be brought down early in the session, a much larger majority will protest against the Ministry being driven from power until an opportunity has been afforded them of bringing forward those Liberal measures which the country has demanded, and which three-fourths of the members of the Fouse have been elected pledged to support.