The Oamaru Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1079, 4 October 1879, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1879.

fJY a majority of two the 3linistr\ h.i.-i been defeated. This is no evidence the 31 itiutry were bad, rtml that those who seek to succeed them will bo good administrators. It is evidence ra.her of «i desire for office on the part of the outs.' who have very ctovriy persuaded the country and 44 members of Parliament that George Grey w;vs the c.i the 3linistrv. members ha\e been >'■ appalled at the revelations of the IVmier's maLidmiiustratim that trte> han appeared to he paralysed. At all e'. oik-. they " voted at their p.«i ty * call, and never thought of thinking f;;r thein=che= ■at alt." Sir George Grey has failings. ; We shall not attempt to palliate that fact. ! We have only to test politicians to discover that they are bur human. It has ! Wen proved long since that some of those who have loudly declaimed against the hate Ministry are terrestrial beings. Hut this fact has been forgotten, ami apparently forgiven, thanks !>• the most admirable of humm traits. Hut old memories will now he revived. The crucial test, of Mini.-.Ce:i-d life will a<_'airt, we fear, discover tm; weak joints in the patriotic ham? w!i'>.-;--impeachment "t their «>pp menta ha.-, 'trained for them the victory by r.v. votes. The original Liberals wiil ir>: : coalesce with their imitator#. The vanquishers will therefore have the f reaaiirv Benches to themselves. Even then there i will not he room for all those who liavc i coveted the rosy cushions upon which the vanquished sat. We sincerely hope that i the members of the late Ministry will f follow the example of Messrs. Shephaii and Macandrew. and object to he associated with those who have not scrupled to I treat them with scant consideration m ■order to attain their object. It is .[tiue ; impossible to foretell which of the victorious party v. ill be included in the new Ministry; hut we think that the ! leader cannot afford overlook the claims of Messrs. Wakefield, Atkin- ; son, f'owen. M'Lean, and Ormond. On : looking down the list we can see th i : names of others who have fondly expected to rise to distinction, but whose ; minds have no doubt been disabused eve ■ this. Some of such will probatdv return ' to the side front which they would never i have seceded but for ambition, and the new Government wilt have a short and merry tenure of oJtiee. Before niatii more snn* pass over their heads, the ■ leaders of the Opposition who will be for--5 tunate enough to be made Ministers will re-ret that they opened their mouths so wtdelv in denunciation of their opponents. 3fr. * Ormond, although he signally faited in doing anything for his a.tlaiT during hi 3 previous term of otfUv". will, tf he be chosen, be expected to do something now. Mr. Wakefield, as Minister tW Customs, wiil, be expected to dispUy heaven-bom trenitis. | From Major Atkins»n and Mr. Howen! the country would demand something j better than "* political rest, whilst Mr. * Hall would be expected to sink Canter- ] bury considerations and become cosmo- j politan. We are as gratified as the orpo-, nents of the late ilinistry themselves I that thev have got into power, and we are convinced that ,r.;r gratification w.H be I more permanent than that «>r the vicars. , Mr. Hall and his party do not want ottuv,; they say. They aUo approve of t!n-j policy of the late Minis, ry a::d several ■ :. the Ministers. The bugbear is i;tc J Y«- • mier. Well, let the Premier retire, am. re-. mo-.o the only obstacle in the way of the rij»l»t meticarryin:.'""- the peheyn.wUi.'i.; the country. It is evident that Mr. Haill s partv, with a majority of only two, will not be able to carry on the government of •the country. It is also evident that tb e

chief members of the late Ministry will not agree to coalesce. This simply means that the game of obstruction will be prolonged, so long as the party at present in tke "-acomlinf succeeds in holding their posi- : I,W, hv.'i Clio'Jgh of that :«f rt ."•.<!v. \\"!i:ir we want :t< v.- is a spell of ■_' , >verr.:ucn!'. ;i t'.ositteralisni that .•'•■■•hi* as 'iistanr as over.