The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1879.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 462, 27 September 1879, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1879.

Parliament met on Wednesday last, and was opened by Commission, about seventy-three members being present. After ttiQ ceremony of swearing in was over, Sir George Grey proposed Mr O’Rorke as Speaker in very complimentary terras. Mr Hall, who, like a god of old time, has come down from the upper regions to engage in the conflicts of mortals, seconded the motion. Whether he was chosen for this duty, or not, wo are not informed. The fact of his seconding the motion seems to argue, either that he assnmes for himself the first fiddle among the Opposition, or that he has been recognised as leader. When the late Parliament met, and Sir George proposed that Mr O’Rorke be Speaker, Sir W. Fox, as leader of the Opposition, seconded the motion, and Major Atkinson congratulated the Speaker elect “ in graceful terms.” The very same thing has been.repeated in the present instance, with the substitution of Mr (late Hon) John Hall lor Sir W. Fox. It certainly appears strange that a man should have to be re-imported into the arena of the Lower House to lead the Opposition; and if this has really been done, as rumor has long said it was, it is not very complimentary to such men as Major Atkinson. It is very evident that the Major is not very popular among his party, or, at least, could not get it to follow him in such a compact body as would be required to. oust the Government. The reason of this unpopularity is not that his capacity or his integrity is doubted, but that he somewhat lacks social qualities. While he does not positively make enemies, he does not seek to make friends. It is notorious that ladies have a very great influence over the votes of certain hon members, and equally notorious that the Major does not secure the exercise of that influence in his own favor. But apart from fair sex, there are many men who get into Parliament who have no idea of voting for great political principles, or of following theman best able to carry those principles into effect, and who allow their personal likes and dislikes to override mere political considerations. In order then to secure these men, it is necessary to choose a leader against whom they have no petty prejudice, and whom the ladies do not vote dull and stupid. Major Atkinson is not alone among statesmen in the lack of social qualities. Some shrewd observers state that Mr Gladstone looses many a follower by the same failing. He enters the House debating in his mind some tough theological question, or some new phase of the Homeric problem, and utterly fails to notice scores of country members who are hanging about the lobbies. There are members

of his party whose acquaintance he has never troubled to make, and who naturally feel slighted. Mr Gladstone has another weakness which is also shared by the Major—it is the weakness for being exact and correct, and for setting others right. Mr Gladstone, in reviewing a debate, will correct the errors of his friends, which no one but himself had noticed ; his more obscliro followers feel that they are smacked by the mighty hand that they expected to protect them, and the result is natural and obvious. Mr Disraeli, on the other hand, never corrected a friend, never debated Homeric and thcologic problems, never passed a friend without recognition, and never heard from the ‘ whips ’ that a foe was wavering without managing to shake hands with him before twenty-four hours had passed. It is thus that Lord Boaconsfield has an enthusiastic personal following, while Mr Gladstone has none. Although the world is upside-down in New Zealand, human nature is just about the same ; and while it remains so, mild toadyism and flattery, hollow compliment and attention, will be the steppingstones to power, rather than political knowledge and political ability. Still, Mr John Hall is by no moans a novice, and the Major cannot say that he is required to follow a mere tryo. Mr Hall was Colonial Secretary in the second Ministry that existed in the colony—that is, in 1856, the very year in which Responsible Government was established. But that Ministry, like its predecessor, rose and foil within the year. In 1866, Mr Hall again took office, this time as Postmaster-General, in which position he continued till 1869. In 1872 he was a M.LC. and a member of the Executive Council. In the same year he became Colonial Secretary in the Waterhouse Ministry, which lasted only six months. In 1876 he was a member of tho Executive Council in the Atkinson Ministry, which, however, at the end of twelve days was reconstructed, Mr Hall beincr dropped. This was tho last of his official career, so far as it has gone. It cannot, therefore, be said that he is a beginner, neither can it be said that he has been tried as Major Atkinson has been tried; still, of the two, ho may prove the more successful leader.