The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, JUNE 14.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 157, 14 June 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, JUNE 14.

The aspect of the affairs political at Wellington, entirely bears out the views we have taken relative to the position of parties. The Opposition benches have scored a hasty victory by a majority of nine. This majority however does not represent the majority of a strong Opposition party prepared, or able, to undertake the Government of the country. It represents a very curious mixture, political creed, Liberals, Democrats, Conservative and Seceeders from the Government ranks. To expect these constituent parts of antagonistic elements to blend, would be as futile as expecting oil to mix with water. The forty odd members, at present in opposition, may fairly be divided as follows: —Sir G. Grey's party about fifteen, Montgomery, fifteen ; Macandrew, ten ; Government discontents, five or six. In a question of real opposition, and the formation of a Government, the Montgomery-Macandrew party carry the power. Sir G. Grey and his handful of followers, calling themselves Liberals, where all are Liberal, have no real voice in the destinies of the House, other than to swell the ranks of the division list upon an adverse vote against the Government. Sir George Grey has no power to again command a following in the House. Men of thought see the impracticable nature of his schemes for aleviating the distress of the “down-trodden masses.” The real and certain outcome of the present deplorable and disorganised state of the House will be a dissolution and an appeal to the country, the present Government holding office to administer public affairs till the House reassembles, when a strong coalition Ministry will be formed from the ranks of the middle party and the best members of the present Government. The electors of this constituency must not make the serious mistake of returning a Grc-yite candidate under the impression that that party will come into power. This never can be. Sir George Grey himself being the obstacle. The candidate who has from the outset of the election contest correctly judged the political situation is Mr. Locke. He pledges himself to no party. His support of Government he announced as merely nominal, reserving to himself the right of allying with any better party that might be formed. A Grey Mr. Locke, of course, could not be. Of one thing we, in common with the majority of electors, feel confident that Mr. Locke's exercise of his independence would only be on the side on which the general welfare of the district would lie, and would not be used to serve any personal interests.