POLITICS.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 51, 24 May 1884, Page 6

POLITICS.

The divisions among the opponents of the present Government vill form the opporj tunity of the Ministry. It is easy to see from recent speoches by ; Opposition members that the lack of unity of principle or action is as prevalent as ever it was. Mr Wakefield's speech, published in another column, shows that though he wa.i elected as an opponent of the Ministry, lie has nothing in common with Sir George Grey, and as little with Mr Montgomery's provincial or separation schemes. He disclaims any intention of emlmiking in the scramble ioroih'ce, which looksasthough he intended to resume his old position of knight errant in the House, tilting pretty equally all round. Other addreb.se.. by Southern members also exhibit tho general want of cohesion. Mr Bracken, whose friendship for Sir George Grey has been tolerably consistent, although nominally belonging to the Montgomery party, was rather indetinite on the subject of leadership in his late speech to the electors of Duncclin Central, but shielded himself under a safe expression of admiration for Mr Macandrew, and fealty to the Otago party led bythe member for Port Chalmers. Mr Fish was loud and frothy, having unbounded confidence in himself, and a general disbelief in the capacity of everybody else. But until his talents and true position in New Zealand politics are recognised by his brother members, in the election of himself to the leader ship, he may combine with tho party co - operating under Mr Montgomery's leadership. The Otago members are evidently held together by local sympathies and interests rather than by general political questions ; upon these their divergence is wide as the poles. The same is true of the Canterbury phalanx ; beyond the railway tariff, which is a poor sort of thing to make a party fight over, i there is very little unity amongst them Mr John Hoimes has addressed the electors of Christchurch, and his programme is of the revolutionary order— abolition of the Legislative Council ; restoration of Pro vincialism ; abolition of the Native Depart ment ; reduction in members' honorarium ; no more borrowing ; the establishment of a national bank of issue ; protection ; and a progressive land tax. The feat of combiningthese disorderly and antagonistic elements into a homogeneous whole is too vast a task for the muddle-head-ness of the member for Akaroa, and his appearance in Parliament will be that of a respectable old drau gh t horse harnessed as leader to a team of fractious thoroughbred racers. He will have a bad time of it, and unless the harness breaks and sets him free, the violence his company will inevitably capsize the I coach and leave his rivals in undisputed possession of the road. The meeting of Parliament was never prefaced by so many curiously interesting complications, and the revival of political feeling throughout the country, following on a period of great apathy, shows how readily the people respond when there is anything in the j political situation really worthy of their attention.

It will be seen from a cablegram that the Australian Eleven has sustained its first reverse in England, having been defeated by the Oxford Eleven by seven wickets. The third match of the series was to have been commenced on the Oval to-day against Surrey. The Government in France is not afraid of the clerk class, and is afraid of the workmen class, consequently the new income tax will be the hardest on the former. The labourer at 8 francs or 10 francs a day will not be taxed, but the railroad or Government employ^, on a salary amounting to half that sum per day, will have to pay 2J per cent out of it,