The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1884. THE OPPOSITION TACTICS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1194, 24 June 1884, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1884. THE OPPOSITION TACTICS.

The Lyttelton limes has been delighting its readers lately by giving the two sides of the question, There is a paper published somewhere—we forget the name of the place—that gives articles on the opposite riews of politics every alternate day. For instance, one day it would back the Ministry and the next day the Opposition. It would appear that the Lyttelton Times has come to the conclusion of adopting this novel plan of pleasing all parties. Before the fall of the Ministry there wa» no language too strong to use in denouncing them, and the fragmentary Opposition was lauded to the sky. JNow the Times has turned round and abuses the Opposition, and if there is a leaning to any side in its special correspondence from Wellington it is in favor of the Government. We should not at all find fault with our contemporary if it stuck to one view, but, really, it is degenerating into a political weather-cock that will turn with every breeze that blows. Once Sir George Grey was its idol, now that gentleman in its pet aversion, although he has not altered in tha least. It finds all sorts of faults with the Opposition now, but it bucked it up until it dislodged the Government, with the result that there will be a double

session and the country put to a fsarfn lot of expense. This is exactly what cannot be afforded in these deplorably hard times. It is a very bad way of relieving depression to heap on further expenses, and this is what the Opposition has done for us. The reasons which a great many of the Opposition had for doing this appears to be as follows : They knew they had acted corruptly by selling their votes and keeping a Ministry that had not their confidence in office tor the last two sessions, and they felt to return to their constituents with each sins on their heads would endanger their chance of re-olection. To wipe - out the stain they have resorted to the strategem of ousting the Ministry, hoping to gain popularity by such an action. They did not for a moment take the cost to the unfortunate country into consideration. This, together with selfishness and vindictive , nese, contributed to the Ministerial downfall, and the Lyttelton Times had its finger in the pie, although it looks as if it were sorry for it now. Our own opinion is that the present Ministry ought to have been turned out long ago, and it would have been if honest men , instead of contemptible shufflers had j been elected to Parliament. We have frequently pointed oat the indecision, the weakness, and the inconsistency .vhich the present administration has shown ; we have pointed out how they have habitually brought forward measures, and withdrawn them as soon as they found them distasteful, and have thus shown incapacity for the position. But they were not guilty of any heinous crime that rendered it dangerous to allow them to remain in office for a few months longer, and it is on that ground—on the ground that a fearful amount of harm has been done —that we have condemned the course adopted. We have no desire to be recognised as a supporter of the Atkinsoß Ministry—excepting Messrs Bryce and Rolleston—but we certainly think they are safer to trust than such au Opposition as has turned them out cf office. Already the weakness of the Opposition has shown itself. It had the bad manners to find fault with His Excellency the Governor for granting a dissolution, and a great many left and went over to the Government side. The motions that Sir George Grey brings r forward are invariably thrown out, and bis statements were contradicted and proved to be groundless by Mr Steward, who moved the no-confidence motion. , Sir George Grey accused Mr Rolleston of some wrongdoing in connection with gum diggers in the North, and it w» = nnvid that Sir George Grey was the himself. Mr Steward proved that Mr Rolleston was not to blame in connection with a case in Waimate in which the charge was brought against him by Sir George Grey, Looking at the state of affairs from here we must say they are in * deplorable mess, and notwithstanding that we disapprove of the dissolution we heartily commend His Excellency the Governor for granting it, instead of of putting the reins of Government into the hands of the Opposition. It would have been much better for the Government if they had; resigned and thrown-tipun the Opposition the onus of forming a Ministry, for if that had been done the Opposition would have broken up into infinitesimal pieces, and the ! Ministry would have come back stronger than ever. It would have been bad for the country, however, and, therefore, we think the Governor did right in granting a dissolution.