The Westport Times. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1873.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1103, 2 September 1873, Page 2

The Westport Times. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1873.

Although; the talked of Opposition in the House has not assumed any tangible organization, and rumors definite and indefinite confirm the opinion that the present Ministry will hold its own without much tear of defeat during the present session, yet ovidences are not wanting in the tone of debates to prove that the admittedly weak points of the Ministerial team are very weak indeed, and that a reconstruction at the end of the session will not only be desirable but absolutely necessary. In the recent discussion upon the Disqualification Bill, which, on the eecoud reading, was

negatived by a large miijority, the object of the Bill being to exclude from the House of Representatives all persons who hold paid offices under the General or Provincial Governmerits, including Superintendents and members of Provincial Executives, the chief argument against its introduction by a private member was that, involving constitutional changes, it should have emanated from .the Government, but the Government conscious of weakness dared not provoke the opposition of the Provincial party in the House, which awaiting the signal to marshal under Superintendental banners would have instantly combined agains't any interference with accustomed privileges. And thus it came about that although the members of the Ministry were its personal advocates, yet it was deemed inadvisable to withdraw the bill and bring it in again as a government measure, because of the instant and formidable opposition to be thereby provoked. So too, in all probability, it will be found in the discussion on the Provincial Borrowing Powers Bill or anj other ministerial measure, that on all points where opposition may possibly prevail, a discrefit forbearance will be shown in venturing on debateable ground. As to the exact changes to be made, supposing the Ministry outlive the session, a consummation devoutly to be wished, for many and weighty reasons, rumor is rife with reports thereon, of which the most reasonably credible are those indicating Messrs Bathgate and O'llorke as the two members whose services can be best dispensed with, and suggesting that these gentlemen will retire and seek in the substantial emolument of permanent appointment a solatium for the unwon honors of their political career. Mr O'Korke, it is thought, will make an excellent successor to the Registrar-General who retires on a comfortable pension after nearly twenty years service, and the Commissionership of Stamps, it is surmised, will afford Mr Bathgate amp'e leisure for political theorising, wherein he excels so much more than as a practical maker of laws. Who their successors may be, or what other changes are impending, rumor as yet sayeth not, except that the merest breath of political chit-chat hints vaguely that a Minister of Mines will be appointed in the person of a newly elected Otago member, an old and tried ally of Mr Vogel's. Whoever the new men they will need to be of sterling metal, the more especially if, as is also rumored, Mr Vogel means to hie homeward once again to float another loan, leaving for awhile to his colleagues the conduct of public affairs.