THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume I, Issue 11, 21 October 1879, Page 2

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

[by telegraph.] FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. Wellington, Oct. 18. Mr Bryce did not make the best of his strong case last night. He is not an agreeable speaker, and still less is he an able advocate. So that he made no telling comments on the alarming facts he communicated to the House. More than £IO,OOO had been spent on persons in the North Islaind, who are called native land purchasers, but who are probably all Joshua Joneses ; and nearly £19,000 had been got rid of under the heading ‘ ‘ Contingencies. ” Mr Bryce said that although “ the wicked flee where no man pursued,” he did not intend to be the pursuer, and did not consider it his business to expose the Ministry. His predecessor, Mr Sheehan, could not suppress his glee at finding so generous a successor, and immediately proceeded with his party to presume that there was nothing to expose. Major Atkinson followed, but did not speak well, and Mr Thomson spoke better than he usually does, giving expression to the views of those who either cannot or will not see the effect of the facts brought out by the new Colonial Treasurer and the new Native Minister.

Oct. 20. Sir George Grey has taken to writing leaders in the “ New Zealander” against the Governor. Wellington papers report a contemplated coalition, but there is no truth in their surmises on that subject. There is to be a caucus meeting of Government supporters this afternoon at 3 p. m. There are some symptoms that the majority of four supposed to be against the Government would be found wanting if the House divided at once, and that the division would be .a tie. It is very uncertain how the House will divide after the No-Confidence debate, which may very likely be a long one, as the new members wore kept down in the late debate, and will take out the compensation in the coming one. Later. At a caucus of Ministerial supporters, this afternoon, it was resolved with great unanimity and animation that there should be no compromise or concession, but that the party would insist on pushing on their measures or ask the Governor for a dissolution, which Sir George Grey’s own conduct will ensure their getting. This means that the Greyites must support the measures which they were returned to support, or be sent back to their constituents. It was the unanimous opinion of the party that it would bo a lesser evil to let Sir George bo the avowed Premier than to have him the acting Premier under cover of Macandrew, Sheehan, Ballance, or Montgomery. There is no truth in the report that £BOO,OOO of the five million loan has been raised. The loan has not yet been placed on the market.