OPPOSITION TACTICS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1523, 20 August 1912, Page 7

OPPOSITION TACTICS.

WILL FIGHT EVERY INCH. NO WANT-OF-CONFIDENCE MOTION. Tho plans of tlio Opposition, for this session nre now assuming definite form. The present expressed opinion of tho loading members ui , the party is that circumstances demand a campaign of hostility Hint will lend io divisions of tho Houso on ull iiiipDi'lnnl' questions. Soiiik members of (ho party have die-. cussed tlio wisdom of testing Hip Gowrnincut's strength by a want-oi'-confideneo motion during tho Budget debate, the suggestion bsing that the motion should assert thai tho increase in the graduated land tax proposed by the Government iq too small to bo effective, and Mr. L. M. 3silt (Christchurch North), though ho still claims to be nni Independent in tho House, was proposed to submit, the motion. Some memtars of tho Opposition now declare that there is no foundation for the rumour, and that a direct want-of-con-fidonco motion will not be tho lino of action adopted by them this session. A member of the Mackenzie. Administration stated this evening that no proposal of importance would bo allowed to pass without n. division. There would be no captious criticism from tho Opposition benches, but efforts would Ixj made to ascertain tho altitude of every member on Government proposals by bringing forward "democratic" amendments and fighting on them to a division. Tho appointment of the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie to tlio High Commissiouership has not bsen accepted by the Opposition with favour. Members of the parly hold Iho opinion that ho, has deserted the party, and there is much bitterness in its ranks at his action. From this opinion it would appear (hat tho Opposition has little confidence in its hopes cf winning the Egmont seat, in spite of its vaunted eagerness to go to the country. No leader has yet been selected by the party. It is unlikely that tho position, which is, of course, an honorary one, will be filled this Eosa'on.