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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6170, 10 June 1891, Page 2

The Government will have to do to-morrow that which were frightened to face last January. Offered a rare opportunity for testing their strength in the House lust session, the Government avoided the risk of defeat on the charges made by Mr Scobie MoKenzie against the Premier in *he matter of Judge Edwards. All that Ministers wanted was the quiet occupation of office for four or five months, and to gain that object Parliament was prorogued before any business could be brought forward. The House meets to-morrow, and rumor is busy, it seems to be the general opinion that Ministers have not the confidence of Parliament, and that they will be defeated on their policy Bills This will not be surprising, for they are of a character exactly tho reverse of what Mr Ballance said tney would be. '• The policy of the Government will not be found to be revolutionary," said Mr Ballance, at one of the earlier of tho many banquets that have been devoured during the last month »r two. But nothing will be more revolutionary thou the policy indicated by Messrs Seddon and JM'Ken_ie, and the Premier has evidently been pushed into a corner by the two strongest members of his Cabinet. Nor is thoir policy their only weak point. They have made enemies of many of their once nominal followers, with the result that tho Cave of Adullam is inconveniently crowded with the disaffected. The Opposition proper is fairly strong and compact, but there is less danger to the Government from that quarter than there is from Sir George Grey, who, if election speeches can count for anything, is the acknowledged leader of tho Radicals in the House. And there are a good many of them, besides the Auckland members, who will not dare to oppose Sir George. To avoid defeat the Government will have to consent to do the bidding of their opponents. Unless Mr Ballauce has very much altered, this will suit him, if he can bring his colleagues to eat humble pie. If they decline the repapt, tho Premier will make a virtue of necessity, and in a cloud of flowing language will retire from the scene. The resignation of tho Government is certainly one of the events of the coming session.