Marlborough Express Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1891. THE OPPOSITION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXVII, Issue 125, 10 June 1891, Page 2

Marlborough Express Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1891. THE OPPOSITION.

Who and what the Opposition really are is known to very few, if indeed there is any one who can prick the card correctly. We are told by one authority, " The Opposition; properly so called, is intellectually one of the strongest that has ever existed m New Zealand. In point of numbers, however, it is considerably below the nominal following of the Government. But m this nominal following lies the greatest danger to tbe Ministerial position. A considerable number of the members who are ranked as Ministerialists are dissatisfied, not only with the personnel of the Ministry, but also with their administration." The position seems to be that if one is on the Government side the Liberal majority is about 15, but if an Oppositionist this number is reduced by all the discontented ones, and those who are likely to follow Sir G. Grey. The manner m which the' Grey card is being played would be amusing if only it were not so childish. Since "poor Tole " deserted him Sir George has not had a single follower m the House, and though this session it is probable, that Mr W. L. Rees would as m the past act as his henchman, he is about the only one that would. Yet m face of the well-known distrust that exists m Sir Geoige and his trick of playing to the pit, we find the Napier Telegraph seriously discussing his ability to command the position and dictate terms. It says :—" It will be remembered that when the delegates of the labor party interviewed him at Auckland, Sir George Grey expressed his regret that he had declined to stand for his old seat at the general elections, seeing the way things had turned m favor of Mr Ballance. Sir George, who knows Mr Ballanoe well, does not believe m him anymore than the Tories do, and the question is now, ' How will the Tories act when Parliament meets?' If Sir George Grey only succeeds m drawing to himself ten of the labor members, he will hold the balance of power m his hands. We believe, however, that he will have a following of at least fifteen, if not more, and m that case he will bo able to dictate his own terms to either side of the House." Our contemporary no doubt has but the poorest opinion of the intelligence of the labour members, but it must, indeed, have no experience of them at all if it imagines that they are foolish enough to throw away the substance for the shadow of Liberalism. The Wellington Evening Press has the same story to tell, and it forma a third party, to consist of Messrs Fisher, Smith, Hutchison (2), and Sir George Grey, together with some of the Auckland members who are " said to have serious cause for dissatisfaction," and " some of the labor members." The real truth is that despite all their talk as to the Conservatives having all the talent on their side of the House they have not sufficient to form a decent Ministry, and have so little unity among themselves that they cannot agree on a leader. Tbey a*e helplessly and

hopelessly disorganised, and quite recognise the strength of the Ministry. The names of Captain Russell, Mr Bryce, Sir John Hall, and Mr Rolleston have been mentioned asthose from whom the leader must come, but with a modesty characteristic of all great men they each prefer that honor should be given to the other. Capt. Russell is no doubt the ablest,, most gentlemanly, and most popular of the lot, and not one of the others would secure the confidence of all of these who feel that they must vote against the present Government. The land grabbing history of Sir John Hall, the liberal land laws of Mr Rolleston, and the obstinacy of Mr Bryce are all factors m creating towards them feelings of distrust. The Opposition are virtually a party only m name, and while it is possible that they may waste time by delaying measures, and acting the drag, it is not m the least likely that they will attempt a direct no-confidence motion. If their strength i 3 to lie m such peculiarly and distinctively opposed men as as W. Hutchison and George Fisher, Mr Bryce and Mr G. Hutchison, Dr Newman and Sir George. Grey, we are afraid they will be trusting to a rotten branch. Even if successful, they could not form a Ministry which could hold its own for any length of time, and though they dislike the Ministry, their dislike of each other is just as great, and would prevent anything like combination. It seems to us clear that the Opposition are trusting to Sir George Grey taking up a hostile attitude to Mr Ballance, but even if he were to take up this line it by no means follows that he would work with the Conservatives . any more than the Liberals, and the last state of the party would be worse than the first. If Sir George declines to be made a tool of by the Russell-Bryce-Ormond-Rolleston party, then the chances of ousting the Ballance Government are very shadowy. Considering that we are now so close on the opening' of the session it is astonishing that so little is known as to the political situation, but so far as it can be judged the present Government are perfectly safe, and have a majority of at least a dozen m the House of Representatives.