Page 2 Advertisements Column 2

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 127, 28 May 1880, Page 2

The N.Z. Times shows how completely Mr Macandrew and Sir George Grey, both of whom are looked upon as leaders of the Liberal party, are at loggerheada on some ot the leading questions of the day. " Sir George Grey," says our contemporary, " has especially devoted himself to inciting the people against any attempt to relieve the financial pressure out of the Education vote. He has declared iv the most fervid terms that he will not hear of such a proposal, and he his called upqn all those who have auy confidence in him to aid him in resisting it to the utmost. Mr Macandrew, on the contrary, strongly advocates the reimposition of school fees, and the limitation of the school course to the simplest subjects, in order to reduce the expenditure and avert the necessity for further taxation. Here we have the two most prominent members of the Opposition fighting furiously over what both regard aa an important question of policy. Their speeches in many respects are not so ranch in collision with each other, as totally divergent from each other. They are evidently travelling on quite different roads, and towards quite different objects. Sir George Grey is absorbed in such questions as that of elective Governors, elective Legislative Councils, the distribution of Imperial distinctions, and others of an equal unpractical kind. Mr Macaudrew never mentions any of these, but a; plies himself only to every-day matters of domestic politics. Whenever the two speakers do meet on the same topic, however, they immediately come to loggerheads. Sir George Grey is an ardent advocate of the sale of land on deferred payments. Mr Macandrew condemns the deferred payment system altogether. Sir George Grey is all for borrowing more money and spending it freely among the people, while taxing property to pay the interest. Mr Macandrew says he wishes the Pive Million Loan had miscarried, declares that 3, reduction of the expenditure is absolutely necessary, and Instigates the people to refuse payment ot the propsrty tax. Sir George Grey designates the discontinuance of the subsidies — 'the mosfc inhuman proceeding that he ever heard of.' Mr Macandrew ridicules the subsidies, sayj that the system involves a waste of fifty per cent., and recommends local taxation as a substitute for it. So they go on, each doing his utmost to thwart and weaken the other, yet both opposing the Ministry on general ground.g. What sort of party can they expect tp organise by such means ? What ,