THE The New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1885.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7341, 30 May 1885, Page 4

THE The New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1885.

!ri ■ * i iFrom the telegraphic despatches of our Wellington correspondent, it would appear that a movement against the Ministry has been commenced in the South. If the facts stated prove to be correct, they clearly warrant the conclusion that the Government will, on the assembling of Parliament, have to face a formidable Opposition. Very possibly the manifesto of Major Atkinson has had something to do with the forming into activity of the slumbering elements of dissatisfaction in the Middle Island with the composite character of the Cabinet. The fact that Messrs. Montgomery and Macandrew are at the head of the movement, shows that these two veterans have not been quite reconciled to the back seat which party exigencies compelled them to take last session, while their placing themselves in communication with Sir George Grey, would seem to indicate a desire on their part to recognise him once more as leader of the Liberal party. It is clear, however, that, even on this supposition, they could not command a following sufficiently strong to overturn' the Ministry, unless at the same time they can establish a platform in which the co-operation of Major Atkinson's party could be secured. The strength as well as the weakness ,of the Ministry consists in their ability to attract the support of the Radical section and part of the Moderate section of the House. Should this movement result in the detaching from them of the Radical section, this would inevitably cause the Moderate section of their followers to look about for another alliance, and this they would naturally find in the party of Major Atkinson. The outcome of such combinations would' be the breaking up of the Administration and the - coalescing of the followers of' Sir Julius Vogel and Major Atkinson on the one side, and on the other of the followers of Mr. Stout with those of Sir George Grey and Messrs. Montgomery and Macandrew. It is, however, quite possible, and indeed not altogether unlikely, tha,t old party lines will, during next session, become considerably obliterated, and that a combination, comprising Grey, Atkinson, Ormond, Montgomery, and Macandrew, with their several folio wings, may be effected. One thing is certain, that no single party in the House, even if accidentally successful in turning out the Ministry, is sufficiently strong to furnish a stable Government, and that, failing a well defined amalgamation, there would, in the event of the Ministry being defeated, be no other alternative than another appeal to the country.