THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY. JUNE 9, 1886.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7659, 9 June 1886, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY. JUNE 9, 1886.

Mr. Gladstone's Home Hule Bill has been rejected by thirty votes. Such in substance is the messages which arrived at an early hour this morning. The result is what we have all along anticipated ; for the statements that the second reading of the measure would be carried by a narrow majority always appeared to tally badly with the record of facts, and the ascertained feeling of the country. With respect to the majority, that seems to have been very accurately ascertained by Mr. Chamberlain beforehand ; and the strength of it is accounted for by the numbers of moderate Liberals and Radicals, 80 and 15 respectively, as previously reported, which swamped the 85 Parnellite votes. There can be no doubt that the crushing defeat which has thus overtaken Mr. Gladstone's Government is mainly due to the influence and powerful opposition to his Irish policy offered by the Marquis of Hartington and Mr. Chamberlain, who led and organised the two sections seceding from the old Liberal party. To some extent thesup'ercilious treatment of both these leaders by Mr. Gladstone may have contributed to the result; but the fact of two such able men, though differing from each other on many questions yet cordially uniting to resist a policy which they deemed fraught with disaster to the Empire, was the chief factor in securing the victory. The scsne which was witnessed in the House on the announcement of the division appears to have been one of the wildest excitement; and the

singing of the National Anthem in the lobbies shows, by its unprecedented character, the high pitch to which expectation had been carried. It is too early as yet to speculate on the results of this memorable division. The alternatives placed before Mr. Gladstone are manifestly resignation or an appeal to the country ; and it will be seen that, while the Times advises the former, the Daily News inclines towards the latter. Which of them Mr. Gladstone may himself elect will not be known for a day or two ; but. for the reasons we have on former occasions mentioned, we think the presumption is that he will resolve on tendering his resignation to Her Majesty.