THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1888.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9124, 4 August 1888, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1888.

The Opposition recognise that they made a dreadful mess of the business on Thursday night, with Mr. Walker's want-of-confidence motion, and have determined to re-organise themselves. As to the attempt to reverse what has been forced upon the House by public opinion-— that the number of members shall be greatly reduced —we honestly believe that a majority of members would have been in favour of Mr. Walker's motion if they dared. There is no question that it was a most unpalatable thing for members to pass "the Act of last session. They know that whenever the House is dissolved twentyone of them, at all events, will never go back. The districts must be altered to such an extent that not one man in the House can have any certainty that he will again occupy a seat. But notwithstanding the dislike that is felt amongst the members towards the provisions of the Representation Amendment Act of last session, and upon which no doubt the members who assumed the lead of the Opposition on Thursday night counted, they could not have chosen a worse battleground, because upon a reduction of the members the country lias set its heart. The increase in the number of members was part of the great Public Works scheme, and creating new electorates was one of the manifold means adopted by Sir Julius Vogel to carry on the Government in his own way. The large number of members led each to be petty and local, striving at all times and on all occasions to obtain the spending of money in his own locality. We may hope that when the number of members is reduced we may get rid of some of the evils under which the colony is now groaning. It is curious to observe the steps taken -by the Opposition to reorganise themselves. The meeting of the party was convened, not by the whips, not by the leader (Mr. Lance), but by Mr. Vincent l J yke, who hitherto has been counted as a Government supporter, but who has now declared war to the knife against the Ministry. In no other political assembly in the world could a member turn round in one night, because Ministers had not done just exactly as he wanted, and leap to the front of their opponents. Such a thing in the English Parliament would consign the doer of it to ignominy. Perhaps, indeed, even in the New Zealand Parliament, nobody could do it but Mr. Vincent Fyke. Because he has not got a railway that he set his mind upon, he changes entirely his politics, and his opinion of who should govern the colony. Twenty-five members attended the meeting, and certain resolutions were agreed upon. These resolutions relate to the management of the party within the House. It is apparently not thought necessary that any political basis should be agreed upon. All the members desire is to turn out the Ministers and take their places. It may be that the only pledge the party have given is that if they are successful in obtaining the Treasury benches, Mr. Fyke shall have the Otago Central to go back to his constituents with. The meeting decided to call themselves " the Constitutional Party," but why they adopted that name we are not informed. A Constitutional party is usually taken to mean those who are desirous of maintaining the Constitution of the State against certain others who are desirous of infringing upon it. But nobody is attacking the Constitution. And we venture to say that if any knot of politicians were to assail the Constitution on some points, they would be very largely supported outside. There is no great enthusiasm in New Zealand for the Constitution. The Opposition therefore gain no strength whatever, either by Mr. Pyke putting himself atg their head, or by calling themselves the Constitutional Party.