The Evening Mail. THURSDAY, SEPT. 6, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 424, 6 September 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. THURSDAY, SEPT. 6, 1877.

As might have been expected, the vcilalating conduct of the Ministry is doing much, to render its existence far from being so as their followers fondlyhoped and predicted it would be. There seems to be a very great probability of a definite issue being raised in the House, and the power of the Government tested to its fullest extent. Already a large number of hitherto consistent followers of the Ministry have seceded from the party, and an effort is, according to the special correspondents of several of our contemporaries, being made to form a middle party comprised of members entertaining moderate opinions—members who, while disapproving of the actions of the Ministry, have declined to give in their adherence to the present Opposition, owing to the extreme views of Sir Gjeobge. Grey. So far, we are told, no regular caucus of the new party has been held, but sundry small meetings of those favourable to its formation have taken place, and a pretty general understanding arrived at. A meeting of the whole of those willing to ally themselves with the middlo party will probably be held during the week, and a general basis of action arranged. The chief difficulty experienced so far has been the choice of a leader, owinf to the large number of aspirants to that r >sition.' This difficulty, it is said, is likely to be overcome by a ballot taking place for the selection of a leader. What the policy of the new ; party will be it is 'difficult to say, but it is pretty certain that the religious clauses in Uie Education Bill will form one of tlie first causes of aggression against the Government—a subject on which several Government supporters are known to be very shaky. |

That the Ministry would deem a defeat on this portion of their sufficient Igr-ound «ti»fefly 4s|&fe ffii£%mt a victory ; oa/jthat f>wbject w^f 3 vhavera tendency to' bind t|ie| new |||ty ; closely andfke;the n||siis • of Jeiidering|a; prbv&'succfjs'iul fdfc,'the 'Regressive party. Sir George Grey and .Mr. Macandrew, with a number of their most thick and thin supporters, will probably assume an independent attitude ; but on the question of whether the present Ministry shall remain in power, they will most assuredly vote against the Go- . vernment, and thus render its defeat very probable. Then, however, the uestion arises whether the new .party will be strong enough, minus the cordial support of Sir George Grey and his followers, to maintain its position should it succeed in supplanting the Ministry. Altogether, the prospects of the session being brought to an early close seem to become still more remote, while a general election at no distant date is not an improbability. With three separate parties in the House, each fightmg under different leaders, and having nothing in common between them, a dissolution of the House and an appeal to the electors, in order to decide which shall be the dominant party, becomes a not very remote contingency. We shall look furward to the advent of this new party with some amount of interest. That such a party might be formed combining all the elements of success we have already pointed out, and it now remains to be seen whether members are prepared to forego pstty feelings with a view to-en-suring the good government of the Colony, by removing the task of carryingon the r.ffairs of the country from the present set oi incapables and entrusting it to others more capable of performing the work honestly.