THE OPPOSITION DESCRIBED

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 10

THE OPPOSITION DESCRIBED

A THING OF THREADS AND PATCHES. A WITCHES’ CAULDRON. (Fnoii Our Own Correspondents.) WELLINGTON, July 8. An ■ amazing and perhaps a shrewd analysis of tne component parts of the present Opposition in Parliament was made in the House of Representatives by the member for Dunedin North this afternoon. Ever since last session, said Mr Thomson, the members of the Opposition had been going about the country, but they had not during all their wanderings presented anything .in the way of constructive criticism. They had ported forth nothing but a stream of destructive criticism. Not that it was of much effect—indeed, in his opinion it was very futile, and the- only thing that united them was the desire to oust the present Government. Students of Indian history, he said, knew full well that if to-day the Government was withdrawn from India the different sections there would be soon at each other’s throats; and so it was with the present Opposition. If the stable Government at present holding this country together was from any cause to be ..withdrawn, which ho believed to bo altogether unlikely, there would in a verw short time be chaos. The present Opposu tion was held together like a bundle of unholy alliances. To begin with, there was the quasi-Liberal party, living upon its past, but following a leader who had travestied one of the first principles of Liberalism by introducing into this country the principle of hereditary titles. Next they had the Moderate Labour party, represented by tbc hon. member for Wanganui (Mr - Veitch). He was prepared to support this quasi-Liberal party that had actually attempted to throttle Labour by the introduction of the second ballot. In the third place, he Opposition had in its ranks the Social Democrats, with a set of ideals incapable of fulfilment, and which if fulfilled would cause chaos. Fourthly, they had the party of one represented by the member for Hutt (Mr Wilford), who croaked from his own treetep and d;d not seem to have much hold on any of the others. The fifth party was represented by the member for Christchurch North (Mr Isitt). He did not claim to represent either Labqur or Liberal, and he called himself an' Independent. He was supposed to be the leader of the Temperance party; -but in regard to his language he was the most intemperate man in that House. They found him sitting in the seat of the scorner, yet collaborating with and assisting that section of the party that represented the publican and the sinner. What good could they expect from an Opposition made up of such warring elements ? If they were let loose to-morrow, within 12 months there would be chaos. Not one of these parties could have the power to rule this country. Three of th'em were out against each other. Anything in the way of government that would follow from this heterogeneous collection would be a thing of threads and patches that would be soon torn to" pieces. “ I regret,” added Mr Thomson, “ that when I come back to this House next session I shall miss so many of my Opposition friends. They will, I am quite sure, bo relegated to the shade, and will have time to cool themselves. Mr Thomson proceeded to describe the present Opposition in Shakespearean terms as the witches’ cauldron. “ What good can wo expect,” asked Mr Thomson, “out of this ‘ hell broth,’ if I may call it so ?” Mr Isitt: Mr Speaker, is that parliamentary ? Mr Thomson: It’s Shakespearean anyhow.

The description given by the member for Dunedin North was listened to with interest and amazement, the only interruption being one from Mr Russeil, who asked, “ When did you get your head read laet?”