Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, MONDAY, DECEMBER 18.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8698, 18 December 1899, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, MONDAY, DECEMBER 18.

THE POLITICAL SITUATION. The acknowledgment by the chief Opposition journal of the colony, the Christchurch Presß, that " the old Opposition ia smashed beyond redemption," aiid the apparent coquetting of the chief Ministerial organ, the New Zealand Times, for the Oppoai; tion vote on behalf of. Mr Seddon, give exceeding interest to the political situation that has been evolved out of the elections. It is freely and frankly admitted by the press of the colony who have been supporting Captain Russell and his party that it would be utterly futile for the thirteen members of the old party, assisted by a few Left Wingers, to set up an organised party and battle on regular Opposition lines. The voting power possessed by the Premier is such that they would be continually overwhelmed, and the only- effect of organised attaok would be to harden up the Government party and deprive the House and the country of a good deal of useful criticism, whioh will no doubt come from the Government ranks, if they are not driven into close order and their mouths shut because of the appearance of hostility from outside. Mr Scdflon's intimation in a speech delivered immediately after tho election that it was his intention to work upon "sound lines," that while endeavoring to maintain the privileges and rights of labor, the Government would give capital its proper security, and with capital and labor working in harmony together the country must become prosperous, is accepted with satisfaolioD, and the Premier ia given oredit for sincerity in his assurances. " We fully believe," remarks. the Preps, "that if he is left alone he will pursue a fairly moderate policy in the next Parliament. He doeß not, we believe, of his own choice, go in for extreme measures, although he would hesitate over few courses, however extreme, which he thought necessary would keep himself and his party in power. . . The Oppositionists in the new' House, no doubt, have a duty to discharge in the matter of watching the proposals submitted, and offering criticisms and amendments. That is a duty which we feel sure they will discharge with ability and effect. It is a duty, however, which ought to be shared by the more able and independent on the Government side, and the country is more likely to get the benefit of their assistance if the minority in the House refrain from delivering attacks which are foredoomed to failure, and can by no possibility "do any manner of good." Turning over to the New Zealand Times article, we find it stated that " Captain Russell finds himself with a so-called Conservative followiug of thirteen, viz., Messrs R. Monk, F. W. Massey, J. Bollard, W. Crowther, W. H. Herrieß, W. F. Lang, P. McGuire, George Hutchison, C. Lewis, 0. Hardy, J. Allen, W. Fraaer, and J. W. 'Jkotnson. A scrutiny of. these names by. anyone who has watched the careers -and utterances of those who hold them wij| disclose the fact that these men are affi worthy of being olassed as Liberals." .Th'ur

is a remarkable admission from the mouth- ; piece of a party which a few days ago denounced these gentlemen as "wretched Conservatives," the rop.Ooentatives of an effete order of things, whose only desire was to get into office to repeal the land and income tax and re-establish the old property tax. It ia an admission of the argument that we have all along contended, that there is no distinguishing line of Liberalism and Conservatism in this colony, and that the Ministerialists were not laying the position fairly before the electors when on the strength of such distinctions they endeavored to set class against class. But what is wanted of these thirteen members who are " worthy of being olassed as Liberals 1 " The Times discussion of the situation is worth quoting. It says : — "There can be no prospect of the selfeffaced Left Wing party resuming its foimer position iv the House. Messrs Pirani, Hutcheson, nud Atkinson are too firmly bound to the Opposition ; they cannot possibly pose as independent or as impartial critics of the Government, and yet it is difficult to conceive that the unholy compact entered into for election purposes can long hang together in the House. The Radical Prohibitionists and the Conservative lovers of order, progress, and respect for individual liberties can no more coalesce than oil and water. Captain Russell and his unlucky thirteen are more likely to attract to their ranks devoted 'dumb dogs' of the Government, whom they have twitted upon their blind loyalty, than they are to retain the allegiance of such malcontents as their new allies from the Left Wing. If there ia to be a strong and efficient Opposition in the House it must be evolved in some other way than by the continuance of the unnatural alliance formed by the Conservative and Radical sections of members. The very strength of the Government party will prove a source of inherent weakness. But looking to its personnel, we cannot see that there is any likelihood of more than two or three members at most going over to the Conservatives, while piobably no more than one (the member for Avon) has any sympathy with the extreme Radical and Prohibitionist section. What, then, is likely to be the state of affairs when members and parties have ' shaken down ' ? One or two things may happen. In the first place matters may go 6n much as they were last session, with the two old parties and the ' corner party ' in their former places, but with a very great disparity in their relative strength. In such case there would be no temptation for any member to change his ideas, and we should have a tame, uninteresting, and unsatisfactory condition of affairs. On the other hand, there are many who believe that when Parliament assembles a disposition will be manifest to rearrange parties and intro duce a wise and more correctnomenclature. The Conservative party of late years has taken strong exception to that name, and it has now more reason than ever to do so. Why, then, it is asked, should it not walk over the floor of the House, support the Government, whose measures it approves, and claim representation in the Cabinet, whose administration has just received the endorsement of the people ? Personal feeling would, of course, prevent Mr GeorgeHutchison doing this, but there is absolutely nothing to prevent ftuch men as Captain Russell, Mr Chas. Lewis, and Mr James Allen working harmoniously with Mr Seddon. The idea of such a coalition may seem wild, but in the nature of things it would prove a great deal morejeongruous and coherent than the alliance between the Opposition proper and the Left Wing. Parliament would then be divided into two natural parties— the Moderate Liberals and the Radicals, the latter comprising extremists and faddists and other peculiar people, who, though they may be 'the Bait of the earth,' are disturbing elements when allied with men of moderate political opinions." The article concludes with a prophecy that in the next election the battle will be between Liberalism and Socialism. " With Mr >'eddon as the -leader of the Liberals, and perhaps Mr Pirani at the head of the Socialists, a perio'dJof confused futile wraugjjng, mingled with intrigues, plots, and counter plots, may be expected in the immediate future ; but out of ohaos order will be evolved, and the Liberal party consolidated and enriched by the bestelemente of the Ipresent Opposition, and purged of some constituents that make for disintegration, will be assured of a continuance of the confidence of the country." The above, coming from the inspired quarter-that .it does, and the assertion of the Lytteltou Times, another Ministerial organ, that the parties of the future will probably be the cautious, moderate Liberals, undej Mr Seddon, and' f the Progressives, consisting of those ardent Radicals and Socialists who would be discontented at the rate of legislative progress, is, to say the least, extremely significant.