THE MACANDREW BANQUET.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2199, 15 November 1875, Page 3

THE MACANDREW BANQUET.

(From the Dunedin Star), We have no wish- to add to the mortification that all concerned must feel when reflecting upon tho issue of their labours as displayed at the Opposition banquet' on Wednesday. Asa political demonstration it was calculated to produce precisely the opposite effect from what was intended. Both the advocates and opponents of Provincialism expected a fair outline of the_ future tactics of the party, but instead of that, they .were treated mainly with pretty speeches, well enough to listen to at a purely social gathering, but utterly unworthy of men who assume to be leaders of a great political movement. The whole affair bore the impress of a patched-up alliance of men opposed: in opinion and interest, frightened of saying a word that might perchance disturb that appearauce. of tranquillity which was necessaryto prevent the hollowness of the convention from becoming transparent.

(From the Bruce Herald), The wise men of. the North—Messrs Grey, Fitzherbert, Eolleston, Sheehan, and Bunny, assisted by Messrs Macandrew, Beid, and Stout—discharged tho first shot out of the old Provincial blunderbuss on Wednesday evening." The ammunition was of the ancient brand, so much used by those gentlemen during the last session, when they used the forms of Parliament to aid them in wasting tho time of the House to no purpose whatever. The tone of the Provincial gun is now well known to every man, woman, and child in the colony; _ and we have now come to the conclusion that tho Provinoialisfc party uso " blank cartridge," because they have no shot or shell to discharge.. The burden of the song is still the same,. " Great is Diana .of tho Ephesians," and we presume the refrain will be sounded in our ears until the Assembly meets again; and then these self-laudatory statesmen will have their eyes opened to the fact that the country is against them. (From the Wellington Tribune), ' The team cannot keep together. It reminds one of that behind which a parson in ".the shires" onco rode on tho box-seat, who, on tho coachman giving vent to somo very unecclesiastical language, recommonded to his Jehu the cxamplo of Job for patience; when the perplexed'driver replied emphatically, that lie was sure " Job never had to drive three blind 'uns and a bolter!" Mr Eolleston prudently boiled homo to Canterbury as soon as ever Mr' Macandrew drew the picture of insular separation as inseparable from the dissolving view of provincialism. He would'nt wait for Sir John Bichardson to ring tho knell of Christchurch and Wellington. For " separation" would mean Dunedin inevitably as the important capital of tho south province, and Auckland as that of the north, with tho perpetuation of coasting postal services both by. San Francisco and by Suez, leaving Wellington with a comparatively unimportant federal government. Mr Fitzherbert, blind in his most.unfortunate kick at tho coachman's toes, about wives put away for faults, was blind enough to continue his countenance a little longer to this political combination of tho extremities against the centre—of the members against tho bolly. So far as he does represent Wellington, he has been most simply dragging it captive, at tho chariot wheels of the twin would-be kings of North and South—Grey and Macandrew. Even- Mr Fitzherbert, however, would not " walk through Coventry with them" any further than Clutha. Messrs Bunny and Sheehan have partly thrown up their billets of stable-hunters, lest the billets should leave them with empty bins, and have gone popularity-prospecting with J. 0. Brown among the miners at Lawrence— a sweet trio. .■■■'■'...