THE OPPOSITION ANALYSED.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2078, 1 September 1875, Page 3

THE OPPOSITION ANALYSED.

We have been endeavouring to put into a sort of mental alembic the compound of strange heterogeneous elements included Under the generic term of " the Oppo-. sition." It is a sort of "happy family," comprising animals of very opposite instincts, bound together by no ties but those of a common dread and a common hunger. There is the Auckland party — agreed on one thing at least, that of greed for our land fund; ihe Wellington party, —consisting of Mr Fitzherbert and Mr Bunny,—whose "platform" is just as selfish, but entirely distinct and whose enmity is the result of disappointed hopes and defeated ambition. Then there is the Macahdrew following, who •want to make four separate colonies, with buta.slight link of federation, and reduce the Assembly to a mere cipher. Then there are a few discontented individuals who. want they know not what, and whose brains are full of what a well-known Prcvincial Councillor used to call " chimerical schemes." Finally, among the waverers —who can hardly be said to belong to the Opposition, and of whom there are many more representatives outside the House than in—there are those who have adopted as .their one hope and their one cry the vague word "delay," and •whose political creed seems to be summed up in these words—" They fear; they know not what-but still they fear. 1' If we could analyse with the precise tests of the chemist this compound mass, we g^uld probably arrive at some such result as the following :—- In 100 parts. .Auckland platform 50 .. ■ Disappointed aspirants ■■ .. .. IS Macandrewites 20 Scparationists.. .. .. ... 5 Honest puzzlcpates 5 Shivering: procrasttnators .. .. 5 . Patriots ... . ... : .. a. trace. 100 This compound is highly explosive, but can be rendered safe by exposure to the open air, and the application of. a little cold water. But what discordant elements are here ! —how, indeed, are they to be assimilated into one homogeneous whole, or prevented from flying violently apart when put under pressure ? Let the advocates of delay, then, seriously consider the matter, not in a' mere abstract light, but in all its consequences, and they will see that there is but one alternative. Either the present Ministry—which is committed to action, and cannot, without stultifying itself, delay—or else chaos.— Otago Guardian,