THE OPPOSITION.

Observer, Volume XVIII, Issue 1016, 18 June 1898, Page 3

THE OPPOSITION.

Where Is Its Policy ?

It is very significant that though we are on the eve of what may prove to be the last'session of the present Parliament, the Opposition have not yei placed any policy before the country. This is palpable evidence of weakness. True, the leaders of the party have addressed meetings in several centres of population, denouncing the Government and its ways, and urging strongly that Ministers should be removed from the Treasury Benches and the leaders of the Opposition installed in their places. But no substantial reason has been urged to warrant thiß change. We do not Bay that .there are Buch reasons. But it is for the Opposition to produce them. Oa the contrary, however, they Bimply content themselves by abusing Dick Seddon, and Jock McKenzie, and indeed all and sundry, forgetting altogether that abase is no argument.

It is the question of measures that concerns the people more than that of men. So far as individuality goes, Scobie McKenzie is no more to us than John McKenzie, even as much, and Dick Seddon is more popular a hundred times than Captain Russell or William -Eolleston. Therefore, it goes without saying that the Opposition will have to urge stronger claims to omc6 than those of mere personality. There is no guarantee that the administration of the Opposition party would be more sagacious or less corrupt than that of the Government. The Tory party was not by any means free from reproach.when it waß in power before. Consequently, the question strongly resolves itself into one of measures and not men, and therefore it behoves the Opposition to lose no time in formulating a policy and placing it before the country, so that the general elections, when they come, may be fought ont upon direct party issues.

One of the Opposition leaders gave a public assurance some little time ago that his party had no intention of interfering with the legislation brought into force by the present Government. What does this mean ? Is the Opposition prepared to give its countenance to the trades unionist legislation which has been paralysing industrial enterprise in every direction, which threatens to deprive our youth of the right to learn a trade, and which vetoes the establishment of new trades and manufactures in our colony ? Are they prepared to perpetuate the alleged Conciliation burlesque, uuder which disputes are created by professional agitators in trades where there was previously peace and harmony, and under which, also, masters are harrassed and tyrannised to an extent that has already began to exercise a decidedly prejudicial effect upon our manufacturing industries ? Are we to have no reform in the police service, that department of immorality, inefficiency and drunkenness which the Honorable Thomaa Thompson's administration has been chiefly responsible for bolstering up ? Are we to have no end to the absurd, vexatious, and unsettling legislation that has been so usefully kicked out of the Legislative Council for several years past ?

If we are not, then why change the Government ? Dick Seddon is as good as anybody else, and John McKenzie is a con. scientious Minister of Lands, and the colony has never seen a better "Minister of Railways than Mr Cadman. So far as Mr Thompson is concerned, he has proved his ntter incapability as an administrator, and the odds are considerable that he will be thrown out of the Cabinet . before the elections come on. There are strong reasons to urge why we should have a change of policy in thiß country, and if the Opposition is not prepared with a moderate - and more acceptable policy, then it is difficult to see what advantage would be gained by turning Saddon and party out of office. Now is the time for the declaration of that new policy. "Where is the Opposition ? The country awaits the new gospel with eagerness.