IN THE LOBBY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 995, 14 July 1883, Page 2

IN THE LOBBY.

[prom our parliamentary, correspondent.] Wellington, To-day. Mr Ivess made a speech in the House last night on the anti-centralism question. Of course he supported Mr Montgomery’s proposal. He remarked that it had been said that there had been no demand for those proposals on the part of the country. Now, he happened to hail from a district in which there was a healthy public opinion, and the population of which numbered some 13,000 souls, the Ashburton county. That was the first district in this colony which had sent forth a sound in support of the resolutions submitted by Mr Montgomery, and he held that if there had been no public opinion sounded by the colony generally, such an opinion was being gradually stirred. In every event, however, he held that resolutions of this character ought always to emanate from the people’s representatives, not from the people themselves. There was not the slightest doubt, he said, that csnlralism had proved a failure in the past. (Cheers.) He supported the present resolution, therefore, he explained, not as a party man. He was prepared and always: had been to give the Government a fair support, and it was not a wise thing on their part to attempt to make this a party question. (Renewed cheers.) He therefore trusted that the resolutions would be decided on their merits. If they were not carried, and most probably they would not- be carried on this occasion, he trusted'that before next Parliament public opinion would have been moulded in regard to the subject, and that the country would return a sufficient: number of men to give effect to that opinion irrespective altogether of party consider tion.-