The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1887. "THE NEW PARTY."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1669, 22 September 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1887. "THE NEW PARTY."

In a letter which appeared in oui issue of yesterday Mr Cnygill, one o Mr Purnell's strougest supporters, tnkci exception to our Tuesday's article, whicl referred to Mr Purnell'B almost incre dible inconsistency in fighting tho battl* of the Oppositions, of which Mojo Atkinson is the recognised leader, afte speeches in 1881. Our corresopndnn seeks to make out that wo imply tha Mr Purnell is fighting Major Atkinson' - bettle. Wo neither said nor implic< any such thing. Wo simply said h was fighting tho battle of the Opposi tion. If the Opposition prove victorious end the Government resign, Majo Atlctnßon would be " sent for," am would have not tbe slightest difficult in forming a Ministry, for his colleague aro all ready and willing, and evei anxious to lake office, their only fea being that tho Government will b returned by such a largo majority as t render such a consummation impossibl * for a time at least. There would be n ' other course open. It is sheer non sense to talk about " The New Party ' assuming tho reins of Governmen ' straight off. In our opinion, as well a in that of some of tho leading papers 0 tho colony, " Tho New Party " ib a myth a delusion, and a snare, & cloak to hid< tho political tergiversation of a fev traitors, formerly professing adhorenci to the Government cause, but finalh falling away when there seemed a bcttei prospect for themselves in the Oppoaitioi * ranks. "The New Party," at th< ' commencement of tho present campaign 1 was made to do good service as dust t< ; be thrown in tho eyes of tho electors . j But tho " myth " has been so fullj J exposed that it has lost its obfuscating 3 power, as the electors now see througl 1 it# Even granting for the sake of argument " Tho New Party's " existence, 5 and that everything is cut and dried) and all tho portfolios assigned ready foi 1 the first chance of assuming tho government of tho colony, whero is that chance to come from ? They would first have to defeat Major Atkinson's Governmeni I — that is supposing tho present Governj ment to resign or be defeated — and we do not think that " The New Party ' section of the Opposition aro strong enough for that. But it is really useless to arguo about " Tho New Party." We think Mr Caygill's lotter rathei ill-advised, for there is a probability ol its losing Mr Purnell the votes oi those, if any Buch there ho, who favor Major Atkinson and his party's return to office notwithstanding Mr Purnell's eloquent denunciation of the Major's extravagant administration and aversion from retrenchment, which he so mercilessly exposed. From tho strong reaction, however, which has set in in favor of tho Government during the last few weeks of tho campaign, and tho support which is being accorded tho fctout-Vogel Administration, wo do not anticipate that tho services of " Tho New Party " will bo required, in tho immediate future at any rate. So shall wo decline any further discussion of the question until tho result of tho elections is known,