MR. ATMORE'S POSITION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1396, 23 March 1912, Page 6

MR. ATMORE'S POSITION.

On another occasion when pressed for his opinion of the Opposition, Sir. Atmoro r-aid, "They had some sterling men in their ranks, but lie considered the Government could ho reformed from within if the electors returned men who would refuso to bo driven, and who, if tho choico had to bo made, would prefer principle to party." (I quote from tho Nelson "Evening Mail" of August 3.) If in the face of such an expression of opinion your correspondent persisted in thinking that Mr. Atmorc was chained to tho chariot wheels of the Opposition, then all I can sav is that he deluded himself fondly witli a vain imagination. Mr. Atmoro and I have known each other for many years. We have often differed. I have said that I did not support him last December. We differ on the question of party Government. Mr. Atmoro appears to condemn tho system of party Government, whereas 1 believe that it is an absolute necessity and the direct outcome of human nature. However that may be, Mr. Atmoro has gone to Parliament, and has been the happy means of preserving the Liberal party from defeat. And his action was in keeping with his open declaration as (o what he would do in tho very circumstances which occurred.—l am, etc..

A. A. GRACE, kelson, March 20. TWo have received a lengthy letter from Mr. William Lock, and another eiircmclv long one signed 11. M*Achicg, defending Mr. Atmoro on the same lines as Mr. Grace's.]

Sir,—Your eone.-pondeul who signs Mmself "Lei Die 'I'nilli I'ievnil" says i„ vonr i'-iio nt .MiiP'h 11, in reference In ' Mr. Atmore's jio-.iti.»-i: "Ifccalling his election speeches, wherein lie in-iuuatwl, and bv many allusions intimated, Mini, if returned lii.s efforts wiiiild lui all towards endiii" Dip CoiiliniKiu- Ministry and Inwards Parliamentary reform, aiid also recalling llm fart Hint, in voiispqucnce. tho Oppo-i" tion spirit in tho NVlson plpctorate placed Mr. Alniore a( tho head nf Hip poll, I can come li> no oilier conclusion llian that XcL-ou electors havo been badlv Mild. . . . Although ho did nut, sav si directly and straightforwardly. vol' 31 r. At more most certainly allowed ' and |~,i his supporters lo infer Dint lio was out asslill.it tho Ward or any .limilar Admini.-.-Iralion. . . . He nave colour lo such an inference on alino.it every occasion 011 which hp spoke." lint unforiiinatply your correspondent is 1101 fully conversant with tho facts of the ease, and it is left lo 0110 like myself, who, as everyone in Nelson know?, did not. support 31 r. Atmorc's candidature, to elucidate the fat-Is. and so "let the truth prevail.'' During the. campaign many attempts were ntiulo to draw from 31 r. Atinore tonic expression as to how he would vote oil a motion of no confidence in the Government. In 110 en.lo would ho definitelv pledge himself one way or the oilier, but perhaps tho clearest declaration he made was lo 11 r. Martin, the Opposition organiser. I quota from "Tho Colonist's" report of Mr. Atmorc's speech, made on December 13, 011 tho eve of the second ballot "lio bad been asked by the Opposition organiser bow ho would vote 011 a uo-con-tideiu-o motion if it were brought forward and tabled as soon as the. House assembled. He at once asked Air. Martin 011 wlmfc ground the motion was to be brought down. Tho other replied, 'Just a voto of no-confidence.' Do bad told tho organiser straight out that if be was asked was lie in favour of the continuance of the Government's administration without any definite ground being stated in connection with land tenure, or anything else like this, he would vote straight out against tho Opposition." i\ow, for some reason best known to the Leader of tho Opposition, the voto of noconfidence was "just a vote of no-con-fidenco"—only that and nothing more. It is plain that Mr. Masssy's motion was so trained that if 3lv. Atmoro hud voted in favour of it 110 would have voted directly in opposition to bis declared intention as expressed on tho eve of the second ballot. Hut 110 was perfectly, consistent. He voted against it, as he said lie would do, and this being so I fail to appreciate your correspondent's grievance. In fact ho lias no grievance, liv all means "let; the truth prevail," but'lei; us see that it. is the truth and not, a distortion of facts, or a twisting of the truth, that prevails.