POLITICAL NEWS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4090, 30 August 1884, Page 3

POLITICAL NEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.]

(From our Special Correspondent.) Wellington, This day

A bombshell has been thrown into the Opposition camp by the offer from tho Atkinson party to take Vogel aud Stout into the Cabinet. All sorts of reports as to coalition are flying about. Vogel and Stout declined tho tempting offer. A meeting of Canterbury members Avas held yesterday afternoon to consider an offer made by Atkinson to take in Vogel and Stout, and even a third member into the Cabinet if necessary. For this purpose Hursthouse and Wakefield Avould havo retired, and become permanent political secrotarys. The offer avus not entertained, and it Avas decided to proceed with the noconfidence motion.

Stout's speech last evening Avas a very Avcak one. I awfully regret that I cannot appreciate him, and ho was not in good form, his speech being a bad repetition. Three times over the sum and total of that indictment Avas that the Ministry Avas the Continuous Ministry over again, led by Atkinson. While the colony had emphatically declared that it Avas tired of tho old man and the old policy, tlm Colony wanted new men, new ideas, and fresh administration. This was repeated, as I have said, at least three times over. Wakefield folloAved him in a brilliant speech, in which he replied that the Ministry was not the Continuous Ministry. The father of that Ministry Avas Sir Julius Vogel, and that new men Avere on the benches, who, if they got time, Avould develop a now policy, but Stout's speech Avould have been the samo if every man had been new. He would have altered it, so said Wakefield, by saying it was ridiculous to suppose inexperienced men could carry out a policy that Avould be acceptable to the Colony. Ho denied that the issue was Avhcthe'r the Continuous Ministry should remain in office or not. The real issue, in his opinion, Avas whether Sir George Grey should rule the country or not. That avus the issue. Without the assistance of Sir George there could be no chance of turning out tho Government. The section that held the balance of power Avas small but compact, and so far, in all our troubles, they had managed to pull off the honors, while the main combatants got nothing but scars and bruises. The men avlio Avould really turn the Government out Avere men pledged to the property tax as opposed to the land tax, but a section had banded themselves together by a cast-iron rule, which said that they would support no Ministry Avhieh did not contain Sir J. Vogel. Vogel succeeded Wakefield, but he Avas not in good form, though he made some good hits at the expense of Wakefield, perhaps the best of which was-in reply to the latter when he had said a consistent politician must be either an inspired prophet or an obstinate fool, to which Vogel replied that that gentleman's appearance Avas not that of an inspired prophet, but ho should not like to say he was the other. Another hit was Avhen he said the Ministry Avould have to bo either that of Atkinson or Wakefield. The tail must cither turn the dog, or the dog the tail. When at one time he AA'anted to stop, from the stranger's gallery there Avas a very audible "Go on." Atkinson's reply Avas vigorous, and in the opinion of many, CA'cn of those opposed to iim, the speech of tho occasion, and ho bitterly related the steps he had taken to bring about a coalition, iv Avhieh he had gone further than his party desired him to do, but that was because he felt only a Coalition Government could stand. His reply to Vogel that he had been too long on the Treasury benches Avas very good. He said politicians in the old country had sat for three times his time as members of a Government with credit to themselves and to tho satisfaction of tho country. He taunted Vogel by saying that ho could save taxation to tho extent of a quarter of a million a year, but that explanation could only be given from the Government benches, otherAvise his patriotism dried up immediately. Guiness, a new member, though getting awfully mixed in his metaphors, made a good speech, and turned the riddle as to Avhether the dog wagged the tail or the tail the dog back on Stout aud Vogel. The uoav member got a good reception. W. F. Buckland, avlio folloAved. said the concentration of dodgery and jobbery surpassed anything he had ever imagined. He then raised the New Zealand flag by saying

that the colonials must ere long rule the colony, as they had put up long-enough with the inferior imported article. At 3 o'clock this morning the fate of the Atkinson Ministry was sealed, which is ! scarcely to be Avondered at. The issue was never in doubt, though in the afternoon it appeared as if tho debate was not going to take place, as Major Atkinson had offered to make terms with the other party. In the early part of that debate it seemed as if a farce Avas being enacted which would result in a coalition "later on, but as the evening Avore on it Avas quite evident that it was not a farce that was being enacted, but a tragedy, a death struggle for place. The debate was chiefly remarkable for the number of men who spoke. Strongly enough five lawyers followed one another, and the manner in which those new men acquitted themselves showed what a wonderful improvement this House is on its predecessor. But the very abili-y of the House is one of the causes of our present complication. When the division was taken it was felt that a coalition Avas inevitable, but this morning it is said that it is not likely to come off even yet, Avhieh will be regretted by all. That wonderful journal as regards veracity, the New Zealand Times, this morning, informs its readers that Atkinson was defeated by five votes. The situation certainly looks like a dissolution, though not immediately. My own A r iew is that Stout will be sent for. _He Avill form a Ministry, as coalition is said to be far off; he will be defeated, and will be ontitled to a dissolution. That is my view, and against that a man Avho ought to know said this morning that Ormond Avould be sent for, but Aye are all Avrong. The Ministry has resigned while I am Avritiug this, and Mr Waterhouse has been sent for. That may settle the situation. Mr Waterhouse is now engaged in forming a Ministry.