The Fielding Star. SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1884. Politics

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 46, 19 April 1884, Page 2

The Fielding Star. SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1884. Politics

The weakness of the speech of Major Atkinson at Hawera has only been equalled by that of Mr Montgomery iu reply, delivered at Akaroa. Notwithstanding the evident annihilation which awaits the ATKiNsoN-Continuons Ministry, the Major still assumes that he and his party will be able to retain the reins of power during the comiug session, and that they (the Government party) will be strong enough to return a majority of members at the next general election. On the other hand, Mr Montgomery has taken up his old position as leader of an Opposition which never fuUy acknowledged him as such, with the same want of power and political skill for which he has rendered himself remarkable. His simple hearted honesty and shrewd common sense are evidenced in almost every line of his criticisms of the address of the Major, but he does not for a single moment foreshadow any line of acceptable policy whereby the present condition of the finances of the Colony may be altered or improved. He thinks that a system of pruning in the Civil Service ought to have been followed for the past four or five years. No doubt if this had been done some saving would have been effected, but the Civil Service is not the only head on which should faU the blows dealt at the Government, and the fact that this expenditure is always the first attacked is not a proof of glaring extravagance which needs checking, but of the weakness of the opponents of the Government,„yv J b 1 p oan only "find in the Civil Servants ebjeots on whom to vent their spleen. If the whole general policy of the Government were the subject of criticism and their sins of omission or commission pointed out, one would have some hopes of an Opposition under the leadership even of Mr Montgomery. As it now is the members of the Opposition have neither a leader nor cohesion among themselves. They generally, in the past, have waited for the latter to be given from without by the pressure of the stronger willed Major. The Government has put off the meeting of Parliament so long past the time prescribed by custom, if not by law, to gain time in the first instance and in tlie second to have the handling of three months' revenue, while beyond the reach of adverse criticism. Mr Montgomery has made a strong point of this, but as on a former occasion, the Major will be quite ready with an excuse, which, although it may be unsatisfactory to members, will have to be accepted with as good a grace as possible. v