Our Member and the Premier

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 145, 7 July 1888, Page 2

Our Member and the Premier

Tiie following is a statement of the unpleasantness which took place between the Premier, Sir Harhy Atkinson, and the member for Manawatu, Mr Macarthuk, in the House on Wednesday last. We acknowledge our indebtedness to the Wellington Press for the accompanying extract : — Mr Macarthur, member for Manawatu, in the course of a very able speech against the Customs Duties Bill, charged the Premier with having betrayed his former supporters by bringing in a Protective policy after promising them last year that he would not do so. Mr Macarthur instanced Mr Bruce, member for Kangitikei, who. in addressing his constituents, assured them that the Premier had promised him he would not propose a Protective policy. The Premier instantly denied this flatly. Mr Macarthur appealed to Mr Bruce who explicity corroborated what he had said. The Premier then burst out with the exclamation, " It is absolutely untrue." Later on Mr Bruce gave his own version of the facts, which entirely supported what Mr Macarthur had said. Mr Bruce asked Sir Harry Atkinsox, who was then his leader, whether he intended to bring in a Protective policy, telling him that he could not support him if he did. Sir Harry Atkinson assured him that he did not, that he was not in favor of imposing duties for Protective purposes. Mr Bruce repeated this pledge to his constituents, and gave it as his justification for supporting Sir Harry Atkinson. He therefore deeply resented the Premier's denial of it now. In the face of such a statement, which was amply borne out by others, the Premier had nothing for it but to declare that his denial was not intended to reflect on Mr Bhuce's veracity ; though what it was intended for he omitted to say. He ; then tried to shuffle out of hi* pledge , and his violation of it by saying that ] he had promised Mr Bruce not to bring in a' 4 ' purely" Protective tariff.

Thi9 paltry verbal quibble only made matters worse, and when the debate was adjourned, no business of any sort being done, the Premier certainly stood lower in the estimation of the House than he ever stood before.