PAST POLITICS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4501, 6 September 1930, Page 2

PAST POLITICS.

SOME ABLE MEN. ATKIN'SON’S FIRST BUDGET. An interesting lecture, entitled “Days Before Yesterday in New Zealand Polities,” was delivered on Thursday evening by the Hon. W. Downie Stewart, M.P., to the Wellington branch of the New Zealand II istorieal A ssociatkvn.

The years between 3870 and 3SDO in New Zealand were usually regarded as dull and confusing from a political standpoint, said Mr. Stewart. The absence at that time of any clear division of political parties or policies had led to the events of those years beingdealt with by most writers in a summary fashion. Yet it was safe to say that while in other periods of New Zealand history there were notable statesmen, there was no period in which such a galaxy of brilliant public men crowded the political stage as between 1870 and 1890.

Tn 1875 Vogel went to England, Dr. Pollen was made Premier, and Atkinson became Colonial Treasurer for the first time. It was then that his outstanding abilities showed themselves in their full strength. Mis -first Financial Statement, delivered in August, 1(875, was a masterly survey of the finances of the colony, set forth with such lucidity that, even to the present day, the reader with no previous knowledge of tin' time can readily grasp the whole position. Atkinson set out clearly and simply the history of Ihe various loans raised since 1870. Tie also made provision for the change in finance rendered necessary by the abolition of the provinces, a task' of the greatest complexity, as a new system of finance had to be provided for the county councils and other local bodies which were to replace the existing provincial councils. It was impossible not to admire the grasp he displayed of bis subject.

THREE GREAT MEN. It. was interesting, said Mr. Stevtart, to consider the position of those three great men —Grey, Vogel, and Atkinson. Grey’s great and splendid career as an Imperial pro-Consul and administrator was well -known. In the political arena it was generally held limit the forces lie drew around him during his short premiership, from 3877 to 1879 formed the real foundation of the Progressive and Liberal Party and that this was the beginning of definite party lints in New Zealand. Yet in the very act of doing this lie destroyed himself politically, by his autocratic methods and his irritable jealousy. He was, as he himself said, with some pathos, “an outi ast among men,” and he never again secured any dominating political position. All the measures he stood for —triennial Parliaments, one-man-one-volc, and oilier reforms, were given effect to by his opponents. Atkinson, with neither the 'brilliance of Vogel nor the fervid oratory of Grey, dominated Ihe political position during- the whole peliod from the abolition of the provinces up to IS9O. While Grey captured enormous crowds from the public platforms, his vague and -passionate rhetoric made no impression on the House. Atkinson, on the other hand, was too cold and matter-of-fact to capture public audiences, but in Parliament he was complete master of his subject, and his vigorous counter-attack .overwhelmed his opponents.

The lecturer sketched the history of parties from 1875 to 181)0, giving many interesting and curious incidents of Parliamentary life.