MR. CURTIS IN REPLY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 304, 24 December 1877, Page 2

MR. CURTIS IN REPLY.

To the Editor oe the * Evening Mail.' Sir,— Your leading article of last night appears to require some notice on uiy part — not as regards your criticisms upon my speech generally, but in reference to your accusation of " oblivion of facts." Sir George Grey made his statement of the general policy of the Grorernmenfc on the isth of October, ana it was then agreed by the Opposition, mainly on the representation of Major Atkinson, to wait for the Treasurer's statement of financial policy as to which Sir George Grey said, «I hope that to-morrow (16th October), or, at all events, within a very short period of time, the Colonial Treasurer will give detailed infor mation to the House." On the 18th of October Mr Larnach said iv reply to a question from Major Atkinson, •' I may inform the honorable gentleman that it is my intention to make my Financial Statement on Mouday or Tuesday next " (the 22nd or 23rd). rOn the Monday (22nd) the meeting your telegram related to was held. The meeting did not include the Middle Party, and I was therefore not present. The resolution you quote was evidently merely a confirmation of the course which had been pursued duriug the preceding week. The same afternoon, on tne House meeting, Mr Laruach said in reference to the Financial Statement, "I am afraid, therefore, that it will take another week before I can possibly be ready to bring it forward." Thereupon Major Atkinson consulted with his party, a large majority of whom were of opinion that further postponement should not be couceded after so indefinite a statement, and on the following day, the 23rd he informed the House that he should at the next sitting give notice of a motion of no confidence in the Government. Thus there was at all events from the 15th to the 23rd, between tlie decision arrived at to wait for the Financial Statement and the taking of further action by Major Atkinson— instead of one, or, at most, two days, as Mr Lcvestain and you would have it. I Has therefore not "caught tripping" and there was no "oblivion of facts," my statement of the matter having been strictly correct in every essential particular. Oue word as to your accusation of simple credulity on the part of myself and others acting with me in placing reliance on the honor and good faith of men of standing and position in the House of Hepresentatives. I will only say that, for my part, lam quite content; to rest quMly under fchafc imputation. I must also give a flat contradiction to your assertion that "Mr Curtis tells us that he was a warm supporter of the Atkinsou Government, but all of a sudden," &c. I said rothiug of the kind, the fact being that I never supported the Atkinson Government except so far as appeared to me to be necessary to prevent the administration of the affairs of the colony from falling into the hands of Sir George Grey; in fact as your own reporter gives my words, I "preferred the lesser evil to the greater.?' I am, &c, Oswald Cdhtis. Nelson, 22nd December.