The Patea Mail. Established 1875. MONDAY. JUNE 4, 1883. MAJOR ATKINSON'S SPEECH.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1042, 4 June 1883, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Established 1875. MONDAY. JUNE 4, 1883. MAJOR ATKINSON'S SPEECH.

Major Atkinson’s speech has left us very much where we were before he spoke. It is true that he gave bis audience a dear and interesting account of the past session, but the future was touched very lightly upon. Still, he told us enough for us to see that some needed measures would be brought in next session. “ Public works,” said the Major, “ would be carried on vigourously; local bodies would be strengthened and rendered independent; the native policy would be the same as that which had been successfully inaugurated and carried on by .Mr Bryce.” Speaking of the measures to be introduced this session, he said there would be the abolition of Entail and Settlement Bill, a Bankruptcy Bill, and a Bill to deal with married women’s property upon the same lines as the English Act. Besides these there would be a quantity of social work got through, that is if the Opposition were not too obstructive. This is not a very startling programme, and we are inclined to think that there arc other matters to be brought forward, which the Major thought it best not to mention. There is therefore really very little to disagree with in the Major’s politics, and they may be dismissed at once. Local, topics possess more interest, and more varied opinions are held ns to whether the member has done justice to the district. We are satisfied with Major Atkinson ourselves. We fail that anything was elicited by his opponents which would shake the confidence of the electors. The Major was frank and outspoken upon, local questions, and told ns that if we wanted the harbour works continued, we should have to rate ourselves. The truth is not always palatable, and it would have been much more pleasant if the Major had hinted that Government would give ns a substantial endowment to assist the works. We feel sure that the days for endowments and grants have disappeared for ever, and neither Major Atkinson nor anybody else has the slightest power to “ get something ” for this or any other constituency. It will in future generally be a case of help yourself. The passage-at-arms between Mr Sherwood and the Major resulted, as might have been expected, in the discomfiture of the local man. We admire Mr Sherwood’s courage exceedingly, because Major Atkinson’s reputation as a hard hitter in debate is pretty well established ; and it required a man of no ordinary parts to tackle Jiim at all. Mr Sherwood was worsted—for two reasons; fust, because he allowed his feelings to over-ride his discretion, and thus laid himself open to the broadside of his enemy ; and secondly, because the matters brought forward by him did not appear to be regarded as particularly serious by those present. The almost unanimous vote of confidence in the Major showed that. The impression left npon our mind by Wednesday’s meeting is that Major Atkinson has a firm hold npon the seat, and that Patea would be best consulting its own interests by pulling with instead of against the member. Such a conlse would be much more pleasant for all concerned; for although we need not expect to gain* much by hanging on to Major Atkinson’s coat-tails, there are a number of little things wherein it would be a pleasure to him to help, if the relations between the district and the member were more friendly.