Wellington News.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 219, 26 August 1884, Page 2

Wellington News.

POLITICAL SITUATION UNALTERED. SIR GEORGE GREY DECLINES THE TASK OF FORMING A MINISTRY. MAJOR ATKINSON SENT FOB. [Pbb Association Tblbobams.) Wbloinoton, August 26. The political situation is still unaltered. Meetings have been held of the various parties, but nothing d .finite has been arrived at. Later. Sir George Grey has declined the task ot forming a Ministry, and his Excellency has now sent for Major Atkinson.

[from our own correspondent.] Weilington, August 26. Sir Julius Vogel, in a letter to a friend at Christchurch says that personally he is not sorry to leave office, because he only entered inLo New Zealand politics having confidence he could be of material aid to the Colony. They had no idea their antagonists would deny them an opportunity of explaining their policy. Those who opposed them were afraid i* - would gather strength as they went on, waf.e others were under the misapprehension that the policy disclosed in the speech was before the House, which was not the case. Mr. Thomson’s amendment only

expressed disapproval of the personal composition of the Ministry and not their policy. Had they waited for the financial statement the discontent would then have vanished. He pledged his word as a gentleman that his budget would have contained satisfactory proposals reducing the present taxation. Tne condition of the country was better than the people imagined. He said they had been greatly misunderstood about borrowing, and denounced the Atkinson Government for biinging down proposals for works which would cover nearly £12,000,000, of which authority had only been asked for £4,000,000, and no attempt was made to show how revenue would come in to meet the interest on the £12,000,000. They had no such indefinite system, but would have laid before the House the works proposed to be proceeded with yearly. Borrowing they anticipated, but expected returns to assist additional borrowing. People were deceived. They were not going in for extensive borrowing and blind finance.