POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1590, 4 June 1887, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

The Wellington correspondent of Lyttelton Times, telegraphing on June 2nd, says; The plot continue* to thicken, and it il 4 extremely difficult to say at the present moment to predict what the upshot of the situation will be. The Opposition, taking ad rentage of their victory, are ifriving to harass the Government on all a ! hands. Major Atkinson cannot conceal his chagrin and disappointment at not being allowed to occupy his old seat on the Treasury benches. This afternoon the fight was renewed by Major Aikinson moving the adjournment of the House, with a view *o some satisfactory solution of the difficulty. From the attitude assumed by the Major now, it would seem as if ha regretted the course adopted by him last night. He did not give expression to his regret in words, but those who bare watched his movements in ths House for any length of time can always tell when he is uneasy lin his mind. He cannot conceal his 1 feelings, and though ho may not give I utterance to them his manner betray* them. He appeared this afternoon to be in that peculiar position which is known as “ Between the Devil and the Deep Blue S'*a.” His Northern folio vers, or some of ihem, want the new Representation Bill altered so that the M‘Kenzia clause may be struck ont. They are trying to force Government to bring in a Bill for its excision, but the Premier is too old a bird to bo caught with chaff. Sir George Grey made one of hi* slashing speeches this afternoon. He dsnounced Ministers in scathing terms for daring to occupy their seats after being defeated in such an ignominious manner. This bronghl the matter-of-fact little . member for Nelson to his feet. Whenever Mr Levestam risea he, as a rule, has something to say worthy of utterance, While Sir George Grey was addressing the House, the clever little man fortified himself with a couple of volumes of Hansard. When he began to reply he used the volumes to some purpose. He read extracts from Sir George Grey’s speech in 1879, when the Grey Government was defeated by a majority of fourteen. These went to show that the pursued by the Premier at present similar to iliat pursued by Sir Qeorce himself when defeated. Mr Levestam certainly scored an important point. An amusing incident occurred this morning, during the debate cn the Major’s motion. "When Mr Ormond , finished speaking, Mr Smith rose to dress him down in the vigorous fashion for which the member tor Waipawa is famed. No sooner did Mr Ormond observe his adversary on his feet than he snatched his hat and rushed from the Chamber. The occurrence raised a iaugh from the Government side of the House.