AN ELECTION CANARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1628, 1 September 1887, Page 1

AN ELECTION CANARD.

London, August 27. Sir Robert Stout has written a letter to Sir Dillon Bell, Agent-General, in which he states he expects that his Government viill bo defeated. Wellington, August 29. Oo receipt of the cable measaKs, stating that the Premier had written to Sir Dillon B'jll, expecting defeat, the Press Association communicated with tho Government and this afternoon received a reply from Sir Robert Stout. He denies th» truth of the telegram, and states that he never wrote to the Agent-General officially on the subject. He sent Sir Dillon Bell a private letter, informing him of the events of the session and tho appeal to tho country, wliro ho told him it was impossible to predict what would happen. Both sides were confident of success, hut the Government would bo defeated if the people listened to the abuse of the Opposition Press. Sir Robert is amazed that the contents of a private letter, even in a garbled form and utterly incorrect, shoull bo m&ue public. Christchurch, August 30. Sir Julius Vogel informs the Star that he has received a communication from Sir ilobert Stout, and that the probability is that the cablegram about the Governmont being beaten refers to a remark to that effect in a letter written about the time that the vote of want of confidence was being decided, and that tho ref era (ice was to that vote and not to the general election. It is quite possible that Sir Francis Dillon 801 l after ths vote was carried miy have said that the Premier wrote that Ijp expected the Opposition wou'd have a majority when tla-3 vote was taken.