POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1763, 16 August 1884, Page 2

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

(From the Correspondent of the Christchurch Press.) The excitement of constructing a Cabinet to suit all tastes has now given place to the less highly-strung amusement of criticising the Cabinet after it has been made. Presently we are told we are to be plunged into the madden- ; ing vortex of political conflict once 1 more, by a determined attempt to ; smash up the piece of handiwork on ; which so much thought and pains * have been bestowed. There is now ' no doubt there will be an amend- ' ment on the Address in Reply, ! The Atkinson party declare that if a j moderate Ministry had been formed, in which due representation had been given to both islands, they would have been quite content to have given it a j fair trial before making a direct attack upon it, confining themselves, to cribi- ! cising and checking their policy, A . Stout —Yogel-Macandrew-Montgom- ! ery combination, however, they declare is more than they can tamely submit to, and it is their intention to endeavour to upset it at the earliest possible ( moment. They further express, them- ■ selves pretty confident that in this ] attempt they will be successful. They reckon on a block vote from the North i Island, with the exceptionof Mrßallance ( and, perhaps, one other member, It is ' also supposed that they will get the \ Greyite votes from the South Island i and the support of tho Maori members. 1 Canterburyites, it is expected, will !' give a block vote in favor of the Stout j, Ministry with about three exceptions, I one of whom will be Mr E. Wakefield, « who expresses himself totally opposed jj to the arrangement which has been come to. Otago will also give a solid j support to the new administration, o , while as to how the remainder I of the votes will go opinions differ. 11 | It seems highly probable that the ' division will be a close one, and that every vote will require whipping up. o One thing is now fully recognised, and '' that is that the long threatened struggle " is at length imminent. The conflict is I therefore invested with special signifi- a canoe, and is likely to be a very bitter a one. Its issue no doubt'will be looked [j for with the keenest interest all over b the colony. One prominent member of the party at present in the ascondant, I in conversation with me to-day urged [° that the new combination was the best a° that could be proposed in the real s l interests of the North Island itself, ' I St

cause the southerners having a preponderance of influence, and being desirous of keeping it, would be more chary of anything like injustice to the sister island than if the two were more evenly matched, and it became a pitched struggle between them. He urged.that the North Island railway, and tbe securing of tlio central route from Morton to Te Awamutu, was a question of the greatest importance to that part of the colony, and hinted that it would be found the new, Ministry are in favor of the prompt prosecution of the work by the directions indicated. It remains, however, to be seen what effect this sort of reasoning has upon the North Island members, who appear at present to have hardened their hearts completely against the new regime.