The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 1885. THE NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2082, 31 August 1885, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 1885. THE NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

So far as the debate on Major AtKin son's resolutions has gone, Ministers have had the best of it, and it seenis as if they are likely to have the best of it, so far as the number of votes are <:oncerned, throughout, There appears to be some doubt whether the remainder of the resolutions will be proceeded with at all. It would seem somewhat contradictory on the part of the House to accept any one of tliem after currying Mi'Macanduew's amendment, were it not that the resolutions themselves are not the main point at issue, the real j question being whethor Ministers shall retain their seats or nbt, The Honsr would not act more inconsistently by carrying them than it did in canying Mr Macandrew's amendment after the vigorous protest of the Ministerialists that it was 100 late in the session to bring forward a question involving the fate of the Government. More than one Ministry in Now Zealand has gone out of office on motions that could not. he carried out, because tlicy were absolutely ridiculous, The Stout-Vogel combination owes its success in the two divisions that were taken entirely to the votes of the Maori members, and the somewhat unexpected support of Mr Montgomery, who, earlier in the session, formally declared that he was no longer -x supporter of the Government. At the present time Mr Montgomery occupies a position which not a single member of the House will envy him. Almost iitmediately after his declaration of secession, the proposals of Messrs Meiggs and cons with regard to the East and West Coast railway, were brought up, and as he represented a constituency iu the central part of Canterbury, he had to swallow his aversion to the Ministry and lavish expenditure to please his constituents. As one of Major Atkinson's resolutions was to the effect that 'the East and West Coast railway should not be proceeded with.it was scarcely possible for him to turn round and vote against the Ministry. His reasons for supporting them are, however, very weak, nor are they strengthened by the wellknown fact that he was prepared to accept Mi'jor Atkinson's support if he had seen his way clear to move for a vote of no confidence in the Government, At the present time the Ministry owes its existence mainly to the support of a declaied opponent, and unless something unfmseen occurs, this will be sufficient to tide it over the remainder of the session.