MAJOR ATKINSON AND THE GOVERNMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OUR WELLINGTON CORRESPONDENT.]

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1917, 18 October 1884, Page 2

MAJOR ATKINSON AND THE GOVERNMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH.— OUR WELLINGTON CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Thursday. Thk attitude which Major Atkinson 'has lately .assumed towards the Ministry lias excited considerable comment, and his opponents are making the nio-t of hi* apparent resignation of the lole of the Opposition leader. It is freely stated on the one hand that he is intriguing with a view to being taken into the Cabinet, and on the other hand that he is simply playing a waiting game, and intends giving tho Ministry any amount of lope during tho present' session, while he means to tiy to advance next year. Theie is no doubt the position which the major has taken up respecting the Government is in niaikod contrast to that which he adopted towards his opponents in 1877, w hen he had to make way for tho (-Jrey Ministiy, and his bitter hostility to that Government was especially noticeable during the session that followed hi-, defeat. At the same time his present followers, with the exception pet haps of M3SSTB Itollesion, Bryce, and Wakeheld, appear to be quite satisfied with the course he has adopted, and express the opinion that he cannot, with any show of consistency, oppose the measuies brought down by the piesent Government, as seveialof them, such as the District Railways Bill, Government Insurance Bill, and otheis, are similar to those he himself has advocated for years past. They do blame Major Atkinson, however, for absenting himself ftoin the House so frequently, and refraining from taking part in the debates, as they consider that with his large experience ho should to some extent lead his paity as to how they should treat such important measures as have lately been discussed. The Opposition ha\e had fiequent meetings lately, of a semi private character, at which Major Atkinson has always been present, but the general feeling expressed at those meetings amounts to this, that no organised opposition is to be offered to the Ministry, and that each member should consider himself free to act as he thinks fit. Such a thick and thin supporter of Major Atkinson as the New Zealand Tunes complains of his recent action, and yesterday to the surprise of everybody, it says that when Major Atkinson's party were a power they were constantly twitting their opponents with the statement that there was no organised Opposition, and that tho business of the country suffered in consequence. The Times thinks it is now their own turn to show what an Opposition should be, and it suggests that the failure is at least as bad as that of their predecessors on the gloomy side of the House.