POLITICAL SITUATION.

Press, Volume XL, Issue 5858, 23 June 1884, Page 3

POLITICAL SITUATION.

TO TUB EDITOR OF TH2D FBXBS. SiEj—As I happened to be in Wellington last week and heard the speeches delivered j during the no-confidence debate, I have been rather struck by two remarkable omissions in your correspondent's account of Mr Wakefield's and Major Atkinson's speeches. The most telling part of Mr Wakefield's speech was his attack on Mr Montgomery. He refused to be identified with that gentleman's separation proposals, or with his statement that " Canterbury was the milch cow for the rest of the colony," capping his remarks with the triumphant declaration that they—presumably the Opposition — could spare both Mr Montgomery and his policy. I am surprised that this public repudiation of the member for Akaroa by one of the Canterbury members has not been noticed by either of the papers kere. It is needless to cay that it was looked upon in the House by all sections of the Opposition as a piece of political treachery. Again, in commenting on the Premier's speech, your correspondent has failed to take any notice of the very generous way in which. (Major Atkinson alluded to the adverse votes given by three of the Canterbury members. He declared that he had no complaint at all to make of the action of those members from Canterbury who had felt it their duty to vote against the Government. That while he was proud of the confidence they had accorded him in the past, and regretted that they had now found it necessary to withdraw that confidence, yet he wa3 perfectly satisfied that their votes had been given in what they believed to be the interests of their constituents, and in accordance with their own conscientious convictions. Mr Conolly's remarks, which were undoubtedly irritating, have received full justice. The Premier's, which were calculated to remove that irritation, are unnoticed. Yours, &c, Faibplat. June 18th.