THE OPPOSITION CAUCUS.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 6878, 10 October 1887, Page 5

THE OPPOSITION CAUCUS.

fKBO_t AKOTSKB OORB—l*PO*T_*__—*.J , October a At th* adjonr-ned meeting of the Opposition beld this afternoon, forty-two members were present, whilst several sent apologies for their absence. Mr Fulton presided. Mr Pyke was the first to speak, stating that if he understood Major Atkinson aright, he only asked for the support of the Opposition until be bad brought down, bis Financifll Statement. It was fair that this should be granted. Sir J. Vogel had been ousted from office on the question of finance, and he thought Major Atkinson should stand or fall on the same question. At the same time the speaker urged that some definite time should be stated in which the Major should agree to lay his Statement before the House, If that were done he would at once pledge himself to stand by Major Atkinson if tho time asked for was a reasonable one. Major Atkinson said that if the meeting desired him to form a Ministry he would do so and would ask for the support of the party until he was enabled to lay his policy before them. This he thought he could do in a very short time. If the House met on Tuesday be would sugge-t that they should sit until Friday. He would then ask for an adjournment until the following Friday week, or, at the latest, tbe Tuesday following. He would then lay bis Statement before them, and be prepared to stand or fall upon it, Mr McGregor (Akaroa), as representing the young New Zealand party, said tbe fear in the South was that as Major Atkinson was one of the main leaders in the present ponderous form of Government, be was hardly likely to put in the axe to bring it down, but the speaker and his friends did not share in such a fear. They had had a meeting that morning, tbe result of which was the following motion, which he was prepared to move:—"That this meeting having carefully considered the position and the choice of leader, unanimously agree to request Major Atkinson to proceed with the formation of a Ministry, and tbe meeting will give him a loyal support till he brings down his financial proposals at the earliest possible moment, and further that if such proposals are satisfactory, it will give its aid to carry tbem out.** Mr Crawford Anderson (Bruce) said that he was also of the Young New Zealand party, and that its platform was:—lst, Cessation of borrowing; 2nd, No additional taxation; and 3rd, Retrenchment to the fullest extent. Those who had attended the meeting had pledged themselves to give Major Atkinson then- support, and in the meantime to protect him against any adverse vote till his policy was propounded ; and further, that if such policy proved to be one of vigorous retrenchment, they would be prepared to give him their hearty and loyal support till the end of tbe session, otherwise they would break off. Mr Allen said that he too had attended that forenoon's meeting, and he submitted that the resolution went further than he lurid intended. He did not like the word "loyaL" The meeting had declined to oppose Major Atkinson till his policy was declared, but their support was of a negative kind. Major Atkinson replied that he was not prepared to take up that position. He wanted something more than the mere withholding of opposition. He wanted the support of the party until they heard his policy. Mr Allen then mated an amendment to the effect "That in the event of Major Atkinson undertaking; the formation of a Ministry the meeting pledges itself not to oppose him until he brought down his financial statement.** Major Atkinson said that if such a position was forced on him by the meeting he would decline the task of Cabinet making. Messrs Peacock, Scobie Mackenzie, Fergus, and Barron spoke against the amendment, on the ground that Major Atkinson wanted protecting against Sir J. Vogel till his Statement was made. Sir J. Hall said there was a great deal of difference between the motion and amendment, and he urged very strongly that Major Atkinson could not be expected to undertake the formation of a Ministry if the amendment were carried. To do so would not be doing justice to himself, to his party, or to the Government. He thought that Major Atkinson should not take less nor take more than the motion proposed. Those present should pledge themselves not only not to oppose out to support him in the meantime. The amendment was then withdrawn, and the word "loyal"* having been deleted from the motion, it was unanimously adopted, and the meeting terminated.