PARLIAMENT OUT OF SESSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 5255, 22 December 1877, Page 3

PARLIAMENT OUT OF SESSION.

[Phb Pbbss Agbnctt.] : MB CURTIS AT NELSON; Nxlson, Dee. 21. - Mr Curtis addressed the eleotorsiai( night. iSe sketched the oiroomsUhoes which gave fish'to the Middlet;|srty.i4,tliie 3 Honse, and stated that they were completely. deceived by Sir G. Grey’s friehds/who told them that he wto perfeotly .willing* to give his support to a pew Government without himself being a member of it, but-as soon as the Atkinson Ministry were deposed they insisted on Sir G;' Grey being in the new Government. Among bis reasons for dreading Sir G. Grej’s advance to power, Mr .Curtis said ha was an .< avowed separationist and must attempt, to carry out that policy, or show that hel isaorifioed principles to place and power, and to that case was not to be trusted with the Government of the .country. He ailaded to Sir G. Grey’s Auckland bombarding and superintondeht.po{fbii{ngoorireipondenoe,aßd urged that one mho could be guilty of such extravagant oouduot was utterly unfit to ■occupy the position of Premier. With -reference to his conduct re tbs Land Bill,.he characterised it as am attempt to make .the (Governor his instrument in oefentnitting an aot of despotic tyranny.' . He boniidered :the proposal to reduce Ministers’/salaries came with bad grace from Sir G. Grey, wbo had a handsome private fortune and large pension, and he considered. it a remarkable oiroum • stance that Mesßra Barff. and Shiimski, who always voted with the- Government, went against them on thie question. tho inference being that they were voting to order. He defended Major Atkinson against therofaarge of indecent tageraesß to return to offioe, Stftticg that if biame was to be-attributed- to him, it. was equally attributable to the party with whom he was acting.