THE PREMIER'S SPEECH AT CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7004, 29 April 1884, Page 5

THE PREMIER'S SPEECH AT CHRISTCHURCH.

[BY TELEGRAPH,—OWH. CORRESPONDENT.} Chbistohbbck, Monday. Both papers publish fall reports of the Premier's speech tbis morning, one thirteen, the other fourteen columns in length. It is not easy to follow the thread of the argument, ■ because the ejaculations and interruptions were frequent, and the Major amused himself by sparring with every individual who interfered with him. He generally wound np by telling the audience he would not lose the thread of his discourse, but tbey would, and as a matter of fact it took him half an hour at one period of the evening to take np the broken filament of one argument. Mr. Wakefield was listened to with deep attention, and many comparisons were made between his style of speaking and the Premier's. Despite the late hour at which he made his short speech, the audience called out to him to go on when he wished to sit down, But this, of course, he did not do. The Timesjsays :—"The defeat sastained by. the Government at the hands of public opinion on Saturday night in Christchurch eclipses the severe disaster of the previous Saturday night at Papanui. In a meeting of very maoh larger proportions there were mach fewer hands held up for the Government. The number varies according to the testimony of those who took the trouble to look round the hall from .three to half a dozen. Christchuroh has declared with unanimous brevity that it ' has no confidence in the Ministry.' The result is very encouraging to the Opposition, in whose ranks will soon be compressed all the lovers of good government to be found in the membership of the House of Representatives. The result the Premier tried hard to prevent. A finer exhibition of manly courage, presence of mind, good temper, and unreserved straightforwardness of reply to questions has never, we are bound to admit, been made upon a public platform in this city. His bitterest political enemy will allow readily that a large share of the honours of war went with the Major. Had his cause beer> equal to his manner of upholding it, nothing could have resisted him. Had he merely failed to earn a vote of confidence in his Ministry, the failure would not have been any proof of the weakness of his cause. As he failed to get any demonstration whatever against the crushing weight of the hostile verdict, the brilliancy and power of his defence must be taken a3 showing how irremediable was the cause he had come down to champion." The Press says that "in the Premier'* speech of Saturday, may be traced all the faults of his Dunedin address. It was t> bold defianco of what he and his colleagues deem a mistaken public opinion. It was a resolute and skilful attempt to cover a hostile and disorderly meeting. It was an effectual appeal to the good feeling of the colons against the resentment of a locality. It was an interesting exhibition of trained political xcumen contending with the loose disorganised antagonism of a discontented and unmannerly multitude. But it was not, in the proper sense of the word, a Ministerial address. The Ministers, more particularly the Premier, have thrown away a grand chance for courting enquiry as to tbeir intentions. Respecting federation, the land laws, and many otoer subjects which are understood to.be likely to be dealt with next session, they have failed to allay apprehension or to remove misapprehension. They have left the field clear for their opponents to employ as mush misrepresentation as they please. Above all, they have created » widespread, a very damaging, and to some extent a natural impression that they themselves are in a state of bewilderment as to public affairs, and that the reason why they have not disclosed any policy is simply because they have no polioy to disclose. Nevertheless we believe the Ministers have done themselves good by their tour, and they would have done themselves more benefit if they had commenced a good deal earlier, and devoted much more time and trouble to the task."