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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7336, 23 May 1885, Page 4

Thb address of Major Atkinson to his constituents at Hawera last night came through too late to admit of our criticising it at ; length in this issue, but we may take another opportunity of dwelling on some of its main topics. It' is quite evident from the whole character of it that the member for Egmont speaks as leader of the Opposition, and that he .means during the forthcoming session to take bis stand against the Ministry. In its tone it is manly and outspoken ; and, while the remarks made on the policy of the Government, in so far as it has been made public, are distinguished .by fairness and moderation, there is a firm ring about them which shows that the speaker has carefully selected his ground, and is prepared to fight stoutly for its maintenance. His attitude is evidently meant to "be taken principally against the proposed local government scheme of the Government, and especially that portion of it which is designed to commit the country to the guaranteeing of the loans raised by the local governing bodies. It is his intention to appear as the champion of i the Road Boards, which the Government ('propose gradually to extinguish. These are considered by the Major as the essence and foundation of local government, and any combination of these for the purpose of undertaking larger works he thinks ought to be the result of mutual arrangement. This, in his view, would be greatly preferable to the forced absorption of the Road Boards into the projected County Governments. Taken as a whole, the speech' is a very able one, and is obviously intended to be a manifesto respecting the poliey which, as chief of his party, Majoir Atkinson intends pursuing on the assembling of Parliament.