THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 6515, 29 July 1884, Page 2

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS

The Canterbury Press says — " On tho whole Ministers will, we think, best consult the intents of the country if they retain office till the House assembles, and then accept their defeat at the hands of Parliament."

The Lyttelton Times — " But the greatness of new names is not the great feature the new Parliament. Its great feature is tho strength and improved character of the Opposition. That is the reply which the constituencies have made to the Ministerial appeal. Of the numbers elected not more than thirty are Ministerialists. The great question in most men's minds now is what will the Government do, being in a hopeless minority ? Their best course is to resign, with the usual recommendation to the Governor.

The Wellington Evening Post says — " Fo-ther examination and analysis of the roll of the new Parliament shows that the defeat of the present administration, at the ballot-box, has boen far more crushing than at first sight appears. In the elections Major Atkinson has absolutely lost no less than fifteen seats. The verdict of the courttry having been so unmistakeably pronounced against Major Atkinson, that he is left with something less than a third of the total number of members as his pledged supporters, while the remaining two-thirds, whatever their internal differences may be, are avowedly opposed to both his administration and policy, it is his undoubted duty to resign as soon as possible.

The Wairarapa Daily says :—": — " An Atkinson Ministry cannot live. Opposition members have been returned pledged to drive out the Atkinson Ministry, and Sir George Grey is pledged to drag Major Atkinson and his colleagues from their seats. It is doubtful whether Major At kinson even if he secures the adhesion of all the Independent members on the roll would have a working majority."

The Wanganni Chronicle says :—": — " Both the Auckland papers ' oppose the idea that Major Atkinson should resign without meeting Parliament, as they maintain that although the Ministry is in a minority, it is the strongest compact body in the House, and there is no leader at present having command of a majority, for whom the Premier could advise the Governor to send. For this reason it is the duty of the Government to hold office till the House has settled tho question of leadership.' " Tho New Zealand Times says :—"lt: — "It may fairly be hoped that when Parliament meet again, as it will on the 7th proximo, the flummery and fooling of idle motions of want of confidence, &c, will be over, and tho House of Representatives will at once settle down to practical work."

The Otago Daily Times says, Major Atkinson can legitimately adopt two courses — wait till the House meets, or advise the Governor to send for Sir Julius Yogel. Sir Julius is the only man in the new House who can form a strong and capable Government, and Major Atkinson's duty e'early is to advise his Excellency to take that course, which will secure for the Colony a Government of a stable kind. Mr. Montgomery's party is extinct, and to i;end either for him or for Sir George Grey, would be merely to create confusion.

The N.Z. Herald says — " It is amusing to notice the different opinions which are volunteered about the course which the Ministry should adopt in view of the result of the general election. In so far as these have been made public, they all agree in assuming that it is the duty of Major Atkinson to resign forthwith. The Ministerial party, numerically viewed, stands much the same as it was; tho following of tho old rival leaders of the Opposition, Sir George Groy and Mr. Montgomery, is respectively diminished; while a new party, with Sir Julius Yogel as its recognised leader, has ariseD, possessing considerable strength, but yet numerically inferior to the Ministerial supporters. That is the actual state of the case, which the appeal to the country has resulted in. In view of all tho circumstancos, tho Ministry would bo wofully lacking in self-respect, and, what is greatly worse, would lamentably fail in the duty they ovvo to tho country, wero they to resign before Parliament assembles.

The Waikato Times says: — "Tho Ministerial pnrty has been been beaten at the polling-booths. Apart from any other result of tho appeal to the county, this is a hard fact. When Mr. Steward brought down his no-confidence motion, the numerical strength of the party, exclusive of ono or tsvo not present, was thirty-two, and this is the number which the electors havo sent back to the House. The inipreßsion is that the Government will face the House, announce its policy, and abide the result of a no-Gonfidence motion, which as a matter of course will be carried,"

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