POLITICAL GOSSIP IN WELLINGTON.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7998, 17 October 1887, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP IN WELLINGTON.

ATTEMPT TO DIVERT NORTHERN

RAILWAY,

At a meeting of Auckland members on Saturday it was decided to act in concert with the Taranaki members to get the Stratford route adopted for the trunk line oi the ground of thereby baying £200,000.

THE OPPOSITION. The members of the Opposition have done honor to themselves in the course

they have pursued. Without absolutely pledging themselves to support Major Atkinson, they have authorised him to form a Government on certain definite lines, involving a considerable reduction o£ expenditure and the avoidance of any fresh taxation. These are the critionl questions of the day. Before anything else is considered we mu^t set our house in order, and bring tie < xpenditure within tho income ; so much ib necessary to restore our credit. POLITICAL REST. Above all things the Colony now requires rest — rest from new legislation, rest from any tampering with the Customs Tariff, and rest from "fadB 11 of any description. Let us know where we are and our real position. If only for this reason a new Government was needed. Those who pretend to know most about our affairs declare that at tho present time our finances are nearly one million sterling to the bad. This calculation cannot be very far wrong when we reflect that, in addition to an ever-growing deficiency of revenue, there are £500,000 worth of deficiency bills — lOU's of the Treasurei representing moneys taken from the funds of the Government Insurance Office, Post Office, Public Trust, and even from the Public Debts Sinking Fund. So that the savings of the people, and the very money set aside to meet our obligations, have been diverted from their legitimate purposes in order to satisfy the necessities of the Government. This is the condition of affairs that must bo put an end to.

THE MINISTERIAL TASK. The new Ministry hare a most disagreeable task to perform. It is incumbent on them to make drastic retrenchment, and

great latitude should be given to them in discharging their self-imposed duties. I£ we understand aright what has taken place in Wellington, the support accorded to Major Atkinson is entirely dependent on these conditions being fulfilled. Very wisely the members attending the caucus set aside the question of Protection, and bent their energies to that of reinstating the credit of the colony. Major Atkinson not being prepared to proceed with any business whatever until ho has had time to prepare his Financial Sfatement, has got the House to adjourn for a fortnight, and the production oi: hia budget will be awaited with much anxiety, for the whole colony is now on the tiptoe of expectation, and nothing else than radical and thorough reform of all matters financial will satisfy tho public demands,