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Star (Christchurch), Issue 4991, 2 May 1884, Page 2

Unsettled Weatheb is indicated by rapidly shifting winds; and the political barometer is just now showing extraordinary unrest. When Major Atkinson started on his campaign, which was clearly intended to stamp out the Southern disaffection, a special point was made of the " fact " — which is a lie and a half — that the Opposition has no policy. All sorts of taunts and sneers wei*e flung at Mr Montgomery : he had no policy, now or at any time ; and he had not the brains to devise one. Then came the impudent claim that the only policy required from the Ministry was a criticism of the sayings and doings of their opponents ; and, apparently, the more spiteful the criticism, the more worthy did it become of acceptation as a " policy.'* The " No. confidence " votes produced another shift of wind, and Ministers were then held to be singularly defective in not having formulated ideas which they did not possess. Mr Montgomery spoke at Akaroa, and demonstrated that he not only had a policy, but a pretty vigorous programme; and the speeches of Messrs Bracken and Holmes showed that on the leading questions of the day there was unity of thought and purpose. To-day, the wind blows from quite another direction : the Press of this morning is quite concerned to find that the Opposition have been misguided enough to have a policy, and rash enough to declare it, and that in consequence " they have not left the field open for anyone and everyone to come in under their banners." This is " a light and airy way " of saying that the ideas of the Opposition have been put forward in such a manner that they cannot be conveniently stolen by the Ministry.