The Star. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 1884.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5025, 11 June 1884, Page 2

The Star. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 1884.

Affairs in Wellington have become of absorbing interest, the events of last night having so shaped themselves as to produce, out of the chaos of conflicting opinions and declarations, a " position " that is fairly well defined. The hope of salvation for the Ministry lay in the non-cohesion of the Opposition, who had formed into three distinct groups. They constituted a telling illustration of the game of political see-saw : at one end of the plank, the Montgomery following ; at the other end, the Greyites. Centrally disposed, the Middle party, able at any moment to stop the oscillation, and to give the balance of po.ver to either side. The game was intently watched, for the rumour had gone about that a sly trick was to roll both Greyites and Montgomeryites in the dust, leaving the Middle party cock-a--hoop. The little plan did not come off : the Middle party eventually slid down to the Montgomery end, and so far prestige rests with the member for Akaroa. The wily Past Master in strategy, Major Atkinson, has on this occasion over-played his part. What he desired to do was to discredit Montgomery by means of Grey : the real danger wa-s to be averted by the interposition of a danger that was infini

tcsiinal. But in tho entente cordials which ! he manifested towards the Knight of \ Kawau, there was altogether too much effusiveness : the sham stood self-exposed. This overweening desire to display at once his strategic and sarcastic powers, we have no doubt aided in bringing about the result which the Premier moat dreaded — a fusion of tho Middle party with Mr Montgomery's following ; but unquestionably that result is primarily due to the skilfulness of Mr Montgomery. Keserving himself for a more critical period in the encounter, he placed in the hands of Mr Steward the task of moving the amendment to the Address in Reply. Of course that decision was particularly galling to the Ministry, who had hoped to draw the big gun's fire at the beginning, and be subsequently able to apply their concentrated energies to repairing the breach. The result is yet more galling, and it displays in a remarkable degree the wisdom of selecting Mr St award.. The already popular whip has added immensely to his prestige" by the skill and vigour of his attack, and by the manliness of his demeanour. His speech, which appears elsewhere, will be found worth reading and re-reading. It embodies a clear and concise statement of the Ministerial sins of omission and commission ; it includes a telling exposition of the principles upon which the attack is being conducted, and an incisively uttered challenge for an appeal to the country. The debate and its issue will show unmistakably which of the country's representatives have the country's good really at heart.