The Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 1884.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5092, 28 August 1884, Page 2

The Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 1884.

Over and over again, until one sickens of the reiteration, we have been told that the prominent cause for the rejection of the Stout- Vogel Administration was the fact that Sir Julius Vogel had suffered selfeffacement; that he was not the leader in name whatever might be his real influence. By a parity of argument, no Ministry : formed by Major Atkinson can-possibly be satisfactory unless he isTiimself the Premier. To this proposition, no reasonable being can take exception. It is to the re-creation of an Atkinsonian Ministry that Sir George Grey, the great pro-Consul, the regenerator of humanity whom dazzled audiences have enthusiastically shouted at, is so diligently devoting himself. It is in thia work, as iniquitous as anything ever yet conceived in the political history of New Zealand, that he is being aided and abetted by the Canterbury quartette, Messrs Eolleston, Wakefield, Grigg, and Eeese. "We have long maintained, very much to the indignation of the Radical section, that Sir George Grey's fervid appeals to the masses were splendid examples of artificial eloquence, and no more ; that beneath the placid j surface there was unrest; that he was ( hungry for power, and that, if then improbable circumstances arose, he would be found deliberately throwing over every consideration, every public pledge, in order to gratify his personal spleen, and to serve the interests of the North — the only interests he really had at heart. The turning of Fortune's wheel caused Sir George Grey to te " sent for " ; and one of his foremost overtores was to Major Atkinson. Nothing practical came of it; Sir George Grey learned that his leadership chances had vanished, and that only by petty intrigue could he hope to secure I for himself any retention of influj ence. He had eaten the leek ; he ': waa to show himself capable of a greater gastronomic feat. Another turn of the wheel, and Major Atkinson was once more the privileged confidant. During yesteri day afternoon a caucus meeting of the j Opposition was held. Sir George Grey was not actually present, but his dirty work had been effectually done : the Canterbury i quartette attended, and it was announced, j on behalf of a prior caucus cf the Greyites, j that Sir George Grey and his followers ! were prepared to give their support to a ; Ministry formed by Major Atkinson, who a few short weeks previously had been I ejected from office by the will of the j country. Our morning contemporary, ' the Lyttelton Times, speaks of this I Grey-Atkinson intrigue as an "unholy I alliance." The term is most fittingly ; applied. It is to this unholy alliance that I Messrs Grigg and Reese have lent thein- ' selves, throwing aside their election pledges with just as much readiness as Sir George Grey has dropped his mask of professed principles. And — mirabile dictu — even now there are people in this community who profess to think that we have been unnej cessarily severe in our criticism of the member for Stanmore !