PARLIAMENTARY.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 112, 1 September 1876, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

In the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Macan drew gave notice that he would move the following motion on the House going into Committee of Supply on Friday next : — " Whereas the Abolition of Provinces Act; 1875, is repugnant to the wishes and detrimental to the interests of the people of the Province of Otago, and Whereas it would be highly Subversive of the first principles of good government to deprive any section of her Majesty's subjects against their will, and without their consent, of those political institutions which were conferred upon them by the imperial Parliament, and under which they have grown up arid prospered : it is therefore resolved that a respectful address be transmitted to his Excellency the Governor, to the effect that he may be plkased at the earliest possible date to dissolve the Provincial legislature of Otago, and to cause a fresh election of Superintendent and Provincial Council, so as to afford the people in the said Province an opportunity of considering* and determining as to the form of local self-govern-ment most suitable for their requirements ; and pending the will of the people being ascertained as aforesaid, his Excellency may be pleased to take the necessary steps as that the provisions of the said Abolition Act shall be held in abeyance as respects the Province of Otago. Resolved further, that in the meantime, and pending the decision of the newly-elected Provincial 'legislature, the affairs of the said Province shall continue to be administered in terms of the New Zealand Constitution Act."

The following' communications on the Ministerial crisis are by the Daily Times correspondents : — Sunday, August 27. You may. accept it as authoritative that Sir J. Yogel goes Home as AgentGeneral. He will be succeeded by Mr Fitzherbert as Premier ; Mr Rolleston becoming Speaker. Sir D. M'Lean and Mr Richardson are both anxious to retire, but may not do so before the end of the session. Monday, August 28. The utmost confusion exists in political circles. It is understood that Sir j. Yogel has been appointed AgentGeneral 10 go Home at the end ot the session, and has resigned the Premiership, which of course ends the Ministry, but intends to keep his seat in the House till the end of the session. The proposed arrahgenient with Mr Fitzherbert, which at one time was though t certain, has, it seems, fallen through, Mr Fitzherbert positively refusing to resign the Speakership. It is said that Sir J; Yogel advised that the Hon. Mr Atkinson be sent for, that the Governor did so, and that Mr Atkinson has undertaken to form a Ministry. The Cabinet has been sitting all day, and all sorts of rumours are current, but the fact is, nothing is settled. A very strong feeling against Sir J. Voge'l's action seems to exist amongst members, even those supporting the Government, who consider he has acted improperly at the present time. His appointment as Agent-General will certainly be strongly opposed, and it is quite possible may be rescinded by the House. The general impression is that if Mr Atkinson becomes Premier the Government will not last long.

TUESDAY BVENINGf, AugUSt 29

Sir J. Yogel is now speaking with great emotion. All the 1 galleries are crowded. It is understood that he has resigned this evening, and that Major Atkinson has been sent for.

Major Atkinson is quite unfettered as to his formation of a Ministry,- but it is understood that all the old memberg will be appointed, with Mr D. Keid, if possible. Sir J. Vdg-el is not appointed Agent-General, but is to be so by the Atkinson Government. ' He says he will not keep it lip for mp're than a year or eighteen months. It is understood he has a partnership 'offered to him in a financial house as soon as he is at liberty to accept it; . ; The House listened to Sir JJ Vo'g-el with pierfec't silence, but at the close there was a gteat burst of applause. He seemed greatly affected.- Major

Atkinson simply announced thnt he had boen sent for, and had nniiertuken to form a Ministry, :md wished for an adjournment till Thursday to consult his" friends. Mr Rolieston rose, and said he had heard the Premier's spe'ecb witH very mixed feelings. It would be. a great mistake in a young (Joldny like this to allow a precedent to be created which they felt to be a bad one, with* out saying so. No technicality shdnld be allowed to interfere with this. The position was one without precedent, and was most extraordinary: When tbo Premier was about, at a great crisis, to quit the Government to accept d, subordinate office under it, the country was placed in one of the falsest positions possible by the course of the Government.

The Guardian's Wellington correspondent telegraphs on Tuesday : —

The reports which have been in cir ; culation lately that Mr Fitzherberfc would vacate the Speaker's chair, for the purpose of assuming the position of Premier, are known to be entirely without foundation. There have been no formal proposals in the matter; but it is understood that certain prominent representatives of Utago, Wellington and Auckland are desirous that Mr Fitzherbert should take the Premiership, with a view of proposing' a conciliatory policy, which would probably mean that the Abolition Act should be shelved for another year. Sir Julius Yogel is now making 1 nils Ministerial statement. • He says that his colleagues pressed the Agent* Generalship on him, and he has consented to take it for 1$ or 18 months. His health failing- him made him con- 1 sider the offer, but he would not accept the appointment, as he was a member of the Ministry ; hence he had resigned the Premiership. Major Atkinson had therefore been sent fdr.

The Agent- Generalship is still open. Some of the Wellington members wisli Fitzherbert to take the office; but there is now no chance of that. "

Mr Mdcandrew's motion to revive Provincialism in Otagd creates comment, and notice of it was received with cheers from the Opposition. The fenthusiastic Duriedin meeting strengthen^ the Otago Provincialists. The Auckland members have also received telegrams of a like nature.