TASMANIA. DEFEAT OF THE MINISTRY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIV, Issue 1030, 12 May 1857, Page 3

TASMANIA. DEFEAT OF THE MINISTRY.

By way of Melbourne, Tasmanian news had reached Sydney to the 17th ultimo. The motion made by Mr. Innes of want of confidence in the Gregson ministry was carried, after a violent debate, by 15 against 10. An amendment was submitted, as follows :— "That it is desirable, at the outset of free institutions, that this House should not indulge in party disputation, but that they should at once proceed with the pressing business of the House, and await the further development of the measures of the Ministry, on constitutional grounds." This was negatived by 15 to 11. The • Colonial Times ' of 'the following morning —a journal adverse to the ministers — thus speaks of the result: — " The vote was against the ministers, and not solely against Mr. Gregson. The only reservation made was in favour of the Attorney-General, tor whom everybody entertains much sympathy, and deservedly so. He is not the soundest lawyer in the House, but has other claims upon public consideration and. respect, which ought not to be overlooked. The miniitry, in our opinion, then, should retire— but will it 1 The ministerial penny trumpet has declared for a dissolution. H-ippjly for the colony, it rests with the Governor to decide tJ at point. He must act upon his own responsibility in that matter at all events, and his Excellency will look in vain for constitutional grounds on which to justify such a course to the colony or to the Parliament. His Excellency marked his sense of the conduct of the administration when he introduced the concluding paragraph of the reply to the address of both houses for the payment of the salaries of the officers of the government. Who may become the successors of the ministry we do not— and cannot-^-et know, but we do know this, that any set of men will better merit the confidence of the colany. It is not likely that the former administration will yet again be summoned to re-occupy the Treasury benches, and so Mr. Gregson's friends may be e.asy on that point. Their time must come notwithstanding — even Mr. Gregson's present friends will presently- admit that.'' The debate in.the House of Assemblyis despribed by one of the members as follows :— Mr. B»lfe said— the

•bunmesa of the House reminded him of one who came suddenly upon a village in the backwoods of America, where the whole population were HgVing, with the exception of one, 10 whonvWaddrP«sed hmself : " I say^ stranger, is this a flee fight? Can I have ngo m ? Ou being answered irt thp affinnativp. at it he went, and in a few minutes afterwards came and sat down on the •tcp of a door with three fingers broken— hi» nose awry — his head halt scalped- and his teeth knocked out. After a moment, he exclaimed, "Darn it all ; this is the most exeitin 1 little place I was ever in in all my life I" And the same thing might be said of that Home. When he came into it, he believed that it was " the most exeitin' little place he had ever seen !" (Laughterj

On the new Ministry had been formed. Mr. Gun had declined' the task. Mr. Western, who had subsequently undertaken the commission, had not succeeded in forming a/Ministry.