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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3825, 19 October 1883, Page 2

On the subject of Mr Whifaker's recent retirement from tho Ministry the morning local paper in its leading article appears to be entirely unaware of constitutional procedure in such cases. Our contemporary delivers itself of the following extraordinary statement: —" Tho only circumstance which '' is held to j ustfy the retirement of a Premier " when Parliament is not sitting is a general "election which shows clearly that tho "Cabinet has lost the confidence of tho " country, and in that case constitutional " practice would causo the retiring Premier "to name the loader of the Opposition. " Jin I for aJ'remivr to retire and to reroin- " wniil one of his colleagues as his successor is "entire/;/ unconstitutional." We are prompted to ask, in what school did our contemporary learn constitutional practice P Tho history of New Zealand Ministries supplies many instances of the resignation of a Premier, and the recommendation by him of a colleague as his successor. On tho resignation of Mr ■ Waterhousc in 1873 all his colleagues wore confirmed in office on tho appointment of Mr Fox to the Premiership. Parliament was not sitting at the time, and Mr Fox retired less than five weeks afterwards in favor of his Colonial Treasurer, Mr Vogel. In IS7G the Hon. Dr. Pollen retired when Parliament was not sitting, and was succeeded by his colleague, Sir Julius Vogel; and nil through tho changes of the "Continuous Ministries " Premiers retired one after the other, recommending as their •successors their old colleagues. England supplies other examples. In 1807 the Duke of Portland resigned the Premiership, and was succeeded by his colleague the Chancellor of tho Exchequer, Mr Spencer Jtjercoval. Again, another instance was furnished in 1852, when Lord Aberdeen re«, signed, and recommended his colleague the Home Secretary, Lord Palmerstou, as his successor. It was in lliord Aberdeen's Administration that Mr Gladstone first figured as a Cabinet Minister, holding the portfolio of Chancellor of the Exchequer, and continuing in that office on the succession of Lord Palmerston to the Premiership. We really must recommend our contemporary never to touch politics or constitutional questions.