THE POLITICAL CRISIS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 49, 4 October 1887, Page 2

THE POLITICAL CRISIS.

Of course the all absorbing question of the day is “ Who are the Powers to be ?’> It is indeed difficult to give a forecast of what may take place within a few days, owing to the undefined state of parties.

Under the circumstances it was only constitutional that Major Atkinson should be sent for. He it was that brought fotward the no-confidence motion upon which the Government were defeated, and he it is that has practically been looked upon as leader of the Opposition. The latest political news from the seat of Government states that Major Atkinson has consented to form a Ministry, but asks for time.

It is not for one moment to be contended that because a majority of the House supported Major Atkinson’s noconfidence motion they will follow the mover personally. Far from it, for it is certainly known that many members who then supported his motion would never follow him as a leader. The defeat was the defeat of the Ministry only, and not as showing that any one member had a contingent of his own sufficient in number to carry a majority.

There are a number of members who would neither follow Atkinson or Hall. Sir Julius Vogel can safely reckon on the Canterbury votes, and other members are grouped into fractions without any political leanings. So, therefore, it is indeed hard to say what will be the probable future developments. The Wellington Post, (the late organ of the Government, until it was morally) certain the Ministry would be defeated, says that to form a staple Government Atkinson must join with Vogel, and' form a Ministry, not of worn-out political hacks, but of young and hitherto

untried men, selected fairly from the different parties or sections of parties,; Such men, the Post says, as Messrs Allen, Beetham, Bruce, Fergus, Guinness, Jackson, Loughrey, Macarthur,. Scobie Mackenzie, MenUath, Percival, G. F. Richardson, Russell, Samuel, Walker, and Withy, could be considered acceptable men from which to,' make a selection. .

The Press simply ridicules such a coalition, and says that Atkinson and Hall arc far and away the strongest men in the new Parliament, Major Atkinson’s position is rendered more difficult by the loss of such men as Rolleston and Bryce, the defeat of the latter being more keenly felt than that of the Premier. The course which will probably be adopted will be the meeting of all members who have announced themselves in opposition to the Government, and that meeting should decide what party shall be entrusted with the affairs of the colony. Of course it is open to grave doubts whether, in the event of such a meeting being held, there will be Unanimity between the parties, and great difficulty may be occasioned in the selecting of members suitable to grasp and deal with the grave questions of the day. It is hardly likely that, after the way Sir Julius Vogel’s past policy has been received by the country, Atkinson wilj choose him as one to join hands with, but there is to be taken into consideration the fact that he has a numerous following.

In reference to Vogel the Otago Daily Times saysl—“ We do not pretend that Sir Julius Vogel should be excluded from office in perpetuity, but for the present at any rate the country has had too much of Sir Julius Vogel, and will not send the chief spendthrift to inaugurate a policy of economy even though he were associated with all the “ breaks ’’ that his own ingenuity could devise. If Major Atkinson were to hesitate in that direction he would certainly be lost. In any case his task will be one of extreme difficulty ; and whilst the first consideration with him must be to associate himself with men whom the country can accept as guarantees of repentance, the strongest personnel possible will not cover any attempt to shirk the command of the country for a complete reorganisation of the system of finance and administration. It will be no use merely to hack the table here and there. An inch must be cut off all four legs. And retrenchment cannot be sufficient without the taking up of a strong and definite line with regard to loan expenditure, the production of a scheme—the word is hateful to us through association with Sir Julius Vogel, but we can hit upon no better —a policy for winding up borrowing, and cutting at the roots of extravagance and easy-going methods of jobbery and corruption.” The no-confidence motion on which the Stout-Vogel Government were defeated was carried by 48 votes as against 44. Of the former, six have not sought re-election, namely, Messrs Conolly, Lake, Locke, Montgomery Sutter, and Wakefield, Out of the 42 who offered themselves again, 31 were returned, whilst on the other hand out of 44 who supported the Government four did not offer themselves. Of the balance Ohly 27 Were returned. This is ah interesting feature as showing how decisive was ’ the Government’s defeat. *