THE RESIGNATION OF THE WELD MINISTRY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 8, Issue 693, 21 October 1865, Page 4

THE RESIGNATION OF THE WELD MINISTRY.

(From the ' Independent,' October 14.) Anything more disastrous to the interests of the Colony at the present juncture than the resignation of the Weld Ministry, could scarcely have taken place. The present period is indeed the crisis ot New Zealand. Weakened by past efforts to make successful an Imperial Policy, andbaseiy deserted in her hour of greatest need by the Mother Country, she has been left to meet almost overwhelming-difficulties —-not of her own creation — alone and unaided. To this task Mr. Weld and his colleagues devoted their utmost energies. They constructed and initiated the policy of Self Reliance, and they were engaged in carrying it out successfully up to the last moment of their official existence, which the factious opposition of foes, and the lukewarm support of indifferent friends, has brought to a premature close. The events which preceded and led to the resignation of Ministers can be very briefly stated. In the early part of the Session the Native Policy of the Ministry met with a strong support in the House, and was affirmed by a majority. The same may be said of their other measures, except those involving Finance. The House approved their policy, but when the time came, refused them the means of carrying it out. The proposal to treat the Surplus Revenue (hitherto allocated to .the Provinces) as General Revenue, met with the most bitter hostility, and from that moment the Opposition gained strength, and the Ministerial measures could only be carried by hard fighting. On the Estimates, and their suggested reduction by a large sum, more than one party battle was fought, and divisions ran very close. The Ministry had not only to contend against the Opposition, but another source of danger existed, ih the indifference amd lukewarmness of some of their own supporters. Even the Wellington party, which in common gratitude was bound to have stood by their side, and acted as one man, did not, on more than one occasion, afford its fullest aid when such was most needed. Ministers naturally became disgusted. They did not want to hold office unless they possessed the confidence of the House, so to ascertain to what extent they did, a meeting of their supporters was held last Tuesday, when they stated what measures they were determined to carry. These we have mentioned before, but for the sake of clearness we repeat them here. They were as follows : (1.) The Stamp Act, which they were determined should be carried in its integrity, and to no modification of which, affecting the probable amount of revenue to be raised, would they consent. (2.) On the question of the appropriation of the remainder of the Three Million Loan, which amounts to about ;£600,000, Ministers required that they should be allowed to use it if necessary for the Internal Defence of the Colony. They considered the exigencies of the time to be such, that every power should be given them to make provision for that purpose. ' (3.) Ministers further stipulated that a measure to amend the Loan Act, 1864, be passed, so as to permit of debentures being sold at what they would fetch, instead of at par as, at present; and (4) they required an Appropriation Act, covering one year, that is, to June 30ibh, 1866, instead offor six .months, as had |been talked of in the As-

sembly. These proposals were discussed at considerable length, and a majority of those present, comprising seventeen members of the Legislative Council, and twenty two of the House of Representatives, agreed to support the Ministry on them. But there was a good deal of carping on the part of Messrs. Rhodes, Renall, and Bunny,. who, as the result showed, afterwards withdrew their support from the Ministry. This was on Tuesday, and on 1 Wednesday night their carping took a practical shape. When Mr. Yogel proposed that the House go into committee to consider the following resolution, viz. : " That in the distribution of Provincial Revenue, the Stamp Duties be placed on the same footing as Customs Duties," and the division was about to be taken, Mr. Rhodes was absent, while Mr. Renall and Mr. Bunny, who were at their posts, walked out of the. House to avoid voting. The result was, that the numbers on the division lists were equal, and only through the casting vote of the Speaker, a defeat was formally avoided. In reality the Ministry were defeated, because through a misunderstanding, Mr. Harrison who had paired off with Mr. Munro, recorded his vote for the Government. This division though not sufficient of itself to have led to the resignation of Ministers, was the last feather that broke the camel's back. Theirs was an arduous and thankless task, which they were willing to perform solely on the condition that their hands were strengthened by the cordial support of Parliament. Possessing this, they were ready to strain every nerve, and use every effort in the service of the Colony; but without it they were agreeable to leave the work to other hands. Apparently the members of the Opposition could not understand that men should be willing to relinquish the so called " sweets of office." This was perhaps a natural mistake, because they estimated Ministers by their own standard, and factiously opposed them, without ever contemplating that they would resign. In this obstructive game they have o^er-reached themselves by winning, and now don't know how to use their victory. They have driven from office the most honest, straightforward and independent Ministry that New Zealand ever possessed, and now it is more than doubtful whether they can fill their places. Who, indeed, is ready to do so ? The statements made in the.House yesterday told nothing further than that Mr. Stafford had been sent for, and had consented to try to form a Ministry, for which purpose the House has been adjourned till Tuesday. We do not care to indulge in any anticipations of the result, but so far as we have learned, his efforts as yet have met with very moderate success. Overtures have been made by him to Mr. John Williamson, of Auckland, and Mr. Crosbie Ward, to join his Ministry, but we believe the latter has declined. Several other gentlemen are spoken of as likely to become members of this problematical Cabinet, but nothing definite will be known till Tuesday, when the Delphic oracle will again make a response. In any case, Mr. Stafford occupies a position by no means to be envied. In the first place, it is surprising that he should try to form a Ministry at all, because throughout the Session he has constantly been gratuitously asserting that he had the strongest possible objection to take office. If he does succeed in forming a Ministry, then he will require to fulfil the pledge he gave when in opposition, of reducing the estimates of expenditure by no less a sum than £240,000, and he will require to do this while carrying out that ''Self-reliant Policy," to which the Colony is pledged. There is no escape from this position. The colonists have said they will suppress the Native Rebellion, and the Imperial Government has decided that they must A large section of the Native Race still set our authority at defiance, and perpetrate murders and outrages which call for instant action. To put a stop to those overt acts of crime, to repress outrage, and to secure peace, is the work which has to be done — and it will cost money. Mr. Weld and his colleagues were doing that work, and asked the means of making their efforts continuous till success had crowned them. Those means the Opposition have refused to grant in sufficient measure, and now they are called upon to show that their plan is cheaper and better than that of the men whom they have driven trom office. We do not look at the subject in any other way than as it affects the interests of the whole Colony. From that point of view the resignation of Ministers is a circumstance deeply to be deplored. When the devotees of a bloodthirsty superstition are committing atrocities on the East Coast, and rebels threaten our settlements on the West — when Rewi and Thompson are spreading sedition in the North, and the great body of the Natives are preparing for another struggle — when our resources are weak- 1 ened, and our credit in England is at the lowest ebb — surely that is not the moment to quarrel amongst ourselves, and unseat a Ministry, whose efforts during this supreme crisis of affairs have been equally determined and successful. The news of this political crisis will produce the worst possible effect in England, and make capitalists look more doubtfully than ever upon our securities — it will deeply grieve every man who has the true , interests of the Colony at heart, and it will cause every rebel Native in the Island to exult with joy. There is but one remedy for this, and it the representatives of the people are true to the interests of the country, they will yet adopt it — which is to form no new Ministry, but to reinstate that of Mr. Weld.