THE POLITICAL SITUATION. (BY TELEGRAPH.) Wellington, April 17.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3037, 18 April 1882, Page 2

THE POLITICAL SITUATION. (BY TELEGRAPH .) Wellington, April 17.

The following la an acourate account or the Ministerial crisis : A very important member of the Government telegraphed his resignation to Mr Hall on the 31st alt., and, on the same day, Mr Hall received what he supposed to be an inti ination that another of his colleague i would also retire. Mr Hall's health hae been feeble for some time, and this in telligence, ooupled with a severe illness led him to telegraph his resignation to th» Governor. His Excellency had som< doubts whether or not the Governmen possessed a majority in the new Parlia ment, and had urged its immediate assembly for the decision of that point When, therefore, Mr Hall's Ministry re signed the Governor felt it to be necessary, before commissioning any person to forn< a new Government, to ascertain morr closely the actual strength of parties This information he was on the one hand able to obtain from Mr Hall, and on th) other hand he sought it from Sir George Grey, the leader of tho Opposition in thw late Parliament, and the head of tho Ministry whioh praoeded that of Mr Hall. Having received full information of the strength of both parties, according to their own estimate, he has come to the conclusion that parties are so evenly balanced at to render it impossible to say whioh possesses the confidence of the Legislature. Under these oircumstanoes, his Excellency thinks that the benefit of the doubt should be given to those in office, and he has sent for the AttorneyQeneral, Mr Whitaker,' to reconstruct the Government. The Hinemoa leave* to-niiiht to bring Mr \ynitaker to Wellington. L.ator. With reference to the statement telegraphed this afternoou as to the Ministerial orisis, the Hon Major Atkinson requests us to state "That the ressonj given for Mr Hall's retiring are so im perfeot and inaoourate as to be entirely misleading. " The faots stated in tin telegram were given on authority whioh Ma&rma thif to b« absolutely aoourate.