THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1883.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6819, 25 September 1883, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1883.

The retirement ot the Honorable the Premier of the colony, and the reconstruction of the Ministry, are at present the most prominent subjects before the public mind, and everything throwing light- on the circumstances

hich have led up to the position, 1 $ id "indicating the probable course of 0 rents, will be of general interest. The j reumstances attending the retirement j E Mr. Whitaker from the Premier- j. lip were, we understand, the follow- T lg. When he took office on the „ adden retirement of Sir John t Fall, it was on the understanding f hat he was not to he bound to ( ontinue in the . office for more han a year. Ac the termination ( f the first session, however, the Minisry was not in a very nourishing posiion as regards Parliamentary support During the session which is just )ast. however, the Government have ilways been able to rely on a substaa;ial majority, and on any vote of want )f confidence would have been able to command probably twenty votes over their opponents. Mr. Whitaker was (juice determined to carry out his purpose of retirement, and informed Ms colleagues definitely to that effect. They were strongly opposed to his going, but he was not to be moved. He had been in politics for forty years, or thereabouts, and thought he was entitled to a rest. At the unanimous request of his colleagues, however, he agreed to be one of of the colony at the Federal Conference at Sydney ; the other representative being Major Atkinson. The Ministerial rearrangements at the present time are to be the following :— Major Atkinson becomes Premier, while Mr. Conolly, the present Minister of Justice, becomes also Attorney-General, j Mr/ Oliver,' who had been Minister without portfolio, and has assisted Mr. Whitaker in the Legislative Council, takes the office of Postmaster-General, and .thus' the Ministry will be complete. Tt will remain thus constituted till the return v o£ Major Atkinson from Sydney, when there will be some further changes. We may mention also, that Mr.;Whitaker does not intend to resign his seat in the Legislative Council, and next session '.will probably find him in !"his.:place:.th'ere supporting the Govern|;iheht.;„v,;:a.v:".,.'.,,.'.'-.,■.

FrdmYall' this, it will be aeen -with much . satisfaction that, though Mr. .Whitaker has'-bidden farewell to the more laborious duties of public administration, his services are not lost to .the -colony. Indeed his consenting to attend; the convention for annexation and confederation, in face of the strong repugnance which the honorable gentleman has to ; the unpleasantness of seavoyaging, is evidence of his continued willinsness" to. make sacrifices when duty -calls -'.and -he will be able yet 'to render valuable aid;to,the colony in -bririgihg ; the-, results of his long_ ex- ! perience in official life, his great ability and' natural shrewdness to, bear on public- questions', while enjoying the oliuni cum dignitate xonferred by. a seat in .the .Upper Chamber of Legislature. But-.special gratification will ,'befelt at'his. consenting to represent the colony at the' coming convention. The field,of discussion there presented will be- a novel one. >-. The questions .raised.will,,in: their scope and.general nature, be'wholly different from anything hitherto; presented in domestic politics. '■ In. that respect all the dele-' gates will tread on untried paths; and it'is'in .such .circumstances that matured and varied experience will tell. ■Able "as'' llajor Atkinson may ; have shown himself in leading the party, we do not hesitate to say that in the entirely new.-circumstances he will be vastly benefitted, riot only by. the experience, but,"the.'-circumspection of his colleagues. This is all the more important, - inasmuch as the , interests ofNew: Zealand'are not in all respects identical with- those of the sister colonies. We do not mean that our colony should noi/go hand in .-"'hand with, the' others in everything of common concern. We trust that in that . : fesp'ect New Zealand will be thoroughly loyal to the, common cause. But from the proximity of the other colonies to one another, specialities of tariff, questions thence-arising, and various other ■ circumstances attaching to an insular position, and-our more immediate relations with the islands scattered over the wide Pacific, it is palpable that our. delegates cannot afford to entirely follow, the lead of the sister colonies. And though it is by no means to be desired that - New Zealand should attempt to play her own separate hand, still it is of 'value that our delegates should be able to form their • own counsel and present it from a- New Zealand standpoint. , Under ■ these circumstances we do not hesitate' to say that the inclusion of the ex-Pre-- : mier in the New "Zealand delegationwill be a source' of general .satisfaction throughout New Zealand ; and that his being, engaged on such an honourable mission—an event that will-mark an epoch in colonial history—and,participating in thejionpurs which beyond doubt will wait on those taking' chief part in this most important event— will b-3 a worthy and befitting close to ' a long and arduous career of public services.