THE SITUATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8065, 5 October 1887, Page 5

THE SITUATION.

MAJOR ATKINSON RETICENT.

SIR GEORGE GREY ON HIS SIDE.

THE MEETING OF MEMBERS.

COALITION PROS AND CONS.

BIDDING FOR OFFICE.

fEY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Tuesday. HE DECLINES TO SPEAK.

Major Atkinson has arrived In Wellington from Nelson. Nothing has transpired as to his proceedings, and he declines to give any information which would enable one to guess at the probability of his success. SIR G. OR*£Y WILL ASSIST. Sir G. Grey has promised to assist Major Atkinson in his endeavour to bring together the men who would be likely to form a strong Government. Tns MEETING OF MEMBERS. There is a good deal of interest felt here in the meeting which will be held to-morrow in Parliament Buildings. I know that it will consist of the most influential members of both Houses of the Legislature. Although I know most of their names, it is represented to me to be undesirable to meution them in the present stage of the crisis. I can only say that Major Atkinson still believes he can form a Government which, according to former standards, would be considered to have within it all the elements of strength and stability; bat tho present political situation is not only peculiar, it is without any precedent in the Parliamentary annals of the colony. v THE PRICE OF SUPPORT. If one were to judge by tho result of the reoent election there could be no question whatever as to Major Atkinson's success, aud the unanimity of those who went to the ballot upon the " Opposition ticket." It is now broadly stated that not a few of those who were elected will claim a portfolio as the price of their support of any Ministry. I am told, however, the counsel of those who may be suspected to have such an object in view will not be sought. If the report which the member for Egmont will have to make to the Governor on Friday night should be favourable to the probable formation of a Ministry likely to carry out the policy demanded by the constituencies, and absolutely necessary in the present condition of the colony, intimation will be made to those members of either branch of'the Legislature, whose assistance would be most effective. MAKING SURE OF HIS GROUND. You should, however, understand that Major Atkinson will take no step towards the immediate object iu view until all the members shall be in Wellington, and ho shall have absolute ground for believing that the Government he would form may be stable as well as strong. He will not go to Parliament with a ready-made Cabinet, and say " accept this," or the " doluge." It is known how prone even a Parliament is to accept the deluge rather than be excluded from ministerial confidence. Before naming each member of his Cabinet he will assure himself of the quality of the support he is likely to obtain in each individual case. If this support is not adequate he will give up Cabinet making. If the new members should choose Sir J. Vogel for their loader, he will not dispute their claim to choose, but they must be prepared at the same time to share the reproach of having acted in direct contravention of the judgment of the electoral body. THE IMPOSSIBLE. Taken a3 a whole, therefore, it is impossible, according to Major Atkinson, that Sir J. Vogel and himself can be found in the same Cabinet. The supporters of Sir J. "Vogel .persist in saying that there is no meaning in the word " impossible" as applied to the development of this or any political crisis. They contend that the process by which superfluous or incongruous elements are eliminated from a tentative selection is not liable to the control of either the Major or Sir Julius, and the outcome of the proceedings may unite those two eminent men in the same Cabinet, whether they like it or not themselves. Such is the creed of those who say that there is much more agreement than difference between them in respect to matters political; but I can't, inyio'f, perceive why the member for Egmont may not be believed when ha says it is impossible for him to co-operate with Sir Julius. I know as a matter of fact that the member for Egmont adheres to his declaration, and if ho should waver, he will be reminded reproachfully of it by those whose be;p he at this moment most earnestly wants. It also appears to me that no two men could be more specifically differentiated than are the members for Egmont and Christchurch North, Whether 'the " impossible " really means the inevitable, we shall see.