THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 1888.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9090, 26 June 1888, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 1888.

The rumours that we have had from Wellington lately about reconstruction in the Cabinet obtained their most definite expression in tho article we yesterday quoted from the Post, which stated that the Ministerial Jonahs were understood to 'be Messrs. Fisher and Fergus, while they were likely to be replaced by Mr. Lance, tiro Hon. E. Richardson, or Dr. Fitchett. Every-

body will naturally ask —what does this proposed substitution point to ? Mr. Lance is the leader of the Opposition, or at least a kind of co-leader with Mr. Seddon ; the Hon. E. Richardson was a member of the late Government, and is

a kind of established old fogy in railways ; Dr. Fitchett is the representative of the Dunedin Protection-gone-mad people. The taking of .any of these men into the Cabinet would mean that Sir H. Atkinson has cut connection with those who have hitherto supported him, and has gone over to his opponents. We should have thought that the Premier would have had enough to do at the present time, without intriguing against his colleagues, and would have

had more respect for his past political reputation than to have attempted to make a gain of any kind by selling himself to his opponents. But that something of this kind is on the cards, it is impossible to doubt. Surely Sir Harry Atkinson cannot mean this as a first step towards his assuming the functions of Agent-General. It is true that in 187G, Sir Julius Vogel slid out

of the Ministry and into the position of Agent-General, but that precedent of how to manage the business can hardly be expected to be followed. The Agent-General should be appointed by the Ministry, but a new Ministry should not be installed—having their choice as

to Agent-General tied up. The Premier's political position is not by any means a strong one. Next to Sir Julius Vos?el he is completely identified with lavish borrowing. His name must be forever associated with the great era of loans. He is identified absolutely with the

property tax. Sir Julius Vogel always said that that tax would prove to be mischievous, and destructive to the advancement and the credit of the colony, as well as oppressive, irritating, and unjust in its incidence. Sir H. Atkinson is its parent, and he never ceases to contend' that it is all that a tax should be ; he defends every harsh step taken by the department, and lauds the tax as a positive benefit. In his latest Financial Statement he has imposed £265,000 of extra taxation on the Customs with a light heart. He will probably put forward " the tyrant's plea," necessity, but that will scarcely be allowed. It seems to us quite certain that before long all the old politicians who are identified with the era just past will have to vanish from the stage. Sir Harry Atkinson has had a good chance given him, in putting him in the position to do the work of retrenchment. We are quite sure that he has no strength to spare for intriguing against those of his colleagues who are supposed to typify a new set of ideas. There is another aspect of this matter — namely, that the Opposition are urging this matter on, as a fair payment for their support of the present Ministry. In the present confused state of parties it is, of course, very difficult to judge whether the intrigue really emanates from the Opposition or the Ministerial camp ; or whether it may emanate from the former with the connivance of a section of the Ministry. But in any case it seems clear that such a reconstruction as is referred to by the Post would just now, in the interests of the colony, be exceedingly injudicious, and would probably wreck the Government.

Is tliis attempt to oust Messrs. Fisher and Fergus, two of the ablest members of the Ministry, made because they are the advocates in the Cabinet of any particular set of ideas, or is it because it is supposed that they can be the most easily got rid of, so as to make way for the Hon. E. Richardson and Mr. Lance? The Hon. Mr. Richardson typifies Vogolianism pureand simple, and lavish expenditure. Personally, he is a most inefficient speaker, and is nowhere as a debater. He would be no strength whatever to the Ministry ; and the same thing might be said of Mr. Lance and Dr. Fitchett. Tho only chance which Sir H. Atkinson has of attaining the Agent-Generalship and of leaving the stage of New Zealand political life in a manner creditable to himself, is to finish the work which the country has given him to do without looking to the right or the left. He has got to make our income and our expenditure balance, and he should aim at doing so rather by cutting down expenditure than by piling on taxation. When he has succeeded in that, he may then be a candidate for the office of Agent-General. By giving countenance to the proposed change in the Cabinet, by seeking to oust two Ministers for the purpose of taking in prominent members of the Opposition, the Premier will simply destroy the purpose of his administration.