THE RECENT CABINET CRISIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9346, 24 April 1889, Page 5

THE RECENT CABINET CRISIS.

1 , . [by telegraph.—own CORRESPONDENT.] ' Wellington, Tuesday. j I learn upon good authority that it is exj tremely doubtful : whether any official explanation of the • circumstances which led ' up to and ended in the recent Cabinet rup- * ture will be made public before the meeting • of Parliament. There has been much interest manifested in the probable ap- ! pearance of this document, the more " to as the explanation given by the late ' -'Minister,- of Education is impugned by ■ -the supporters of the Government, al--1 though the, members ;of the Govern- ! ment have not deigned to make any 1 reply. There is a good deal of talk 1 on the subject.. It is said that Sir : Harry -Atkinson was opposed to any such publication notwithstanding that he 1 promised some statement of the kind. It 5 was at the same time affirmed that ■ his 1 colleagues were anxious that the public 1 should be in possession of the = whole of the 5 facts. Outsiders who made any enquiry on ! the subject were told that .the statement was' not "ready," but that; it would be ready soon, and ; another statement was that the Premier was desirous of : consulting the Acting-Governor (Sir James Prendergasfc) before committing himself to ■ such a decided step as publish! anything 3 connected with the deliberations of the s Cabinet. I have heard to-day that the I Acbing-Gevernor has been consulted, and he 1 does not favour such publication for two 3 reasons:—(l) Because Parliament is the ■ only : Court of Appeal - from the Cabinet; 1 (2) because .statements arising out of such contentions' as are alleged to have 1 divided the Cabinet are nob privileged except in Parliament. . The second ■ reason implies an interpretation of p the proposed statement much stronger ! than most people anticipated. In a short 1 interview I had .with the Minister of Justice - to-day lie repudiated the idea of any members of the Cabinet being - anxious for the publication of a abatement in regard to 1 the late Ministerial fracas. He says he is disposed to wait until the subject came up in Parliament in the ordinary way. Parliament will meet in about six weeks from this date. Athough the exact time is not fixed, active preparations are being made for its assembling. The Premier will be absent from Wellington more than a week. Hits official attendance upon the new Governor will absorb some portion of the intervening period. It is, therefore, improbable that any official declaration: will see the light. The position; I am told, is this, " If there is a wrong done, let the aggrieved party raise the discussion at the proper time, and in the proper place.*' This is the Ministerial view of the matter.