FIFTY YEARS AGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15728, 1 October 1914, Page 4

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

THE WHITAKER MINISTRY. RESIGNATIONS RECEIVED. • (From the HERALD of October 1, 1864.) As we had anticipated, the time whon the Whitakor Ministry could no longer with any feeling 'of self-respect continue in office, has arrived. Yesterday morning their resignation was sent in to His Excellency, though as yet, we understand, it has not been accepted. There are tome who think that Ministers should have retained office until the meeting of the General Assembly, and doubtless they would have done so had they seen any possibility of working with His Excellency for the benefit of the colony. Such, however, seems not to have been the case. They would have occupied the position of actual advisers to the Governor, hut have been so only in name. They would have been placed in tho position of appearing to give consent to a line of policy carried out by Sir George Grey under the new powers conferred on Kim by tho Imperial despatches, which was totally at variance with the will of tho Assembly. They took office to carry out a certain defined and clearly laid down policy of that body, a policy to which His Excellency then gave his unqualified assentthe confiscation of the native lands for purposes of military settlement and the thorough disarmament of the rebellious natives.