The Politician.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 387, 12 July 1879, Page 6

The Politician.

MINISTERIAL CRISIS. We take the following able-written article from our contemporary, the Hangiiikei Advocate, which will well repay perusal :

We take it for granted that all our readers have heard the news of the resignation of Mr. Ballance of his office of Colonial Treasurer, and have read the telegram containing what is evidently his own account of the circumstances which led to that event. We say evidently his own account : first, because his intimate connection with the Chronicle, in which the account appeared, is very well known ; and secondly, because of the three Ministers present it is perfectly certain that neither Sir George Grey nor Mr. Sheehan furnished an account which is clearly intended to give a specially favorable impression of Mr. Ballance's action. If this be so, it seems to us that he has for ever put himself out of the society of gentlemen. If there is one thing more sacred than another, it is the inviolability of confidential communications ; and if there is one place more sacred than another it is the chamber in which the members of a Government meet to discuss Cabinet questions. No political circle would, we imagine, be so weak a 3 ever again to admit Mr. Ballance to its confidence, if he has really been guilty on this occasion of betraying what passed in the Cabinet, of which he was a member, to the editor of a friendly newspaper*, without the permission of his colleagues. It is, however, too much of a piece with his action when he apostatized from the Atkinson party, with whom he remained in terms of the closest intimacy almost to the very day when he threw himself into the arms of Sir George Grey. His beginning and his ending have been very much alike, and both of them entirelv characteristic of the man. When we first read of the fracas between Sir George Grey and Mr. Ballance, we gave vent to irrepressible laughter at the ludicrous scene described, and it was only when the recollection flashed upon us of the miserable position into which the colony had been brought by tbese men that our mirth ceased. The story, however, as recorded by Mr. Ballance in the Chronicle, is really very funny. After some altercation about the manner in which the salary of Mr. Fox should be charged on the estimates, Sir George Grey declared that Mr, Ballance persistently insulted him and made him blush." Picture this to yourself ! Mr. Ballance made Sir George Grey blush ! We don't deny that Sir George Grey has done many thing 3 for which he ought to blush ; but that any body, even Mr. Ballance, has made him blush at any time during the last fifty years, we do not believe. A photograph of Sir George Grey blushing would be worth sending to the Sydney Exhibition ; people would go a long way to see it, and if Mr. Ballance really made him do it, he will rank for the rest of his days as a conjuror of the highest rank. Mr Ballance, no doubt softened by the blush, backed out a little and tried to pacify bis excited colleague ; he pleaded humbly enough that the matter in dispute " was of little consequence—it was oalv a rough draft, and might be altered." Onthis the Premier, nothing conciliated by the concession, got " very angry," when Mr. Ballance got his back up also, and defied him ; declaring " it was a departmental matter and he would do as he liked." " The Premier could not hear of such a thing. He must have control over every item, and wanted the Treasury for himself." Mr. Ballance said, "In that case I had better resign." " Do so," shouted the exasperated chief. " Do so, and let all resign. We must both resign." "Be it so," said Mr. Ballance meekly, and turned to leave the room. " Leave the room," shouted the Premier, in a loud and angry tone. "I won't," said Mr. Ballance, plucking up courage, "till I please to." "Then I'll send a messenger to put you out," responds Sir George, and out he bolts. A few seconds afterwards a messenger comes in to effect his forcible ejectment, but is prevented by Mr. Sheehan; -who seems to have filled the office of bottle-holder, one no doubt very consistent with his habits. Then Mr. Ballance seems to have gone off to the Chronicle office, and given to its editor a true, full, and particular account of all that had been done and said in the Cabinet chamber. Was there ever such an indecent exhibition ? Imagine the scene and the actors : Sir George Grey, the great Pro-consul and Premier of New Zealand, on the one side, and his colleague, Mr. Ballance, Colonial Treasure!", on account will edify the gentlemen on the Stock Exchange, London, before whom our Government will shortly have again to make its bow. They will no doubt say, as Dr. Watts said : " It is a shocking sight, "When children oJ one family, Fall out, and chide and fight." Sir George Grey is very fond of precedents drawn from the history of the Old World. We fear he may search all the records in vain for a parallel to this. It is not long since Lord Carnarvon and Earl Derby found it impossible to get on with their self-willed chief, but did Lord Beaconsfield tell them " they made him blush ?" Did he get very angry, and shout out to them to leave the room ?" And when they declined did he go out for Policeman X, and send him into the Cabinet to drag out his recalcitrant colleagues by the scruff of the neck? Did the ejected Ministers jump into a cab and rush off to Printing-house Square, to tell the editor of The Times newspaper how they had been washing their dirty linen, and what a tremendous row they had had in the Cabinet ! No ! they were gentlemen, and knew how to behave themselves as such. It is probable, however, that we have not yet heard the whole of this discreditable affair. The writer of the account in the Chronicle declares that an hour before the Premier sent for Mr. Ballance (to pick a quarrel

with him apparently), the latter received a telegram from Colonel Whitmore at Auckland telling him " that an Auckland paper had published an ' extra' containing sensational news about a rupture in the Cabinet," and so unsuspicious was Mr. Ballance of the rod which Sir Geo. Grey had in pickle for him, that he telegraphed back, telling him to " give it an unqualified denial." It will be interesting to know, when it is found out, as no doubt it will be, who sent this telegram to the Auckland paper. Was it Sir George, or was it Mr. Ballance ? Did the latter go to the Cabinet that morning to get up a row with Sir George, that he might have a plausible excuse for quitting the sinking ship ? Had he carefully arranged the kind of red rag which was likely to get Sir George's " dinder" up ? The fact is, we don't believe that Mr. Ballance's resignation really turned on any such small matter as the allocation of Mr. Private Secretary Fox's salary. It is week since stories were about of a serious difference between Sir George and Mr. Ballance, touching the authorship of a certain article in the Chronicle, in which Sir George was accused of "skulking," at Kawau, and playing the part of a " coward" in reference to native affairs. It is weeks since it was the common talk that Sir George Grey and Mr. Ballance did not speak in the street. It is weeks since people were saying that there was a conspiracy among certain members of the Ministry to get rid of Sir George, and that Mr. Ballance was vain enough to believe, and his friends were fools enough to flatter him, that he might himself become the head of a new Ministry. And for weeks past there have been signs that the ship was breaking up. Those signs must have been still more apparent to Mr. than they were to the outside public. The intercourse between himself and his chief which culminated in the indecent exhibition of Saturday last, cannot have been of a very pleasant character. Men don't part overnight singing " Auld Lang Syne," and the first thing next morning send for a policeman to seize their guest by the collar and haul him out of the house ; a kind of " personal Government" which implies relations of a by no means affectionate kind One point in the case we have not yet referred to : It appears from another telegram that in the course of the afternoon, after Mr. Ballance had resigned, Sir George Grey began to realise the awkwardness of his position in having to meet Parliament without a Treasurer. So he ate a slice of humble pie (a very small one, it appears, for there is no mention of any apology for his outrageous behavior), and he wrote" Mr. Ballance a letter, requesting him to reconsider his resignation, urging him by such motives as the " imminence of a Maori war, and the pending settlement of other important questions." Well, we must say that if Mr. Ballance had been forgiving enough to take his seat at the same table with a colleague who had ordered a messenger to drag him neck and heels out of the room, he must be a much more amiable man than most people give him credit for being. But what a humiliation for Sir George to have to swallow that slice of humble pie, aud get nothing by it ! The picture which the whole affair naturally presents to most people's minds, is that of " The sinking ship." The total breakdown of Sir George and Mr. Sheehan's native policy ; the imminence of a Maori war; a few months only after we were told in the Governor's speech that peace " was at last made ;" the general growing feeling among Sir George's supporters that his grand stumpiug speeches were a simple delusion, and that none of the great reforms he had promised would ever be accomplished by him or his colleagues ; the utter failure of Mr. Ballance's financial schemes, of his Beer Bill and his Companies Tax, and his inability to do so simple a thing &i to collect the land tax in the course of a whole financial year ; the cooling down of the ardour of even the highlysubsidised sections of the Press which had sold themselves for a mess of Government porridge ; these and many other signs must have been manifested to the most careless observer, and much more to the eyes of a Ministry which had gained office by a fluke, and retained it in spite of a shameless breach of it 3 pledges. Well, when the ship has sprung a leak, men to the pumps, aud lay out all the life they have in them trying to keep her afloat. But rats don't ; the first sensation they have of the water trickling down the sides of the ship, out they go, standing not on the order of their going, but headlong, in the direction of the nearest shore, where they may find dry footing. Two years ago, an old craft which had been manned by a con r inuau3 crew since 1869, and was lying in Wellington harbor under the command of one Captain Atkinson, began to show signs of decrepitude, and the water began to gain on the pumps. We well remember how a certain big rat took a flying leap—we don't know how many yards across—and lighted en its feet on the deck of a piraticallooking craft that was lying not far off. We have that rat in our mind's eye now, and we feel very confident that in whatever ship it may be, let there be signs of that ship sinking, and we shall see that rat repeat the le.ip. This sort of instinct of prudent retreat seems natural to *bis breed of beasts, and its operation is highly infectious. Some sly, sharp-nosed pioneer is probably the first to bolt, aud then helter skelter, one over the top of the other, handover hand, in a wild stampede, tne whole brood skidaddles, leaving the sinking ship to its fate. Sometimes some grey old patriarch, too blind to see his way, or too feeble to strike out for the shore, remains behind ; and when the ricketty old tub goes down his' last expiring squeak will be heard among the rush of the water as it pours into the hold. Rumor says that some of the " chips in porridge " who had exhibited themselves as Sir George's "man Fridays," will be foisted into the vacant seats in the Ministry. Mr Moss is mentioned as Colonial Treasurer, and Mr. Rees as AttorneyGeneral. If Sir George is really bent upon making responsible Government a farce in New Zealand, he can try it. But at a crisis like this we are much mistaken if the Legislature does

not insist upon the meu of its own choice, not that of Sir George Grey, being placed in power. We have had enough of his "personal government," and it is time that men of practical experience and common sense should take the place of adventurers and theorists whose studies have gone no deeper than the pages of a half-crown magazine, or the leading articles of the colonial newspaper Press. Since the late Ministry took office, the colony has been rapidly receding from the great prosperity to which it had attained dming the last dozen years. The measure of difference may be gauged by the threatened revival of native hostilities as the direct consequence of Sir George Grey's vainglorious policy ; by the financial condition of the colony, and the necessity for increased taxation which looms in the immediate future, as the result of Mr. Balance's manipulation of the Treasury books. Never has the political outlook been less satisfactory than it is at this moment.

THE OTA GO DAILY TIMES ON THE SITUATION.

It is not now a question of a Government and an Opposition side of the House, but of a patriotic union of our best men to form a strong Cabinet. We wish even that Sir George Grey himself could be included in it as Native Minister, but that is impossible, even if he would consent, as he is hopelecsly impracticable when brought into contact with colleagues. If we could make him Maori King, with ample powers, he -would probably do well, but under constitutional Government he fails to agree with his Ministers, and is therefore a source of weakness rather than of strength to any Ministry. "We admit the great difficulty of finding another Premier. There are objections to every name that occurs to us. Sir William Fox has, perhaps, from his antecedents the best right to aspire to the position ; but unless the responsibilities of office changed him greatly, he would need at least three colleagues to hang on to his coat-tails whenever he got up to speak. Major Atkinson will hardly again be accepted by either side of the House. Mr. Montgomery has not quite the standing or experience, or the speakirig power, to entitle him to the position, and we can name no Otago member who has the slightest prospect of acceptance. If the Hon. John Hall could descend from the Upper House he would make as fgood a Premier as we could get, though strongly imbued with Canterbury views ; but we have no reason to suppose that he would take the position, even if a seat could be foiTnd for him. This is a problem which, we own, is a very difficult one to solve ; and it cannot be satisfactorily solved without a good deal of moderation and concession on both sides of the House.

As regards Otago interests, though we do not for a moment put them before those of the colony, we have a right to expect that they will be fairly represented in any Government that is formed. Mr. Macaudrew has, to the regret of his friends, apparently elected to stand or fall with Sir George Grey, and we fear has thus rendered his prospect of joining a new Ministry vevy doubtful. Setting him as-ide, we know of no man who on the whole would better represent Otago interests in the Cabinet than would Messrs. Oliver and Bastings; but that is a point which Otago members should take an early opportunity of discussing among themselves We take it that the Otago vote will in any case henceforward go against Sir George Grey. Members who originally supported him, chiefly on the question of Provincialism versus Abolition, will now hold themselves absolved from their allegimce. So as far as we can interpret the temper of the public mind, they will only 73roperly represent their constituencies if they insist upon a change, and one that shall secure such an administration of public affah\s during the next twelvemonth as will leave the field open next year for the triumph of a thoroughly Liberal platform. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE WORKING MAN. The following letter and editorial foot-note, which appeared in a late issue of the Wc.ihalo Times, will show the paternal interest of our Government for the working man, especially if he should happen to bo a livery-si-able keeper : « sir,—-Will you be kind enough and let me know if a person in business cannot make the Government pay accounts the sam3 as a private individual. Now, Mr. Editor, I have to inform you that about seven or eight months ago I received a note from Mr. Grace to send my buggy and pair to Xihikihi. Accordingly I sent my buggy, and it came back with as many ladies and gentlemen as it coidd possibly hold It was then taken to Alexandra and back to Te Awamutu in one day. The following day it was taken to Puni", to Rewi's place, to bring Rewi and several others into Te Awamutu. They had refreshments at my place, and then went on to Alexandra. Next day the buggy and pair went to Ohaupo aud back t:> Alexandra, then to my place, where refreshments were provided according to orders. They then went to the Punfu aud back to my place. Now, my buggy was considerably damaged by going through the river and over such rough country. I have made demands several times for payment, but can get no settlement, which is a great injury to me, but last Saturday insult was added to injury, on the occasion of the Governor's visit to Te Awamutu. Coming from Kihikihi, he was taken past my hotel to the other hotel, which is not on the road his Excellency had to travel. They were then compelled to come back, near my door, to go to Ohaupo. Now, Mr. Editor, can you tell me why such an occurrence should take place. Is it because I asked for what was due to me ; or, is it what a certain class of people are in the habit of doing when they are asked time after time to settle their accounts, and whether they cannot, or are not willing to pay, they go and desert the place where they have run up an account, and go to a new establishment to get more credit.

Now, Mr. Editor, I must tell yon, if the person that had the management of the Governor's visit and luncheon at Te Awamutu was frightened that I would not give any more credit to the Government, he must be very ignorant of business people, as I think any business man, or, speaking of myself, I would rather have waited as many years _ for' my money, and have the honor to have his Excellency, her Majesty's representative, to luncheon at my place, than wait so many months for accommodating a lot of chiefs. , Mr, Editor, believe me that I am not jealous that the other hotel had the honor of his Excellency's visit, if it was not that they passed my hotel, and that they had to come back near my own door to get on the road they had to travel ; nor am I anxious to get patronised by Government. There was a time when I was glad to receive Government orders. When Major Mair was Paymaster I could send my account in every quarter, and get a cheque without delay, but at present there is more trouble than ' profit. Now, Mr. Editor, I tell you I am dealing with merchants, brewers, butchers, bakers, &c, and if I don't pay my accounts in proper time, and then I leave them in such a maimer as they might feel insulted, and commence dealing with other houses, I need not tell you the result of it. I want to know if the Government docs not dub up to me at once, whether I cannot have the same remedy as with other individuals. By answering the last sentence you will greatly oblige.—l am, &c, H. LEWIS. ".[Certainly. The Government must pay for what they order, the same as other folks. Put the matter into a lawyer's hands, and recover at once.—Ed. W. T.]"

EARL BEAGONSEIELD ON JIECIPEOOITY. On the debate in the House of Lords on Lord Bateman's resolution in iavor of reciprocity, Earl Beaconsfield made the following pithy speech :—" My Lords, many years ago —nearly forty —this country, which no one can say for a moment did not flourish with the old system of protection, deemed it necessary to revise the principles upon which its commerce was conducted. There were three courses—to use a Parliamentary .phrase common to these times—(laughter) —which were then open to the eminent man to whom it fell to solve this problem. Sir M. Peel might, in the first place, have reconstructed our commercial system on a scale of very low duties to apply generally to every item in the tariff. In the second place, he might have endeavored to reconstruct our _ commercial system by those commercial treaties of which we have heard so much to-night. And lastly, it lay before him to take a third course, which was at once to determine to fight hostile tariffs with free imports. The scheme that was adopted was this—that we were to fight hostile tariffs with free imports. I was among those who looked upon that policy with fear. I believed it to be one very perilous, and these feelings were shared by numerous parties in both .Houses of Parliament, and by a numerous and influential party iu the country. The decision of England on, this subject was a decision which was not hurried." Of Reciprocity Lord Beaconstield said :—" But it is a phantom that cannot exist. There are no means and no men, from whatever side the Government of the country may be drawn, whatever members may form it, who can come forward now with a largo system of commercial exchange founded on "the principle of reciprocity."

MR. GISBOBNE JOINS THE MINISTRY. (From the New Zealand Times, July 5.) The Hon. Mr. Gisborne, who acted as Colonial Secretary and member of the Executive Council under Sir W. Fox from July, 18G9, to September, 1872, has ngain accepted office under Sir G. Grey. He was the most shilly-shally politician out of all those who occupied the _Opposition benches during the past session, and some of his most candid friends —Mr. Wakefield more especially —more than once took occasion to remind him of his weakness. He was not the only member who paraded the fact that he sat upon a rail, biit he succeeded better than most of his class in making it perfectly plain that the seat was far less comfortable than one on the Ministerial benches. His votes were strictly erratic, and even when _ he sat down after prosing and sermonising for half an hour or more at a stretch, if any listener were called upon to give an opinion as to which way the member for Totara would vote, the chances were that he would guess wrong. Mr. Gisbohne's speeches are delivered in a style thai, forcibly reminds one of. an old-fashioned preacher whose special mission upon earth seems to be to drone his congregation to sleep. It is true that in the House there were generally very few members who would sit out one of these long sermons, and when Mr. GIS.BOB.NE got up to speak, three-fourths of those present got up to go, and the unfortunate quorum who were condemned to listen to the end assumed the most comfortable positions they could find and resigned themselves to the soothinginiluences of his somnolent oration. Points of order and of Parliamentary practice are at Mr. Gisbokne's lingers' ends, but of practical wisdom of any other sort he has apparently an ever-diminishing stock. Ml". MooiiHOUSE sketched his career some years ago in telling language, and aptly showed up the want of statesmanlike spirit and' practical ability which has been so conspicuous. The younger members <>f the House show him a little mercy out of respect for his grey hairs, but he carries no weight in debate, and aiueo he- bogau to doubt upon which sido j

to vote his voice has lost what little effect it may once have possessed. We'do hot for one moment believe that Mr. Gisborne ever refused the definite offer of a portfolio from the present Ministry. His name was mentioned like many others no doubt, but he is not the man to refuse office in a strong ■ Ministry and accept a seat in a : weak one. Sir George Grey may be glad of his assistance. He is a respectable unit of the House, and is not likely to be self-assertive, or to oppose the wishes of the autocratic Premier. , Besides, Sir George Grey's best friends have lately been advising him to retire, and under the circumstances it was not easy for him to obtain assistance. The presence of Mr. Gisborne as a former member of the Legislative Council, and as a quondam Minister, with nothing radical about him, except a radical weakness and want of political backbone, will help to keep up appearances a little when the inevitable democratic ticket is issued, with an elective Upper House and an elective Governor inscribed upon it. The captain of: the Ministerial ship his taken in a little ballast, but will certainly throw it overboard when the vessel touches the shallows. Ministry after Ministry has been formed since Mr. Gisborne held office for the first time, and it seemed as if the Ministerial benches would never more be honored with his presence. Ever since he accepted the Commissionet'ship of Annuities on securing office in 1872, his reputation has been clouded ; even his former chief carefully avoided having him in 1873, and since then no one else would have him at any price, although nine Ministries have been formed. As a dernier ressort, Sir George Grey has given him one more chance, and he has clutched at the sweets of office like a dying man at a straw.

OUR EXPORT TRADE. (Prom the New Zealand TraES, July 9.) New Zealand is dependent for her wealth upon her export trade, and unless the value recewed for the wool, grain, and other products sent away, is such as both to repay the cost of production and to cover the interest upon the capital invested, the prosperity of the country must decline. The enormous increase in the production of articles of general consumption, which has taken place during the last decade, has completely equilibrium of the chief markets, and the present depression in trade and remarkable alteration in values throughout the world are holdtobe largely due to this rapid increase in production. New Zealand wheat has to compete with grain from the States, from South America, Russia, Australia, and elsewhere. The quantity of grain grown in this colony during the twelve months ending February, 1879, was nearly twice as largo as during the previous year. Despite this fact there was, however, a decrease in the quantity of wheat grown, and only a very slight increase in the area sown in wheat. We believe that, there can be but little doubt that New Zealand is naturally less adapted for supplying the rest of the world with wheat than many parts of Australia or than the Western States of America, and we are not therefore inclined to view the check which that industry has received in the light of a misfortune ; but it is evident that wheat o-rowers have discovered that the game does not pay as well as oat-growing for instance. The industry has come to a standstill, and other countries are evidently driving us out of the market. When we state that the export of wheat from the United States has increased from 31,000,000 bushels in 18G0 to 96,000,000 bushels in 1878, the rapid decline in prices will cause but little surprise. The whole of New Zealand only produced 6,000,000 bushels of wheat last year, so that our export trade of wheac is, comparatively speaking, unimportant. After being so severely nipped in the bud it is, in our opinion, unlikely to expand. It would be interesting to enquire whether this cheek to a young industry has been caused by the high price of labor or noc.

TurnirK' to the wool growing, upon which the prosperity of Now Zealand chiefly depend.-, we desire to point out that the United States threaten to become, if not rivals in the trade, at all events self-supporting ere long. According to the New York "Daily Bulletin," the homo-clip in the United States amounted to 211,000, OOOlbs in 1878, showing an increa.se of 3,000,0001b5. iu the year. There was a falling off of 14.000,000ib3. in the production of California, but this was covered by an increase elsewhere. The imports into the States during 1878 amounted to 34,000, OOOlbs., : as against 47,000,000ib5. in the 'jrevions year. But for the exceptionally bad .season in California In 1878 the United, States production would have shown an increase of some 17 000,000ibs., or more than half the total imports. In 1872 the import of wool into the United States amounted to 98,000.000!bs., and m 1871 to 78 000 0001 bs.. consequently the falling oil' aiiico lieu is very ooHsidorable. Of late

years the average increase in the quantity of wool exported from New Zealand has varied between 5,000, OOOlbs. and 6,000, OOOlbs. a year. In 1875 the apparent increase in the quantity exported was more than 7,500,0001b5., but this was in some measure due to the fact that the practice of shipping wool home in the grease, i.e., in a heavier, dirtier condition, was then coming into fashion. The. home consumption of wool within New Zealand is as yet but small, nevertheless the existing factories already consume enough of the raw material to exercise an appreciable influence upon the export returns ; consequently the ■ real increase in production exceeds that j shown by the export returns. From what we have written it is evident that New Zealand and the United States between them have been placing an enormously increased quantity of! wool upon the world's market yearly. In wheat growing the statistics of New Zealand prove that our farmers have taken fright, and have gone into oats and grass growing instead. It is just possible that the Yankees may shortly compete with us as wool exporters. In eight years their gross production has increased by 48,000,OOOlbs.; within the same period the New Zealand production has increased by 27,000, OOOlbs. Such figures as these offer food for reflection. We have no desire to act in any way as alarmists ; it is our firm belief that as a grazing and wool-growing country this colony°need not be afraid of any competitor, but it is necessary that the conditions should be nearly equal. A New York journal observes that "while wages have " declined throughout the country, and " are in some branches of industry " lower than in Great Britain, they are ■" still practically higher than they were " previous to the period of inflated war "values, when considered in connection " with the cost of living before that time. " A further reduction of wages may 1 < therefore be looked for as the result of " a return to specie payments." In England the price of labor is lower than it has been for years. Both these countries are keen competitors with New Zealand as growers of wool for the world, and at present have one great advantage in the difference of the price of labor in their favor to set against the disadvantages of climate, &c, with which they have to contend. Practically the Zealand farmers have admitted that wheat growing does not pay ; dear labor, land taxes, and heavy rates are enough to handicap them very heavily as wool growers also. So long as the profits are large, wages may be high; but if when profits are small, wages do not come down, capital will ere long be withdrawn from the business, and the goose which laid the golden eggs will die a lingering death. In a future article we hope to devote some attention to the price of labor in connection with the cost of living ;. a question which is inseparably connected with the cost of production, and one upon which our colonial prosperity really depends. THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. The dissensions in the Cabinet rendering it highly probable (says the Napier Daily Telegraph) that his Excellency may find himself without a speech at the opening of the General Assembly, the following address is respectfully • suggested : Honorable Legislative Councillors and ■ Gentlemen oe the House oe Repke-

sentatives, —; I have the more pleasure in calling you together from the fact that I am practically without responsible advisers. Since I have had the honor to represent her Majesty in this colony, mv advisers have left me one by one until but two remain—the hon. the Premier and one other gentleman, in the soundness of whose judgment I repose implicit confidence. TJnfortrnatelv, at the last moment before entering this hall, the Premier and his colleague differed on the subject of my address, and, after a quarrel, upon the occurrence of wmch I am deeply grieved, the address that was prepared for me to read was torn up. Gentlemen of the House oe Representa-

tives, — After the explanation that I have made, you will not be astonished to learn that no Estimates have been prepared, and consequently none will be laid before you.

Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen oe tee House oe Representatives, — Owing to the vacancies that have occurred in the Cabinet through the sudden resignations of nearly all my advisers, the measures that were partly prepared were abandoned. The fact is less to be regretted from the character of the -laws that have been passed during the last two sessions. Gentlemen, ifc_ will be your duty to put chaos into something like order. In conclusion, I pray that you may make the best of the very remarkable position in which you mid yourselves.