Poltical.

Otago Witness, Issue 1586, 15 April 1882, Page 18

Poltical.

THE MINISTERIAL SITUATION.

[By Telegraph.]

(fbom our own cobhesfondents,}

Wellington, April 12th.

Mr Bryce returned to Wellington overland last night, and Mr Dick and Mr Johnston arrived here to-day by the Hawea from the South. The Governor is expected at daylight to-morrow.

The feeling here is very bitter against his Excellency, on account of his extraordinary action in sending for Sir George Grey, and it is just as .well that Sir Arthur arrives before anybody is about, for his reception assuredly would not be a cordial one. , . j -.The announcement that Sir 'GeorgV Grey missed his passage by the Wanaka 'through a "misunderstanding" was received here/with a general "snigger" of Incredulity add derision.' On a)ll hands the ironical remark was heard — " Poor Sir George ; how very unfortu-' nate !" I have not r met .with a single person who credits that story about a "misunderstanding." .Everybody knows that Sir George was not born yesterday,! and that the .three days' delay which he has thus astutely secured will be invaluable to him in enabling him to consult his friends and ascertain his position — what support he could rely on, '&c.—b efore meeting the Governor. , He cannot now reach Wellington before Sunday, and will doubtless come armed at all points and fully prepared for the interview. ' J ■ 1 ■ •< A facetious rumour' is" already afloat herej| thdt he has been in communication with Messrs^ Moss, Sheehan, Hutchison;' Levestam, Turnbull, and J. C. Brown, with the view of securing their co-operation in forming a new Ministry. > As several conflicting reports are in circulation as to what took place between the late Ministry and the Governor, I may mention I am authoritatively assured that what occurred in ,'regard to the late Premier's recommendation to the Governor as to ' whom he should • send ' for was as follows : — On handing the Ministry's 'resignation to his Excellency, Mr Walter Johnston intimated that he was the bearer of a communication from Mr Hall conveying his advice as to who should be sent for His Excellency, however, said that having 'accepted Ministers' resignations it would be ■unc6ristitutionarfor kiln subsequently to accept their. advice,' as he.'had no longer, 'any official relation's with them,' consequently he could only .now accapt advice from those who at his request might undertake, the .duties of Government, ana he must therefore decline to receive formally Mr Hall'sofficial recommendation; but he was quite prepared to receive from Ministers any verbal representations on the subject they might deem it their duty to maker— on which the Ministerial views were communicated to his Excellency by word of mouth through Mr W.altQr'Joh'nstorl, ' ' I notice that .an ultra-Opposition journal ingeniously hints at, the .probability of this recommendation having been to the effect that Sir G; Qrey should be sent' for with the object of iignoring the ,Op'p*qßiJion party known to be f ohning'jl ' and ,pf hardening the dissolving Atkinson following by' a fresh application of this old cement — that is to say, the fear of Sir Gj Grey. The report is sufficiently absurd to refute itself, but perhaps I may as well' state explicitly that there is not a shadow of foundation for such an insinuation. The Lyttelton Times, however, accidentally makes one good shot, although entirely missing. its intended aim. It says: "It will most probably be found' that Mr Bryce as well as Mr Whitaker resigned actually before the Premier." . Now, curiously enough, it is an actual fact that this was the case through an accidental oversight j but, in fairness, Jit should be added that bo .also' did Major Atkinson technically before the Premier, and so, indeed, did also Messrs Dick and Johnston. The explanation is very simple. When it was finally decided that Mr Hall's • resignation was inevitable, and only a question of days, if not of hours, the resignation form was duly signed by Mr Whitaker, who also dated it. Mr Bryce and Major Atkinson subsequently attache^ their signatures to the same form without noticing its date, which happened to be exactly one day anterior to that of the separate paper' signed by Mr Hall. Still later Mr Johnston signed the form which bore the names of Mr Whitaker, Mr Bryce, and Major Atkinson, and on meeting Mr Dick in Christchurch he obtained the signature of that gentleman. Mr Rolleston' and Mr Oliver each signed a separate document. After accepting all the resignations, the Governor communicated with the two Ministers in Christchurch— Mr D,ickand Mr Johnston, — arid drew their attention to the discrepancy in dates, and to the fact that their signatures were affixed to the. document some days after the date which it bore, and which, as I have explained, was associated with the names of Messrs Whitaker, Bryce, and Atkinson. They accordingly rectified the oversight i by appending to their own signatures the dates ,'on which they were affixed. This is the true explanation of this trivial affair, but the odd thing is how the matter was brought to the notice of the Lyttelton Times as a subject out of Which political , capital, might be made. There seems strong circumstantial evidence of inspiration from somewhere in the neighbourhood of Government House ,• but this may be a mere coincidence.

Auckland, April 12th. The Herald says :— " Nothing is known respecting the nature of the communication which took place yesterday between Sir George Grey and his Excellency, but it was reported that Sir George Grey had stipulated that if ho undertook to form a Ministry and was unable to carry his measures in the House, he should have a dissolution. This would be a most powerful weapon in the hands of any Premier now taking office. A dissolution is now more cordially detested than ever, as Parliaments are elected for three years, and npt for five as formerly. In one hand the Premier would hold the threat of a dissolution, while in the other he would display all the pleasant things which ho was. to dispense out of the new loan. If the next Premier should be Sir G. Grey, or Mr Macandrew, or Mr Montgomery, ho could say to the Otago members : ' These last men humbugged you about your Central railway. They appointed a Commission for the express purpose of damning it. We will make it, and also establish a direct steam route to England.' Similar promises could be made all round, for men who are about to obtain a largo loan are splendidly endowed for promise-making. So potent with members of Parliament ai*e those weapons of threats and promises we havo above named, that we have very little doubt that by using them skilfully a clever Premier could convert a minority in the House of Representatives into a majority."

The New Zealand Times writes aa follows, coinmenting upon the rumour that the Governor intended to send for Mir Geergo Grey :— 1 ''If the rumour prove to be correct, we have

no hesitation in saying that such a course would be not only at variance with constitutional practice, but also be fraught with grave coneequences to the Colony. There is an essential difference between tho resignation of a 'Ministry from the. failing health of the Premier and that' of a Ministry that has' lost, the confidence pf Parliament. Nothing haß occurred to show that the existing Ministry has riot the support of the country ; on the contrary, they have the prospect of meeting the House with a compact working majority, and, with the evidence of this before him, constitutional r.ule would require tho Governor to advise with the Ministerial 1 party alone. To consult with any representative of the Opposition' would havethe. ' effect ' of plaing all parties! in a false position, besides leading to probable complications nn- ' perilling the financial prospects of the Colony. "'. So weighty,' hideed, are the objections to such a course,, that it seems hardly credible that the Governor should co'inmit the mistake of even ■ coriteihplating'it."' ' ' • The'Tiftiaru Herald thus speaks of the proceedihgs'of' the Governor in sending for Sir ' George Grey:— "A" more unconstitutional,, ill-judged, ob unwarrantable proceeding could hardly be conceived,; and we are at a loss to understand how, any man, of ,common sense or right feeling could, haye. committed such » blunder. h The' simple fact is' that Sir Arthur Gordon has left entirely out of mind the public interests or his own dignity and self-respect', and has abandoned himself to the promptings, of private friendship for Sir George Grey,' and personal animus against Mb present 'Ministers; There appears to ub to 'be only ono contingency that can prevent ft most disastrous state of confusion ensuing from'the Governor's bonduct. . That is that' Sir George Grey, when he reaches Wellington, may himself i have thtf high-mindedness.to tell js*^ Governor honestly what his constitutional OTCy is, and to decline to have anything to do with an intrigue which can only end in disgrace to all concerned in it.' Whether that contingency is probable or not, we have no means of judging. We are bound to say, however, that looking to all Sir George Grey's antecedents, we cannot 'but regard him as -the most dangerous adviser Sir Arthur Gordon could have selected at a moment of the gravest responsi- ' bility/^ ' ; ?