ANOTHER PAGE OF UNWRITTEN NEW ZEALAND HISTORY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2056, 20 July 1893, Page 17

ANOTHER PAGE OF UNWRITTEN NEW ZEALAND HISTORY.

(Fbom Odb Special Cobbespondeot.) 30 and 31 Fleet stbeet, London, June 2.

Most people will probably be surprised to learn that the present Minister for Education (Mr W. P. Reeves) was very near being offered a seat in the last Atkinson Ministry, and that the advisableness'of this step was very carefully considered by the late Sir Harry Atkinson, who for party reasons came very reluctantly to a decision in the negative. I don't suppose anybody in New Zealand has the least idea that such a course was ever even dreamt of. Yet such undoubtedly is the fact. My informant is no less a person than Sir William Jervois, who was Governor of New Zealand at the time, and who himself suggested to Sir Harry Atkinson that Mr Reeves should be offered a seat in the Ministry. How it came about was in this way: Sir William Jervois had formed a very high opinion of the ability and debating power of the young Christchurch member, and thought his inclusion- would tend to strengthen the new Government. He felt very strongly the importance of having a powerful and stable Administration at the juncture when the finances and credit of the colony had fallen to a low ebb and needed vigorously rehabilitating. Acting, therefore, on what he deemed his duty in the interests of the Queen's Government, Sir William Jervois sent for Sir Harry Atkinson and advised him to offer a portfolio to Mr Reeves for the reason that his cleverness and debating skill would render him a useful acquisition to the Government. There was nothing at that time in the position of politics or party which would have made it an act of apostasy for Mr Reeves to have accepted such an offer. Sir Robert Stout, the leader of his side, had disappeared from political life through bis defeat for Dunedin, and for a time there was no regular party or leader, while Sir Harry Atkinson was. supposed to be acting in the interests of all sides in forming a Ministry at that juncture. Sir William tells me that Sir Harry seemed struck with the suggestion, and much disposed' to adopt it, He promised to consider it carefully and let the Governor know his decision next day. It is understood that he consulted certain members of his own party in the interim, and that they earnestly dissuaded him, and that in spite of his own predilection for the stop suggested he did not feel at liberty to disregard the objections of his friends—objections likely to be entertained also by others who had hitherto worked with him.

At all events Sir Harry Atkinson called on the Governor next day and explained that after due consideration he found that he could not see his way to offer a portfolio to Mr Reeves, although he allowed it to be clearly seen that he himself was decidedly favourable to that course, and so the offer wa.s not mad.c. This, ? think you, will admit, is an item of New 2i.ea.land, p.olitica.l history which has not hitherto seen the light. I mention it now with the full permission of my Informant— Sir William Jervois. I fancy it will be read with interest. I fanoy also it will be read with some surprise by Mr W. P. Reeves himself.