The Governor and his Ministers.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6484, 29 September 1892, Page 2

The Governor and his Ministers.

* Wellington, last night. Telegrams have been published lately in various papers purporting to give the result of an interview with the Governor respecting the Legislative Council dispute. His Excellency's private secretary has caused a statement to be published to the effect that the Governor has never accorded an interview to any newspaper correspondent whatever since his arrival in the colony. Wellington, to-day. A letter appears in the Times, signed by the correspondents of the Otago Daily Times, Christchurch Press, and New Zealand Herald, in reference to the Governor's denial that he had been interviewed. They state on applying for an interview the Governor told them, through his private Secretary, he could not see them personally, but had authorised the Secretary to give any information which might properly be made public. They submitted certain questions which were referred to the Governor in an adjoining room, and his replies were telegraphed. The following is the telegram referred to : The cable message from the Secretary of Btate to his Excellency Lord Glasgow advising him to accept the advice of Ministers in regard to the Legislative Council appointments, was the theme of general conversation in the lobbies to-day. Various reports were current as to the exact terms of the cablegram. One of these reports was that it consisted of the words " Accept Minister's advice unreservedly. 1 ' On that assumption general comment took the shape of grave apprehension for the stability of the existing constitutional relations between the two Houses of the Legislature, inasmuch as the Ministry, it was claimed, might at any time swamp the Upper House with their nominees, and carry without appeal to the country any measures which had the temporary support of the Lower House. In order to set doubts at rest, I sought an interview with his Excellency the Governor this evening. Lord Glasgow courteously expressed his willingness to give any information that could with propriety be made public. He stated that the cablegram, which had arrived from Lord Ripon late last night, and the substance of which had been communicated to Ministers this morning, was a confidential one between the Secretary of State and his Excellency. He therefore did not think that he would be justified in showing the message or in publishing its exact words. He assured me, however, that such portion of it as he did not communicate contained nothing of any public interest at all. The gist of the message was that his Excellency was advised to accept the advice of his Ministers in the particular case submitted. I explained to Lord Glasgow that rumor had placed three different constructions on the message — first, that it embodied entirely fresh instructions to the Governor ; second, that it was a fresh interpretation of existing instructions ; and third, that it was simply in the nature of advice. Which of these views, I asked, was the correct one ? His Excellency replied that the communication was entirely in the form of advice, and that in regard to the specific circumstances in the case the Secretary of State had advised him to act upon the advice of his Ministers. I then asked whether this advice was limited strictly to the present case in point, or whether he had been advised to accept unreservedly the advice of his Ministers ? If so, would not that involve his acceding in future -to any application his Ministers might make? The reply was that the telegram did not contain the word "unreservedly." "The advice/ said his Excellenc}', " relates entirely to the specific case referred to by Lord Ripon, and does not necessarily guide any future action of the Governor, who is left entirely free to deal with each case as it may arise. : ' I quoted the hypothetical case of any future Government requiring an excessive number of Councillors tobeappointed, and asked whether the Governor would regard the terms of Lord Ripon's messago as directing him to accede to such a demand ? Lord Glasgow's reply was emphatically in the negative The message was simply advice aa to the specific case submitted to the Secretary of State. Of course the cablegram is necessarily brief and concise, and it is in the despatches which will probably be received from Lord Ripon in five or six weeks that the constitutional bearings of the question will be discussed and explained. In reply to a question whether it would be correct to represent his Excellency as a party with the Government in the reference to the Secretary of State, Lord Glasgow said that strictly speaking the reference was made by his Ministers, who had expressed a wish that the case should be submitted to Lord Ripon.' He had consented to the reference Home, and had sent the memoranda with a despatch written by himself. To that extent he was a party to it. I mentioned a rumor which had prevailed that it was possible that his Excellency would accept such a decision of the Marquis of Ripou, advising him to accept the recommendations of his Ministry, as an expression of disapproval or want of confidence, and would deem it due to himself consequently to resign. The reply was that there was not the slightest foundation for such a report. On the contrary, Lord Glasgow accepted the message merely as advice, and was glad to have it, as relieving him of a certain degree of responsibility, which had now been accepted by the Home authorities.

A special committee meeting of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society will be held iv the Masonic Hotel at 3 p.m.* to-morrow. A private meeting of gentlemen in Napier interested in the subject of cremation was held on Monday afternoon in Mv C. K. Hoadley's office,