The Southern Cross. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. Invercargill, Saturday, May 6.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 6, 6 May 1893, Page 8

The Southern Cross. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. Invercargill, Saturday, May 6.

The man who invented telegraphy has much to answer for. Thanks to him, the hying - rumours of the moment, for which the gentlemen who perform the functions of “own” and “ special ” correspondents are ever on the alerf, are daily flashed from centre to centre of population, and served up piping hot to newspaper readers, which in these days means everybody. In very many cases these teleg-raphic budgets do no more than give people something to talk about, but there are occasions when the frequency with which statements by wire are made, contradicted, reiterated, and again denied is at once exasperating and bewildering. When the state of things described by the words “ The Political situation” arises, the heart

of the newspaper correspondent at 3 headquarters is gladdened—he knows that the • public, with eager ear, is at 3 his mercy, and he revels in his oppor--7 tunities. The crisis that naturally followed the death of the head of ' the 5 .Liberal Party in New Zealand, the 3 chief who was buried last Sunday amid deep and widespread expressions ; of sorrow, has . given birth to the ’ customary crop of reports, rumours, explanations and denials. For a time , everything centred round Sir Robert L Stout. He, it Avas asserted, had been 1 asked to take the Premiership,, AA r as willing to accept the position, and would stand for the Inangahua seat, vacant by the enforced insolvency of Mr R. J. Reeves. It AA r as apparently taken for granted that Mr Richard Seddon, who ranked next to the late Mr Ballance in the Cabinet, would make way for the ex-Premier. The wish may have been father to the thought, but at all events the Hon, Richard has quietly upset all the political castle-building under notice, and proved that he is, if not a man of “blood and iron,” at all events one Avith a mind of his OAvn. On being* sent for by His Excellency the Governor, Avho had previously received the resignation of the Ministry, Mr Seddon promptly undertook to form another, and a Gazette issued on the Ist May contained the names of the gentlemen selected, Avhen it Avas learned that they consisted solely of members of the late Cabinet, viz.:— Hon. R. J. Seddon, Premier, Minister of Public Works, Minister of Mines, and Minister of Defence. Hon. Sir P. A. Buckley, K.C.M.G., Attorney-General, Colonial Secretary, and Minister of Marine. Hon. W. P. Reeves, Minister of Education, Commissioner of Stamp Duties, and Minister of Labour. Hon. J. McKenzie, Minister of Lands and Immigration, Minister of Agriculture, and Commissioner of Forests. Hon. J. G. Ward, Colonial Treasurer, Postmaster - General, Electric Telegraph Commissioner and Commissioner of Customs. Hon. A, J. C adman, Minister of Justice. Hon. J. Carroll (without portfolio) representing the natiwe race. The publication of the foregoing’ list w-as a regular “ facer ” for the quid mines, and some of them were hard pressed to explain how they came to be so Avide of the mark in their forecasts. One of the fraternity declared that Sir Robert Stout had no deshe to re-enter the political arena, and had neA'er stated his Avillingness to represent the Inan- " gahua electors. These things matter little, however, in the face of what has happened—the prospects of the old-neAV Ministry are of greater interest. The portfolio of Colonial Ti’easurer has fallen to the Hon. J. G. Ward, who has thus taken a step forward in his political career. It is the first time in the history of the colony that a Southland representative has attained such a high place in a Ministry. How he aaull acquit himself remains to be seen, but his selection for that particular post was almost forced upon Mr Seddon, from the fact that Mr Ward is the only member of the present Ministerial team Avho has shown any special aptitude for finance. Mr Seddon still retains the position of Minister of Public Works, but it is understood that this is to be offered to Mr T. Thomson, one of the Auckland members. Colour is given to this report by the fact that the electors in that part of the colony are beginning to think that Wellington, Canteihury, and Otago are OA’er-represented in the Cabinet. Finally, it appears that Mr Seddon has agreed to carry on the administration on the lines laid doAvn by his late chief until the opening of the session, Avhen the Liberal party Avill be invited to express an opinion on the arrangement made. Meanwhile the pros and cons Avill be carefully weighed on both sides, but none, we think, Avill be disposed to question the wisdom of the step taken by the new Premier so far as the Ministry is concerned. It is, indeed,. ‘

a splendid move from a strategetical point of view, fnrnisliing’ as it does, the best possible answer that could be given to the insinuation so frequently levelled at the late-Government that they were under the tutelage of Sir Robert Stout. Mr Seddon says in effect —“ Disabled though we have been, we are able to ‘ go alone,* and mean to do it.”