THE NEW MINISTRY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7993, 11 October 1887, Page 2

THE NEW MINISTRY.

The Ministry is remarkable in that five out of the seven members of it have nover boen in office before, the only two who have sat in the Cabinet being Major Atkinßon and Mr. Mitchelson. Tho latter gentleman was Public Works Minister in the last Atkinson Administration, but only fora comparatively short period. Neither Mr. Stevens, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Fergus, Mr. Richardson, nor Mr. Hislop, however, has ever been in office before.

Mr. T. W. Hislop, Minister for Justice, is member for Oamaru, and ia in his ninth session. He is only 37 years of age. Mr. Hialop came to this colony in 1856, when he was but six years old, and sinco'then has lived in Otago. He entered the urena of active politics in 1876, when ho was elected to represent Waitaki (a constituency which then included Oamuru). He continued to represent this diatrict in the House, having been re-elected in 1879, until 1880, when he resigned. On Mr. i3hriin9ki's elevation to the Legislative Council in 1885, Mr. Hislop successfully contested the Oamaru seat, and was re-elected at the recent general election. He is a lawyer by profession, and was for some years Crown Prosecutor at Oamaru. Mr. Hislop is a good speaker, very pointed in stylo, and an able debater generally speaking. Mr. T. Fergus, the Mines Minister, has now represented Wakatipu in two Parliaments. He is a well known contractor, having very successfully carried out several very important works. He was one of tho comractors for the New Plymouth waterworks. Ho is a good debater, rather florid in style, but effective all the same.

Mr. G. F. Richardson, who entered Parliament for the first time ia 1884 as member lor Mataura (.for which district ho was re-elected last month), has achieved a roamrkaole reputation as a Parliamentary tactician. Originally a Bhiaing light ia the Middle Party, o£ which so much was heard in the early dayH oO the lant Parliameat, tht Meinoor for Matauru, like Mr, Fishtr, Mr.- Hislop, and many uaother, very bopr enaed, ty going iatQ Qppo B i,

tion ; and beinp appointed whip for the parti, he displayed remarkable nptnees for Parliamentary warfare. Mr. Richardeon is n surveyor by profession, and was formerly in the service of the Otago Provincial Government. He is a son of Dr. Richardson, -well known in Otaero, nnd came to New Zpnlnrd in 1850 or 1851. Fr. G forge Fishrr in 1871 was employ* d os a cempopitor at the Government Printing Office in Wellington. Thence he went to tbe Independent^ the New Zealand Times, working first as n compositor nnd afterwards as a reporter, bavins taueht himself shorthand. Entering the City Counoil in 1877 he began a public enrepr of peculiar and quick success. In 1881 he was elected Mayor of Wellington, and be was re-elected to tbat office three times, and retired in 1885 after having held it for four years. In the meantime he had been appointed member of the Hansard staff, which position he retained until the dissolution in 1884. He resigned it then in order that he mieht contest South Wellington with Mr. Willinm Hutchison. Thishe did nucceßßfull3-, and went in in 1884 with the Parliament of which so much has been \ said in praiße. He very soon made, bis mark there as an able debater nnd a comin? man; and hia speech on the financial position la^t session is, admitted to be one of the best among the mnny good ones made in the no-confidence debate.