POLITICAL NEWS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 8986, 20 January 1891, Page 2

POLITICAL NEWS.

A MINISTERIAL CRISIS EXPECTED. PREMIER RETURNED FROM SOUTH. When Sir Harry Atkinson returned on Sunday from the South, says the N. Z. Times, he -was greeted with a rumour, dealing rather freely with the position. According to this authority Sir Harry was to resign on Tuesday, taking, the Government, of course, with him. The next step was to - ba the reconstruction of the Government under Mr Rolleston as Premier ; the first act of the new Government bsing the appointment of Sir Harry Atkinson to the Speakership of the Legislative Council. In the next place the new Government was to meet the Opposition boldly, fight the question of supremacy with judgment, declare a policy, and trust to that policy, with Mr Rolleston'a "prestige" to carry them through the session in triumph. HALL AND ROLLESTON IN WELLINGTON. Sir John Hall and Mr Rolleston having arrived with the Premier in the Penguin, the rumour was fed with additional fuel When the Cabinet met in the evening at Sir Harry Atkinson's house, there were a few people who knew of the meeting, and they were greatly exercised about the turn of events. There were wiseacres who went so far ns to say that the Premier had resigned, that Mr Rolleston had been actually sworn in by the Governor as his successor, and that the whole programme would burst upon an astonished world in the morning. But all this has proved a bubble. The Cabinet we are in a position to say came to no decision on Sunday night, except that the Government, whatever it may do, will not resign on Tuesday. What they will do before the House meets is not yet, as far as wo can ascertain, known to themselves. The probability, we believe, is that they will meet the House in some shape, whether under Sir Harry or another remains to. be seen, and after meeting the House that they will resign, advising the Governor to sond for Mr Ballance as leader of the Opposition. THE SPEAKERSHIP. . Mr Rolleston's presence in Wellington brings to the front the question of the Speakership. of the Lower House. Efforts have, it is an open secret, been made to secure a majority to support Major Steward's nomination. But they have not been successful — a great many of that side of the House preferring Mr Rolleston. Several Oppositionists, indeed, hold the opinion that Mr Rolleston's is the best appointment that can be made. He himself is loyal to his own Party, and therefore ready to leave himself entirely in the hands of the Party. . If they prefer that he should be nominated for the Speakership he will defer to their decision ; if they would like him to lead he will lead. The weight of his Party is in favour of giving him the Speakership ;for the simple reason that they feel that there is not in the House another with anything approaching to his qualifications. He may not bo as conversant with the rules and precedents as a Speaker ought to be at present. But everybody knows that his habits of application and his judicial power of mind are guarantees that in a short- time -he will be as equal to the duties as anyone who haa filled the chair. On the other hand it is felt that Mr Rolleston's advancement to the Speakership would be a distinct loss to his party — a clear loss in the House, and in committee very much the same thing, for Mr Speaker is seldom seen, in our history, for obvious reasons, in committee when" party spirit runs high. It is _ acknowledged, too, that with his advocacy of the education system, and with his knowledge of the land laws', and his Liberal'views — he is the father of the perpetual lease system, which now is the favourite tenure — Mr Rolleston, at the 1 head of a Government, might command a very great deal, more support than might be thought just now possible by the unreflecting. Still the nomination of Mr Rolleston to the Speakership is, we believe, the probable choice of his party, with the consent of the present Opposition. If appointed, his first session will probably be not by any means brief. Mr Ballance, after he is sent for, will have to show the House that he deserves its confidence. He will require time to prepare a policy. He will get' a reasonable time , after that time has elapsed the policy will . have to be judged ; and in the judging of it there will be, perhaps, as fine an opportunity for a prolonged political struggle as New Zealand has ever seen.