The Timaru Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1890.

Timaru Herald, Volume L, Issue 4867, 12 June 1890, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1890.

The Wellington correspondent of tho Otago Daibj Times mentions a rumour (it ia really nothing more) that Sir Harry Atkinson will uot lie able to continue lending tbe House after he has delivered the Financial Statement, bnt that ho will retain the Premiership and tlnit Mr Mitcbelson will net as louder. This rnniour tbe correspondent believes to be incorrect-, and pnts m its place a story half of which, ns far a9 appearances go, ia quite as little worthy of credit. According to him tha Premier is to resign after the delivery of the Financial Statement, and ia to advise the Governor to send for Mr Mitchelson. Mr Mitchelson will undertake the task of reconstructing the Ministry, and will be the new Premier. All that being comfortably settled^ Sir Harry Atkinson is to take a few months' rest, and then he nppointed Agent-Genernl. The last item has an air of probability abont it. That the Premier's health bus completely broken down is no longer a matter of doubt. Unless some surprising and rapid change /or the better takes place it will be imPQrajHve on him either to resign jmj^jtp retire from tbo active leadersjjnj) of his party and become a mere ornamental figurehead. It would be entirely contrary to his nature to assume the latter position. As long as he remains m office ho must work, and be the moving spirit of the Ministerial machine. Tlio alternative is his resignation, which may be looked for at any moment after the delivery of the Financial Statement. We may be reminded that only v few weeks ago we expressed a very different opinion, bilsed on information received from Wellington. , But circumstances have altered since that time. The Premier then certainly entertained a strong hope of being able not merely to meet Parliament and deliver the Financial Statement, but to lend the hou.Be throughout the sission. His health has grown worse, and a change of plan has become necessary. Assuming that he resigns, tho important question ia : Who is to succeed him ? Striotly Bpeaking, the new arrangement consequent on the resignation would be something more than a reconstruction. With the retirement of the Premier the existence of tho Ministry would terminate. However, the Governor would m oil probability accept tho advices of the outgoing chief, and send for the porsoii recouiniendud by him. Wo. cannot bring onrfielves to believe that Sir Harry Atkinson would nntno Mr Mitchelson. We havo a great regard for that gentleman, and fully recognise his merits as a public man, but it certainly has nover occurred to us that Mr Mitchelson ia qualified for the post of Premier and leader of the House of Representatives. He is a good departmental Minister, but has given no indications of fitness for yet higher nnd more difficult duties. He has been for some years m the House, nnd is now m his second term of office, but though his career as a public man hns been useful, has it been such as to induce any section of tho people to regard him as a possible chief of a Ministry, tho propouridL'r "of a 1 policy, the leader' of the House tlf Bepresoutativcß P The answer tnnst bo a decided negative. As for loading the House, 0110 of tho qualificiv tions.for that difficult task is readiness of spceoh, and m that respect Mr Mitchelson is entirely deficient. He is not a debater, and it is 11 labour for him to put v few intelligible. Bonteiiccs together. "We aru strongry iriclinetl to believe that a Ministry with Mr Mitchelouu ub ilu

head, and Messrs Fergus and Hialop amongst its members, would be a vei-y Bbort-lived affair. If the party now m power is to hold its own at all when Sir Harry Atkinson shall have retired, it can be oDly by placing some capable and judicious person at the head of the Ministry. Sir Harry Atkinson has been unnble to keep some of his colleagues m order and to ward off the effects of their numerous blunders and political crimes. There would be nothing but hideous confusion on his retirement, unless his place were to be worthily snpplied from outside the present Ministerial ranks. On tbiß subject the Wanganui Chronicle says : — " Already members m their speeches to their constituents are speculating upon Sir Harry Atkinson's probable bug ctisaor, For a time the names of Enjoin Hall and Mr Bryce wero bandied about, and only the other night. Mr Macnrthur, at Asbnrst, declared that as between the two he would enroll himself under Mr Bryce's banner. But it. appears that m Wellington the names of the two most prominent men of the party have been dropped for the present and that the probability of a reconstruction of the present Cab met, with one of its own members as chief is being discussed. The idea might as well be dismissed at once. The present Ministry conld not stand without Sir Harry Atkinson— unless liis place were filled by Mr Bryce or Sir John Hall. Indeed, we doubt very much whether the party would rally under the latter gentleman. And we are not at all sure that Mr Bryce would accept the Premiership unless he were given a free hnnd to bo alter the composition of the Cabinet and redistribute the portfolios that its own friends would hardly know it. If Biieh a great misfortune as Sir Harry Atkinson's retirement from the Premiership must be faced, then the stability of any reconstructed Government will depend equally upon its composition and upon the resoluteness with wbich it may give promise of grasping and dealing with tbe special needs of the colony at the present time."