The Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1876.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2632, 31 August 1876, Page 2

The Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1876.

The success or otherwise of Major Atkinson in forming a Ministry will be announced to the House to-night, and, if we may judge by to-day's telegrams, ifc is not probable that he will be able to make an announcement of a character very encouraging to thoso who desire tho tattered remains of the late Ministry, wifch ono or two additions, to remain in office. Ifc is clear enough thafc the late Cabinet, and indeed the Government party, so far as ifc was consolidated, wero the Cabinet and party of Sir Julius Yogel, pledged indeed to follow him to Abolition or anywhere else, but not bound to Abolition or any othor extreme measure unless he should lead them there. Nor will the party feel themselves bound fco respecfc a lender whom Sir Julius has been pleased to nominate aa his successor without; reference to the views of his former adherents. Ifc is true that lasfc year Major Atkinson officiated as the locum tenens of the absent Treasurer, and, considering his inexperience of finance, he discharged his task in a manner which deserved and elicited warm praise. At that time, however, the crisis which now threatens fche Colony had nofc been reached ; borrowed money was still coming in, and the task which the Treasurer had fco fulfil was mainly to give an intelligible aooount of the

Colony's finances. But now there is need— ond urgent need— not only of this, bufc of very great ability in thoroughly re-organising tbe finance with reference both to the constitutional re-organisation going forward, and also (which is more important) with reference to the fact that the Colony's borrowing powers are for the time being practically exhausted. This being so, we do not see that Major Atkinson has any claim to be regarded as leader of the party which hitherto supported the late Premier. He is a fluent speaker ; he has unbounded selfconfidence; he was formerly Defence Minister in the Weld Cabinet; he delivered lasfc year's financial statement; these are his only known recommendations, and it must be confessed that they are miserably insufficient for the head of a Government and a Colonial Treasurer who is to hold office during the most critical period which the Colony has seen. Even if be should succeed in forming a Ministry, we cannot think that the House will acquiesce in any arrangement which leaves him in the position of Premier, while its veterans-— men of acknowledged and tried ability, remain out in the cold. What will be the upshot of the present complications it is impossible to conjecture, until it is seen what direction the re-construction of parties will take. If, as seems to be indicated by a number of circumstances, the retirement of Sir Julius should bring about a violent revulsion of feeling from that whole cast of policy which may be termed " Vogelianism," then none of the present Ministers will remain in power except upon the con* dition that thoy follow the example of Cronos and swallow quite a number of the little Bills of which they have lately been bo prolific. But merely to fit a new head to the decapitated trunk of the late Cabinet, or to exalt one of its limbs to the position of head, is, we believe, an impossible surgical operation.