The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1887. CABINET MAKING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1679, 5 October 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1887. CABINET MAKING.

There can be no doubt lhat Major Atkinson will experience very great difficulty m forming a Ministry from his own parly m the House, and he has expressly stated that he will not submit to a coalition Government on any consideration. He has summoned to his aid Sir F. Whitakerand by the time Parliament meets the two old colleagues will have discussed the situation from every point of view. The Major having declared that m the depressed state of the colony five should be the number of Ministers composing any future Cabinet during the continuation of the depression lightens his task m a slight degree. There can be no question we imagine that Sir John Hall will be the first whose co-operation he will 6eek. That the Hon J. Mitchelson will be offered his old portfolio of commissioner of Public Works and Railways is almost a certainty, and it will ! never do to leave Mr Scobie McKenzie out if only his radical views on the subject of Retrenchment be not considered, by Major Atkinson, as a bar to his holding office. We do not anticipate this, however, for no one knows better, and lhat from personal experience too, than Major Atkinson what a wonderfully •' tempering " effect the sweets of office have upon the views enunciated before those sweets have been tasted. We shall therefore expect to see Mr Scobie McKenzie duly sworn m as one of the five to which the Major has committed himself. So far we have accounted for four out of the five vacancies, and the matter seems simple and easy enough. But who is to be selected for the fifth ? Here is where the difficulty comes m. There are at the present time pretty well on to a score of eager expectants. About half the House is composed of new members, the great majority of whom have sought election owing to their being thoroughly convinced that at such a critical juncture as the present, the country will require their services m the administration of its affairs. But what about the old members who for years have given loyal service among the rank and file? Not one of them to be promoted ? Are Messrs Pyke, Barron, G. F. Richardson, Fisher, Fulton, Fergus, Newman, Beetham, Moat, Pearson, Hislop and Peacock to be passed by, and one of the " new hands " to be promoted over their heads? These are questions which the Major will have some difficulty m solving satisfactorily, for many of the disappointed ones will immediately go over to the Opposition. We admit, and to a certain extent, admire Major Atkinson's astuteness and cleverness, but still we think that he will find this Cabinet-making job a harder nut to crach than he can manage with his present aoDliances.