The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1889. MINISTERIAL CHANGES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2252, 14 October 1889, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1889. MINISTERIAL CHANGES.

Mr Hislop, m accordance with general expectation, having again ac coptod office, and Captain Russell having also decided to take tho offered seat m the Cabinet, a redistribution of portfolios is tho natural result. Mr Bislop is once more to take that of Education, but tho member for Hawkes Bay becomes Colonial Secretary, also taking one of tho two portfolios (Justice and Defence) hitherto held by Mr Fergus. There Bhould now bo no more complaining of " overwrought brains," and with the greatly curtailed proportions of tho , Public Works and Native Departments, ; the Ministry is amply strong enough to stenre the despatch of public business with reasonable care and promptitude. Letus hope that this will be the case. One thing is certain, nmmely, that m the member for Hawkes Bay, the Premier has secured a capable and generally popular colleague, and altogether it must be admitted that tho changes made m the redistribution of portfolios are for tha better. And here a few particulars as to the career of the new Minister may not be ont of place, for which we are indebted to the racily written notico of Mr H. B. Bridge m "Parliamentary Portraits : — " Vv illiam Russell Russell conferred a favor upon this commonplace world by being born on tho 12th November, 1838, at Sandhurst, Berkshire, England. The military surround- : ings had their duo effect upon his childish imagination, and as a consequence ho was educated at tho Royal Military College, Sandhurst, whence he got his commission into the 58th Regiment. He joined that corps at Weymouth, England, but shortly after came out to the main body of the regiment which wap m New Zealand. On the removal Home of the 58th he exchanged with the rank of Captain into tho 14th Regiment with the intention, which he ultimately carried out, of settling m tho colony. At the conclusion of tho first Taranaki war, William Russell sold out of H.M.s service, and took up land m Hawko's Bay, where he has ever since resided, and where he commanded a company of militia until tho end of the Te Kooti scare. In 1868 he was elected to tho Provincial Council, and retained that position until the abolition of the provinces. In 1875 ho w«b elected for Napier and surrounding districts as a member of the House of Representatives, and eat for that constituency until 1881, when he was defeated by Mr Button. In 1884 the tables were turned, and William Russell was elected over Mr Button for the Hawke'a Bay County, which electorate he still represents. Politically he enjoys tho roputation of being an excellent and able speaker, anJ a politician whose integrity is beyond suspicion. Socially, ho is greatly liked for his unfailing courtesy, gentlemanly bearing, and genial disposition. In tho House ho is chiefly notorious as tho mover of the £500,000 reduction m tho Public Works Kstimatoß for 1885, but ho has done public service as chairman of tho East and West Coast Railway Commission m 1882, m conjunction with Messrs J. G. Wilson and Napier BellO.E, Locally, William Russell is known as foremost m all good and useful works, and as as active membor of tho Education Board, Road Board, Land Board, County Council, etc. Ho is President, and on the Managing Committee of the Ha fyke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society, and is also President of tho local Jockey Club. Fond of sport himself, he has bred a few thoroughbreds, and is known as the straightest rnnner on tho New Zealand turf."