The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1882. THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 601, 18 April 1882, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1882. THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Thk position of parties in New Zealand at the present time is most extraordinary. A successful Government, who claim that their administration has been most beneficial to the Colony, who had a working majority at the conclusion of Inst session, and whose position many thought had been improved by the la;e election, has to resign through the ill— ness of the Premier. Mr Hall's phy sician insisted on his having a rest from the toils of office, and, according to Parliamentary procedure, the other Ministers had to resign

When the Governor received their resignation, he might have taken the advice of the retiring Ministers, who, we suppose, would have said that His Excellency had better appoint Mijor Atkinson, or some other member of the Government, Premier, as they still claimed the confidence of tho country, and only res'gned through the illness, of their chief. No such chance, however, was given them. As is well known, Sir iVrthur Gordon has not been on good terms with his Ministers, particularly regarding Native matters, and he has a great reverence for Sir George Grey. He has looked up to the great Pro-consul as a model Governor, and particularly admired his management of the Maories. Both, have strong sympathies, Sir Arthur appearing to have liked and been admirably suited for Governor of a Colony like the Fijis, where the population almost entirely consists of the native tribes ; and Sir George Grey's affection for the Maories, and their love for him, is well known.

No doubt., therefore, Sir Arthur has, from his first landing here, been in the habit of seeking counsel from !Sir George ; an 1 when this difficulty arose, what could be more natural than that he should send for his friend and ask his opinion. There was nothing strange in this, the Governor being allowed by the Constitution to confer with any member of the House under such circumstances ; the strange thing is that, instead of Sir George receiving JSir Arthur's message as a mere request to come and give his advice, he has regarded ifc as an invitation to try and form a Ministry. It is said he will take his stand on the ground that he was sent for to advise, and that his advice will be to ask him (Sir George) to form a Ministry. This seems to us queer argument, for it does not at all follow that because advice is asked it should be followed, and Sir George has certainly placed the Governor in an awkward position. It is certainly an .-anomaly in constitutional government (that a man who, it is agreed by both parties, had hardly half a dozen followers at the close of the last Parliament, should be asked to take the Premiership, that is, to tako the position of representing the opinions of the majority of the people of New Zealand. In a crisis like the present, the member entrusted with the formation of a Government is supposed to be in a position to justify the Governor's action by either having a majority in the House, or, at any rate, in the country. That Sir George Grey has either we cannot believe. Gradually, his fantastic vagaries have so overpowered his undoubted abihty as to leave . him almost alone. He is the buguear of his party, more dreaded by them than their ablest opponent, for he will lead, and they cannot trust him.

The most probable result of his taking office would;be that he would bedefeate I in the House at the commencement of the session, and that he would then suggest an appeal to the country. J3ut it is a great question whether lion, members would grant the necessary supplies for such a purpose. They might say, and with justice, " The country has just been put to the expense of a general election, aud we ourselves, in a great many casea, have had to contest our seats, in which we are now comfortably settled for three years, -.and why should we put the country to an. enormous expense, and ourseives to a great deal of trouble, because the 'Governor has made a mistake? "

The return of Sir George to power will have a great effect upon the iritanmore, Wnkanui, find other elections, which will take place imniedi itely the House meets. It has been a hard job during the past .elesiioiQS to find differ-

ences of a very decided character, and personal predilection has in most cases carried the day. Now, however, the old war cries of " Grey" .and " No Grey " will be heard on every side, and the battle will be fought out to the bitter end on that platform alone. There is an idea afloat that Sir George might be able to hold office till Sir Julius Vo el arrived in the Colony and assumed the lead, but this is only one of the thousand rumours that have become current since Mr Hall's resignation.

uf one thing we are sure, and that is, that the greater portion of the colonists arc amazed and disappointed at the Governor's action. It was no want-of-confidence motion, no change of public opinion, that made the Ministry resign, but simply the illness of a colleague ; and such being the case. Major Atkinson might surely have been sent for, and business carried on till Parliament met, wliea the new Honse could express their opinion of the reconstructed Ministry. From Otago and Wellington we hear of public opinion running, as in Canterbury, strongly against Sir George being Premier, and there seems to be no enthusiasm in his own stronghold ot Auckland, at his possibly aga n taking the reins. The only persons who, as far as we know, appear to earnestly desire the return to power of Sir George Grey are the Governor and the King. Natives, whose exclamation of " Kapai Grey " means that they see in the distance a return to that beloved flour and sugar policy, and the downfall of Mr Bryce and his reasonable coercion.

Sir George Grey has since telegraphed to the Lyttclton Times, denying that he has corresponded with other members regarding the formation of a Government. He may say what he likes, but the impression will still remain that he will endeavour to construct a Ministry if he has the least chance.