The Daily Telegraph THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3004, 10 February 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1881.

The question of filling up the vacant seat ia the Cabioet caused by the resignation of Mr Bryce appears to be creating no little interest in political circles. A week or two back there was a rumor to the effect that the portfolio was about to be offered either to Mr Ormond or to Captain Russell. We believe that overtures were made to the first named gentleman, but in the present condition of the finances of the colony the offer did not attract him from private life. Nor are Mr Ormond's •views, we venture to think, altogether in accord with those of Ministers. He is too thoroagh-paced—as Mr Bryce has also shown himself to be—for the present Ministry. The member for Olive sees a difficulty, and a grave one, in the financial position of affairs that demands strong and vigorous measures to overcome. In his speech of last session he indicated the course the Government should adopt, and the policy he advocaced as the right one to pursue was, in reality, the reverse of that which Ministers had marked out for themselves. In spite of their own opinions, the Government were forced, in a great measure, to follow the line pointed out by Mr Ormond, but it was sorely against their will. Retrenchment was made to do, in fact, what Major Atkinson would have preferred to have made to appear to be by the jugglery of figures. But neither retrenchment nor the liberality of the land policy of Ministers has gone far enough to please a man of Mr Ormond's stamp. The monetary difficulty has not been made to disappear; it has only been very temporarily tided over, if it has been even tided over. To rub along till another loan can be raised is not the policy of Mr Ormond, and not caring for office for its own sake* be was not in the least likely to pull an even trace with such colleagues as he would find in the existing Cabinet. Captain Russell is of different quality as a politician, and would see no difficulty of insuperable proportions where Mr Ormond would find it impossible to go on. The one places no little faith in the buoyancy of the colony to out-live its financial troubles, and would leave to posterity what the other would regard as the bounden duty of the present generation to perform. Mr Ormond has no notion of " financing" operations when it is possible to pay cash for them, and he would refuse to proceed till he caw his way clearly to get the colony out of debt, and to keep it within its revenue. Captain Ruesell, on the other hand, unless it came within bis department, would not trouble much about money. He might, and probably would aim at economy of administration, but, if we judge him rightly, he would prefer the development of the natural wealth of the colony to retrenchment, and a progressive policy to one which would be limited by considerations of debt. Captain Bussell is then more suited by temperament to act in harmony with the present Ministry, and that he would make an enthusiastic and capable Minister of Education few can doubt In the selection of a colleague to fill the vacant seat the Government have not a large choice. The Evening Post thus sums up the available men:—"Sir W. Fox already has his work cut out in the Native Commission. Messrs. Ballance and Hutchison are ultra-Oppositionists. Tbis, however, leaves Messrs Beetham, Brandon, Bunny, Walter Johnston, Levin, and Mason available, and it would only be a matter of justice to this (Wellington) district for the new Minister to be selected from among this number. There is a " balance power " to be maintained ia communities as well as among nations, aud as the South Island already enjoys the possession of four out of the seven seats in the Cabinet, it would be both unfair and injudicious to allot another Minister to that island. In this island Auckland and Tarauaki possess

each "a share ia the Government, and ) certainly either Wellington or Hawke's Bay ought to have the remaining seat, preferably Wellington, in sight of her hryer and her more important interests. From all points of view, therefore, some Wellington member seems to be indicated as the most eligible to fill the present Ministerial vacancy, and the justice of our claim to be represented in the Government ought not to be overlooked when the question of appointing a successor to Mr Bryce comes up for consideration in Cabinet. But, whether our fair claims are entertained or disregarded, it will renaain equally certain that the appointment of another Minister from the raoka of Canterbury, Otago, or Taranaki would be a blunder absolutely suicidal."