The Daily Telegraph MONDAY, MARCH 14, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3031, 14 March 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph MONDAY, MARCH 14, 1881.

Mr. Walter Johnston's acceptance of the vacant portfolio iv the Ministry has not, excited much surprise. The Ministry had not many from wbom to eelect a colleague, anu the choice, other things being equal, waa almost bound to have fallen on a Wellington man. The New Zealand Herald says " Mr Johnston was fairly amongst the number who might be considered eligible, although be has never yet held office. Mr Johnston is not by any means an orator. He seldom speak?, and when he doe? bo speaks briefly and with hesUaiioa. But he has several not inconsiderable merits. He is always well acquainted with his subject, knowing it in every point of detail. He has evidently had a good mercantile training, and on several occasions he has taught our Colonial Treasurer a lesson in commercial and fiscal matters." Dr. Grace iv the Legislative Council, and Mr Johnaton in the House, were supposed to represent the views entertained by the Roman Catholics upon our educational system, and those views are certainly not in accord with those expressed by Ministers. The appointment, therefore, leads to the opinion that Mr Johnston and Ministers have had to meet each other half way. Mr Johnston is not the man to turn his coat for tbe sake of office, nor could it have been represented to him that it was essential to the stability of the Government that bshould join the Cabinet. The Wellington correspondent explains to an Auckland contemporary that Mr Johnston " has accepted office in the full knowledge of the fixed policy ot the Government relative to the education question," that " fixed policy " being that the Act was not to be disturbed. Mr Johnston assumes the office of Postmaster-General, and it may reasonably be anticipated that he will prove a good administrator, though he will not be a tower of strength to the Ministry in the way of debating. This gives Wellington a representative in the Ministry. Although Mr Johnston is a Wellington man, at the same time, says the Wellington Times, he is known to entertain broad and yet moderate views ; to be not over-influenced by local prejudices, and also to be a thorough man of business, and it is a thorough man of business to guide and direct affairs that the colony most needs just now. Mr Johnston is also progressive, is suspected of being extremely well up in finance, and he bring 3 new blood to the Ministry. In this respect the Ministry is remarkabl} constituted, four out of the seven members having held officebefore. Taking all the circumstances of the case into consideration we do not think a better or more judicious selection could have been made. We are quite satisfied that the appointment will, on the whole, prove acceptable to the colony, and also that Mr Johnston wiil demonstrate his entire fitness for the position which he holds of Postmaster-General. The Wanganui Herald (Mr Ballance's paper) which is bitterly opposed to the Government, pays that so far as the people are interested in the re-coustruction of a moribund Ministry, Mr Walter Johnston's acceptance of a portfolio will be received in this part of the colony with acquiescence. Mr Johnston is ac much entitled to a seat in the Ministry as twothirds of those at present in possession of portfolio?. That he is but a poor substitute for Mr Bryce in any respect will, we think, be generally admitted. But still we cannot but believe bis presence in the Ministry is more in accordance with the eternal fitness of things than was Mr Bryce's. It may be urged that Mr Johnston's accession is a sign of a change of policy in the matter of education. But we cannot so accept it. Mr Dick, the Bible champion, becomes Minister of Education, and the next change is the appointment of one at the opposite pole of educational polemics. The one may counteract the other. Mr Johnston wae a " rising man" some years ago, in fact he was at one time considered the most formidable critic of Vogelian science. At the present day he is only distinguished as the most rabed hater of Sir George Grey in the House of Representatives.