The Daily Telegraph. FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1884.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4089, 29 August 1884, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1884.

The aspect of affairs political is so constantly changing that it is impossible to foretell what may happen within twentyfour hours. At this moment of writing tho prospects of Major Atkinson's Ministry aro by no means bright. By the time that these words arc before our readers . the Ministerial position may have improved. As we write our latest iinformation is that the Government aro already condemned ; that the Grey party will neither accept office nor support Major Atkinson, and that the Ministry are not likely to. last more than a fortnight. The acceptance! of a portfolio by Mr Wakefield was considered a source:of weakness, and the refusal by Mr Tole to take office betokened the hostility of the Grey following. Attention was then: turned to Mr Thompson of; Auckland North, but, it would seem from the construction of the Cabinet, without success. Later on in the evening we learned that Captain Russell had accepted office as Postmaster-General, and Mr Richmond Hursthouse, member for Mdtiieka, had joined as Minister for Lands

and Immigration. Up to that moment the I Cabinet consisted of Major Atkinson, Captain Russell, and Messrs'Mitchelson, Wakefield, Hursthouse, and the Hon. G. McLean in the Upper House. A consultation had been held between Mr Thomson, of Clutha, and several Otago members with Major Atkinson with a view to obtain for one of them a seat in the Cabinet. It was thought that the choice would fall on either Mr Fergus or Mr Fulton. It was understood that one of the conditions of a largo measure of support to the Ministry was that Major Atkinson was to select new men for his colleagues. With the exception of Mr Mitchelson the the Premier has fulfilled that condition, if indeed it were ever imposed. Mr Mitchelson has had such a short experience as a Minister that he may be considered a new man. In the Cabinet the Premier and the Hon. George McLean are the only two who have had any administrative experience. The latter gentleman held office in Sir Julius Vogel's Ministry in 1876 and in the succeeding Administration of Major Atkinson till 1877 as Postmaster-General. Of the rest of the Cabinet we can only say that they are quite untried men ; but as every statesman must have had a beginning at some time or another, so the new Ministers may yet prove themselves worthy of their selection. We know this much at least of them, that Captoin Russell is a highminded conscientious gentleman; that Mr Wakefield is a brilliant orator; that Mr Hursthouse has the reputation of being an exceptionally able man, and that during the short time that Mr Mitchelson held office as Minister for Public Works he showed himself to be shrewd and energetic: As untried men they will compare most favorably with any set of Ministers that have ever been introduced for the first time in this colony to official positions.