MINISTERIAL CRISIS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2499, 11 April 1882, Page 3

MINISTERIAL CRISIS.

I SIE GEO. GREY SENT FOR. fPBKSS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM. J AUCKLAND, April 11. Sir G. Grey has been sent for by the Governor, and arrived in Auckland at a late hour last night, hte proceeds to Wellington by the Wanaka to-day, at one o'clock. The Hose Casey left yesterday morning for Waiwera with a number of ezcusionists, and after landing them she proceeded on to Kawira with Furby, the officer in charge of the Auckland Telegraph Department, who was in charge of an important missive for Sir Geo. Grey. Immediately on reoeipt of this trir Geo. Grey ex barked in the steamer for Auckland, and arrived at 10 o'clock. Sir George appears to be in good health, and endeavours were made by the Telegraph Department to charter a steamer on Sunday to proceed to Kawau; but tho astute skippers, sniffing important Government business on hand, raised their terms to such an extent, that the negotiation fell through. Farby, therefore, availed himself of the excursion trip of the Rose Casey to Waiwera to accomplish his mission. Sir George Grey has been sent for by his Excellency, who asks him to proceed to Wellington. Beyond that, Sir George Grey is not aware of anything which the public does not know. Mr Ball, in leading in his resignation, did not accompany it with any advice ; and the Hon. J. Johnston, who was the bearer of the communication, conld not offer any on behalf the Premier.

RESIGNATION OF THE MINISTRY.

WELLINGTON, April IS

The Ministry have forwarded their resignation to his Excellency, and it has been scoopted. As yet it is not known whom the Governor will call upon to form a new Ministry, The members of tho present Ministry will bold offioe until their successors are appointed, and nothing farther is likely to transpire until the airival of his Excellonoy.

[FROM THE " PRBBB."] WELLINGTON, April 10.

Up to the present time Ministers have been strictly reticent legarding the " situation," and they will continue so. They say they do not feel at liberty to give any information beyond the fact that the Premier's illness renders it doubtful whether ho can remain at tl e head of the Government; but, strange to gay, Mr Hall's medical attendant, the Hon, Dr. Grace, M.L.C., has suddenly come out in a new oapaoity as the recognieod official medium of Ministerial communicator with the press. I find he informed the Press Association yesterday that ho had strenuously urged the necessity of the Premier's resignation on account of failing health, and that he believed his advice had boen taken. That was all that could be ascertained this morning, inquirers being Ministerially referred to Dr. Grace, and the hon. doctor readily affording the above information, which you will observe entirely corroborates my own telegram of last week to you. However, this afternoon Dr. Grace informed mo that he had the Premier's authority for telling me that Minister* had tendered their resignations to the Governor, by whom they had been accepted, and that the Ministry only remained in office until the appointment of their successors, I also now learn, on authority, that his Excellency telegraphed yesterday morning for the Hinemoa to be sent down to Lyttelton for him, and that being done Sir Arthur announced his intention of returning to Wellington on Tuejday. Farther, I learn that on Saturday eveniog Mr Hall, who had appeared a little better during the day, beoame so much worse as to excite the liveliest alarm on the part of his medical attendant, who promptly sought Major Atkinson, and told him plainly that unless the Premier were instantly released of all official work, responsibility and worry, he would not be answerable for the oonsequenoe, which thrested to be very serious, some exceedingly disquieting symptoms having developed themselves. Dr. G-raoo also oontonded that it wes due to himself, as Mr Hall's medical adviser, that it should be publicly known that he had thus advised, otherwise he might be held severely censurable should unfavorable consequences ensue. He accordingly published his letter of the 4th inst. to Major Atkinson, a ocpy of whioh was telegraphed by the. Association last night. I hear Major Atkinson and the other Ministers were very anxious that Mr Hall should remain ai the nominal head of the Ministry, giving up all departmental work, and merely acting as Premier, that is to say, dealing with any Government policy whioh might arise, but not wearing himself out with official work; but, unfortunately, Mr Hall's sense of public duty and personal responsibility is so strong that it seems almost hopeless to expect ho would submit to suoh restriction of his labors, if he remained a member of the Cabinet, especially as its head. Suoh, in faot, is tho view of Dr. Grace, who absolutely declinoß to countenance his patient in remaining any longer in the trying position to whioh his ia-paired health is so manifestly unequal. He has good hopes that onoo rolieved of the caros of office, Mr Hall's health, which has broken down under their strain, would gradually reoover ; at any rate, its normal tono. But he holds this is impossible, while there is the perpetual irritation of official worry. This, thon, is, I am positively informed, the true position of affairs. The old rumor is being again circulated to day that Mr Hall's illness is being merely used as a pretsxt for reconstruction, a total rupture having oocurrod between Mr Whitaker and Mr Bryce on the question of the removal of the Native Land Court from Auokland, and it is further reported that Mr Whitaker has resigned. lam assured, however, and in this instance on direct authority, that there is not the slightest foundation for thii story, 'ihere was a trifling difference of opinion between Mr Bryce and Mr Whitaker on the subjeot indicated, but a personal interview promptly set things right, and a thoroughly amicable understanding was come to on the matter. Mr Whitaker has not resigned, exoopting so far as his retignation is of course involved in that of his ohief. I am also positively informed that there has b3en no dissension at all in the Cabinet on any question of policy, and that the nolo cause of the present orisis is the unfortunate break down of the Premier's health, whioh urlucky eveat, however rcgretable, is no surprise to Mr Hall's friends, whose only wonder is that he has borne up so long. It is supposed that the Governor, following the constitutional precedent, will send for either Major Atkinson or Mr Whitaker (both ex-Premiers), and request him to undertake a reconstruction of the Ministry. This, of course, cannot be definitely known until His Excellency's a/rival.