MINISTERIAL CRISIS

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2504, 18 April 1882, Page 3

MINISTERIAL CRISIS

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WELLINGTON, April 17

The political situation has taken another sudden and unexpected turn. Sir George Grey had a very long interview with the Governor this morning. What paseed hai of course not been disclosed, and probably never will be made public; but I hear on what appear* very good authority that Sir George Grey declared his willingness to form a Ministry, and his conviction that he would have a strong working majority in the new Parliament. His Excellency does not seem to have been disposed to accept this view, for early this afternoon it transpired that he had declined to accept Sir George Grey’s services, and coolly dismissed him. It had been known that Sir George Grey went to see Mr Hutchinson yesterday, and had a long consultation with him, and that he was also in active telegraph communication with political friends in various parts of the colony, everybody therefore took it for granted to-day that Sir George had carried his point, and the surprise created by the announcement that Sir George had been dismissed and would be sent home again to Auckland by the Hinemoa to-night was scarcely less than when it was known that ho had been sent for. However, there was no doubt as to the fact, for shortly afterwards Ministers were informed that the Governor had determined to send for Mr Whitaker, and were requested to despatch the Hinemoa to bring him down. It then further transpired that Sir Arthur had again consulted Mr Hall as well as Sir George, and that he was not satisfied with Sir George Grey’s representations as to the strength of his party, and therefore believing the two sides to be pretty evenly balanced, had resolved to give his late advisers the benefit of the doubt, and follow the course recommended by them. But then came another surprise. An announcement appeared in the evening paper on the authority of the Press Association to which it had been officially supplied—from some source not explicitly disclosed—for the use of the Press throughout the colony. As you will also have received a copy I need not repeat it. You will doubtless have noticed it is constructed in the distinct style of an inspired memorandum, and bears every appearance of being directly communicated from a high quarter. At any rate it expressly purports to disclose on authority his Excellency’s mind on the whole matter, and also to reveal certain particulars which would be State secrets between the Governor and his advisers until published by Ministerial consent. You will observe that it studiously insinuates a contradiction of the Ministerial version of the resignation, namely, that it was due solely and entirely to Mr Hall’s failing health. This seemed to me so strange and inexplicable in the face of facts within my own personal knowledge, that I lost no time in making careful enquiries into the matter. The result is that I have the direct authority of the Ministers for stating that the part of the published memorandum which purports to give the reason for Mr Hall's retirement is so imperfect and inaccurate as to be entirely misleading. I am not at liberty to enter into all the circumstances which preceded the resignation of the Premier. They will doubtless be made public in due course, and it will then appear plainly how discreditably the “ suegestio falsi” has been employed in this curious memorandum, supplied with such unusual kindness for the use of the press throughout the colony. Pending the full revelation of what passed (which I may say was purely of a private nature, and not at all in relation to public policy), I must content myself with reiterating what I have before stated that the sole cause of the Ministerial resignation was Mr Hall’s ill health, and that no Cabinet difference on any question of policy had occurred to furnish any grounds for such resignation. The only difference which had occurred at all was in relation to a private matter arising out of Mr Hall’s illness, and this was of so trivial a character that the fuss which has been sought to be made about it is in the last degree absurd. The plain truth is that Mr Hall’s retirement was imperative, and there was a difficulty in settling how and when this could best be effected without prejudice to the interests of the party. It has been boldly asserted (and the memorandum supplied to the Press Association apparently seeks by implication to bolster up that view) that Mr Bryce insisted, firstly, on removing the Native Land Court from Auckland, and, secondly, on making a raid into the King country and arresting the three Native murderers. It has been alleged that Mr Whitaker refused to agree to the former, and that Mr Hall would not countenance the latter, and that the dispute which arose on these points led to tha disruption of the Cabinet. This is utterly and absolutely untrue. Thera is hardly a shadow of foundation for the first; for the second there is not even a shadow. The mere trifling difference of opinion which arose netwe;' u Mr Bryce and m.; relative to the removal of the Land Court was, as I previously telegraphed, settled by mutual concessions to the satisfaction of all parties. As to Mr Bryce’s reported intention* regarding the King Country, I have the best authority for denying them in toto. As to any serious disagreement between Messrs Bryce and Whitaker, the bast answer to that is that Mr Bryce is quite willing to act with Mr Whitaker in the present crisis, and that there is a perfectly cordial understanding between the two. The same may be said of all the other Ministers, and I have every reason to believe that they will all work willingly with Mr Whitaker. So that the invention of a fatal breach between Messrs Bryce and Whitaker, and between the latter and his colleagues, is stupidly astray, it not wilfully false. I have every reason to believe that the personnel of the new Ministry will be identical with that of Mr Hall's, with, of course, the tingle exception that he will not be of its number. I understand that all the other exMinisters are quite ready to take office uuder Mr Whitaker, and that this was explicitly settled before the resignation was agreed upon—that is to say, Mr Whitaker consented to act, and all his colleagues undertook to support him. The Governor's action took them quite by surprise, and it is shrewdly suspected that his Excellency speedily repented the step he had taken, especially when he found what Sir George was doing.

It is said that Sir George Grey is intensely enraged at hia rejection by the Governor, and that there were soma rather bitter passages between the two old friends. Even those persons who are moat strongly opposed to Sir George Grey felt that he has been very badly used by the Governor in being brought all the way from Kawau to Wellington in such a hurry and then packed off back again so ignominiously—hie statement discredited, his views distrusted, and his advice rejected. I believe that the Cabinet vacancy created by Mr Hall’s resignation will probably not be filled before the session, but that the Ministry which will meet Parliament will bo mainly the Hall Ministry, minus Mr Hall himself. It was freely stated here this morning that both Mr Macandrew and Mi Montgomery had flatly refused to work with Sir George Grey, and that most of the leading Opposition members had done likewise. The Hinemoa left to-night for Manntau, taking Sir George Grey. She should return with Mr Whitaker on Thursday afternoon. It is rumored that fir Arthur Gordon will proceed by H.M.S. Miranda to Fiji from Lyttelton, directly after the h'inietry has been sworn in, and that on his return he will leave at once for England. I can’t vouch for the truth of this.

1 PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.] WELLINGTON, April 17.

With reference to the statement telegraphed this afternoon as to the Ministerial crisis, the Hon. Major Atkinson requests us to state “ that the reasons given for Mr Hall's retirement are so impeiiect and inaccurate as to be entirely misleading.” The facta stated in the telegram were given on authority, which reaffirms them to be absolutely accurate.