THE NEW MINISTRY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 451, 13 September 1866, Page 4

THE NEW MINISTRY.

The overthrow of the Stafford Ministry resulted at first in a singular complication of affairs. The proposer of the want of confidence motion did not aspire to the position of the head of the Ministry, neither did he, as he said, wish to see Mr Stafford out of office ; the consequence of which was that Mr Stafford was again sent for by the Governor* and undertook the onerous task of the reconstruction of the Ministry. His position then was of the most peculiar nature. He had signally failed to fulfil the promises he had held out on his first assumption of office; hut, notwithstanding this failure, a majority seemed quite willing to entrust him again with the reins of government. The men he had, after great difficulty, selected to work with him, had been ignominiously ejected from office; and certainly the difficulty of choosing men of acknowledged ability, pos sessing the confidence of the House, must have been greater than before. All the then existing difficulties still existed, and were added to by the fact of his having passed over the very men he must, perforce, now choose. Under the plea of exercising an economy not contemplated by Mr Weld, he succeeded in overthrowing the Ministry led by that gentleman, and with a new set of men proceeded to act out the whole policy of that Ministry ; and this without the fulfilment of his promise of economy. His coadjutors being rejected by the House, he was placed in the anomalous position of being forced to choose a Ministry from the men he had been instrumental in depriving of office a few months before ; and the only wonder is that he was able to succeed at all in selecting from the supporters of the Weld administration a ministry willing to hold office under him.

It is at all events a source of gratification to know that men would lay aside those personal feelings that must have existed, and join together in working for the good of the community. The Wellington press describes the new Ministry as the result of the reconstruction of the Colonial party which had long been split into sections on account of sundry minor differences. We hail the said reconstruction as an omen for good, and believe that, with the sole exception of the Province of Auckland, the whole Colony are for the present satisfied with the personnel and general policy of the new Ministry, if we except some minor details that we trust will not be sanctioned by the House.

The result of Mr Stafford’s efforts was announced in the House of Reprentatives on the afternoon of the 24th ult., as follows: —The hon, W. Fitzherhert, Colonial Treasurer; ton. J. Hall, Postmaster-General; hon J. C. Richmond, Commissioner of Customs; hon. J. Johnston and hon. Major Richardson, members of Executive without portfolios, and that arrangements would be made by which another member of the Cabinet would be able to assist the latter gentleman in conducting the Government business in the Legislative Council. He also indicated the intention of the Government to aid the Provinces in the carrying on of their pnhlic works, &c., as far as possible, but would not bind itself to the handing over the three-eighths, or, indeed, any specific sum; but, after the just interests of the Colony were provided for, the whole of the surplus revenue should be equitably divided. A detailed statement of the Ministerial policy, which had been considerably modified, would shortly be laid before the House, on going into Committee of Supply. The decision of the Home Government to retain one regiment of troops in the Colony, would prevent the necessity of raising the proposed Colonial force, and if sufficient ways and means were granted by the house, bethought he could see a silver lining to

the dark cloud hanging over the finance of the Colony. In reply to Mr Crashle Ward he informed the house of the abolition af the office of Native Minister ; and that the duties of the office would be performed by seme other member of the Cabinet.