The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1882.

Kumara Times, Issue 1726, 12 April 1882, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1882.

The news flashed along the wires of the resignation of all the members of the Ministry being forwarded to nnd accepted by his Excellency the Governor Was doubtless a great surprise to many, aud a very unpleasant surprise to some of the rabid Oppositionists who had prepared their little schemes for the discomfiture of their opponents. The resignation of the Premier was a foregone conclusion, as the critical state of his health positively necessitated his temporary letireraent, at all events, from active political life; but with regard to the action of his colleagues n variety of theories wi'l be advanced. It may here be stated that under a representative form of government, it is quite a customary thing for the Ministry to resign in a body when their head, from any cauae, finda it necessary to retire ; but there ia no cast-iron rule to that effect. On the present occasion it may be taken for granted that the ex-Ministera are not only killing two birds with one.atone, bnt several others as well. Of late, rumour has teen busy

with the name'of the Hoh. Mr Whitaker, who it is more than insinuated lias berii doing a little business on his own accouut in the land pmchase direction. This may or may not be the case, but it is tolerably certain that advantage will be taken of the retirement of the Premier to get rid of the AttorneyGeneral, who has represented the Government in the Legislative Council since the advent to office of the Hall Ministry. It may be remembered that Mr Whitaker was called to the Council after his defeat in his old constituency, specially for the purpose of having a portfolio given to him, and that circumstance proved conclusively that uone of the other members of the body were considered to be sufficiently in harmony with the newly-formed Government to take office with them. It is a significant fact that one of the least official acts of Mr Hall was to obtain a seat in the Council for his old friend, Mr Stevens, who formerly represented Clnistchurch in the House, and we may safely hazard a guess that the mantle may descend upon him. Mr Stevens, in spite of his many years of political experience is afflicted with a nervousness of manner which eminently unfits him from taking the part of a leader anywhere. He never rises to speak without a distortion of countenance which is at first supposed to-be the commencement of a smile, but which suddenly is transformed ;ioto an expression of the most intense solemnity. He would never be able to show fight against those who would be opposed to him. At the outset of his political career he fell into the error of supposing himself to be a heaven-born financier, and when the Canterbury Financial Reform Association was started, he was by common consent chosen President. The mountain was in labor, and it brought forth a mouse of almost microsoopic proportions. He brought forward in the House, with a great flourish of trumpets, a most elaborate scheme for the entire regeneration of all matters connected with New Zealand finance, and, having spoken for several hours, sat down amid what might be called a perfect whirlwind of apapplanse. During the debate which followed, an unassuming old gentleman asked some apparently simple question as to a mere matter of detail in the scheme. No answer was; forthcoming and the whole thing was at once proved to be a complete failure. We defer comments on the present situation for another issue.