A PEEP BEHIND THE CURTAIN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 377, 18 June 1856, Page 8

A PEEP BEHIND THE CURTAIN.

The following letter has been handed to us for publication : —

Auckland, May 30th, 1856. 1 Dear Sir. —As there are many facts and cirumstances which do not come before the public through, the medium of the newspapers, and as I think it is highly necessary that they should be made known to" my friends at Canterbury, I take the liberty of writing a few lines to yon, in order that they may be put in possession of a simple and faithful statement of all that has transpired in the House of Representatives, since the "commencement of the Session, so far at least as regards parties and political intrigue. Mr. Sewell was called upon as you are aware to form a ministry. It is not necessary for me to state with whom he conferred for that purpose, further than the result was Mr. Sewell accepted the Colonial Secretaryship, Mr. Bell was appointed Colonial Treasurer, and Mr. Whittaker Attor-ney-General. Mr. Tancred, as a member of the Legislative Council, also hud a seat in the Executive. Mr. Sewell at once enunciated his policy, a revised report of that policy was published in the " Southern Cross," and forwarded to Canterbury by the laet steamer. After two days' debate, the house divided, 16 voting in favour of it, and 17 against it. The opposition consequently had a majority of one: that one was Mr. Hall the member for the Christchurch Country District. The minority consisted of the Nelson member?, part of the Auckland members, the Butt membt-rs, two of the New Plymouth members, three of the Canterbury members, and the member for the Wairarapa, all of whom supported the Government, agreeing in their policy as a whole, and being unanimous as to principle. The opposition was headed by the member for Whanganui, and the Wellington members, who are the Apostles of a creed of W/ra-Ultra-Provincialism. In the centre was what is jocularly called the Auckland Progress Party. These did not oppose the policy neither did they intend or wish to support the Wellington members, but they objected to Mr. Whittaker personally. And in,the rear were the Otago members, voting as they thought for themselves, and no one else To explain in full the manner in which they sold themselves would make one blush. Such was the nature of the opposition. But by the way, as regards Mr. Hal], W ] iy he opposed Mr. Sewell and allied himself to such an opposition msst remain for you to conjecture ; but, however, to proceed—Mr. Sewell the day after the division resigned, and advised his Kxcellency to send for the Superintendent of Auckland, because he had personally moved a certain amendment which virtually disapproved the policy. His Excellency accord-

ingly sent for Dr. Campbell, but he was neither able nor desirous to form a.ministry. Upon Mr. Sewell's advice, his Excellency then sent for Dr. Featherstone who undertook to form a ministry, but upon consulting with those who formed the opposition, he found they neither understood each other, nor agreed with one another. He then endeavoured to form a coalition, but of course Mr. Sewell could not consistently or conscientiously do so ; the result was that Dr. Featherstone* was unable to form a Ministry, so Mr. Sewell came down to the house, stated all that had transpired, and said as no one would take his office, he could not abatfdon his Excellency, and that he would proceed with the business of the , session, until the House divided otherwise. Mr. Sewell then appointed several committees, upon most important matters, laid upon the table several bills of great necessity and undertook to produce the estimates within 48 hours. The opposition though, which was purely of a factious nature, would not allow the business of the House to proceed, and sooner than suffer their placehunting bile "to trouble them any longer, theyjdenied their.p/edges to their constituents and their parting assurances of fidelity, and actually abandoned their principles in toto ; —Proposed a set of resolutions in reality harmonizing with Mr. Sewell's policy, and again called upon the House to turn out the Ministry. We said that as the supporters of the Stwell policy we cannot oppose these resolutions, for virtually speaking, you ask us to stultify our own votes, but at the same time, as f you have embodied in two of your resolutions, questions of Finance of a specific nature, we would rather you should defer, at all events, pressing those resolutions until the estimates are upon the table.' ' No, no,' they vociferated ; and, regardless of their own political decorum as well as the reputation of the House, they asked the House not to defer those resolutions'for 48 hours, but called upon it to vote, without figures or facts before it, for the purpose of putting a dead-lock.to matters. The House divided : the numbers were again 16 and 17; but with this alteration, that Mr. Cuff voted with the majority and Dr. Campbell with the minority. The House, then adjourned, and the following morning Mr. Sewell came down to the House, and stated that, sooner than be charged with the odium of being greedy of office, he had again tendered his resignation to his Excellency and that the Superintendent of Nelson was then with his Excellency j for the purpose of forming a new •ministry. I would here earnestly request you to refer to the New Zealander o£ the 21st of May, by which you will find in what way Mr. Stafford failed to form a ministry, and his remarks thereupon. I was in the House at the time Mr. Stafford made that explanation, and I assure you it is impossible to describe the sensation it created. Alarm and apprehension was depicted upon the countenances of those in the strangers' gallery,- and the public remonstrated loudly. The following day, the member for Wanganui (Mr. Fox) was engaged in forming a ministry. Where did he go to find members to form that ministry ? To Mr. Setvell and Mr. Whittaher. Are you not astounded ? But, believe me, it is most true; disreputably so ; but they had, of course, too just a sense of what was due to them.-publicly and privately, to lend a listening ear. He then employed himself in endeavouring to effect coalitions in other quarters, which was of no avail ; but just upon the expiration of the time given him by his Exc«llency to form a ministry, he rushes to his Excellency-stating that he had formed a ministry. He then announced that ministry to the House: himself, Attorney-General and leader of the House ; Mr. Hall, Colonial Secretary ; and Mr. Brown, Colonial Treasurer. This was

considered quite a farce, but at the same time much too serious a thing to laugh at. Fortunately, at this juncture, the ' Zingari' arrived, bringing two members from Nelson. This gave the Sewel! ministry a majority of one. The Fox ministry, then, to secure themselves, yielded every point that varied in the slightest degree from Mr. Sewell's policy. But the House had no confidence not only in the ability but in the integrity of a Government guilty of such tergiversations, and brought forward resolutions to that effect, which were carried by a majority of one ; but this would not do ; -they had neither the sense nor the shame to see their position. The consequence was, that we were obliged to bring forward a resolution to demand of them to vacate their seats. This resolution was carried by a majority of one, and Mr. Fox has resigned. Mr. Stafford is now engaged in forming a ministry. This is a simple and truthful statement of events up to this time. You perceive, then, that hitherto literally nothing has been done. One important fact, however, is, that the whole House is agreed as to policy, and that that policy is Mr. Sewell's. The Wellington members found that it was utterly impossible to get the House to listen to their unconstitutional principles, and they thereupon declared they would defer pressing them further upon the consideration of the House for the present; all the} asked was, that Mr. Sewell should not be allowed to carry out his own policy, but that they should be permitted to do so; or, in-other words, never miad about policy, only we must be in office. I decline making any remarks with reference to the conduct of the Canterbury members further than that I have supported Mr. Sewell throughout, and that Mr. Hall and Mr. Cuff have opposed him. I am quite prepared to justify the course I have taken.

Without troubling you further, I would onlyadd you are at liberty to make whatever use of this you think proper."