Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1881. MR BRYCE'S RESIGNATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 39, 14 January 1881, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1881. MR BRYCE'S RESIGNATION.

. » . i. i. The news of Mr Bryce's resignation from the Ministry has taken the countiy by surprise. It was known when he took office that ho did so unwillingly, as ho preferred the position of " a free lance " to that of strong party man, which a Cabinet Minister must of necessity be. However, having cast in his lot with the Ministry, and held office for about 15 montlis, it is somewhat surprising to find him suddenly resigning. Mr Big. is npt the man to do a thing litte^hisiiia -hurry, nor;. would he "throw up the sponge " because of difficulties in l^is work as Native Minister. Having put his hand to the plough, he would rather take a delight iv holding on to it, evon though the field might be rough and difficult. - If/h tiw'ever, he fouud those who were associated with him for the good government of the country were disposed to retard his effort? to bring ab'ofat a . speedy -4ei.tiemen_ of the native difficulty ; if he found that hiscolleague, Major Atkinson, wished the West Coast difficulty to bo perpetuated that Taranaki might continue to reap a harvest from tho war expenditure.— Mr Bryce would then at once resign. That is our estimate of his character, and in the absence "of definite information, we think his resignation is r due to the Taranaki influence in the Cabinet. Of course, the exact reason it is difficult to get at. Both Mr Bryce and his late colleagues are reticent, and even jf there were a Ministerial earthquake like that which led to Mr Ballance's resignatioii, thej would not Canvass it publicly, oft the principle that it is not dignified to wash the dirty linen of the«Gabiriet ih public. It Ims be«n hinted, however, that Mr Bryce's resignation has been brought about, by |" the refusel of the Cabinet to agree "to the immediate adoption of active with Regard to Parihaka." The quotation is from tho Evening Post, and further 'down the same article states :— "Mr Bryce is understood to advocate an early advance on Parihaka, the arrest of Te Whiti aud Tohu, find jtho reinpval of the ;elsewheie." ■: This may be a very excellent red herring to draw across the scent, but circumstances are decidely 'opposed. No one knows ? bet|p}?^l^;*Mrßi'yoe that a march* on T?arihaka and the arrest of Te Whiti would almost inevitably lead to an outbreak, or some other trouble^ gni it he coutepplated " active 'measUrea ' ' of the "kind indicated, would he have consented to the releasing of Te Whiti's fighting ineii? Why it is only . a few days since a" batch' of them were put >a_hore on the East Coast, aud it is almost certain that ere this they 'are threading their way across the country to Parihaka. Still further, if Mr. Bryce contemplated meafaresthat would result in a disturbance, is it likely he would allow settlers t&etake possession of the sections they have purchased on } Jjhe Waimate Plains, to the imminent danger of their lives ? r We thinj_ not. Sf the mattse*- w'ltMte* lr. tliis'way—[jß..Bryce has resigned because he ;«3>l_ef fIW Wefet Qoa^#fiwult'y to;be •sßmhy settled as speedily as possible but dris Taranaki c<s^jj:uej-oes not, we (think it would n<_ar6r the mark. A requisition is being signed in Wauganti asking Mr Bryce to address his constituents. He will probably accede to the request, and we shall then perhaps hew more about the reasons

or hi- resignation. His secession frtoin the Ministry will without doubt •hawen their downfall, and now^.tjjat tbey have lost thoir sheet anchor >ftu^ are left on a troubled'-sea^e expect thit a very short time after the openiuo- of fclie session the Ministerial ba*rk will be high and dry.