The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. SATURDAY, SEPT. 29, 1883. THE PREMIER'S RETIREMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 254, 29 September 1883, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. SATURDAY, SEPT. 29, 1883. THE PREMIER'S RETIREMENT.

The retirenjent of the Hon. My Wbhaker mark^ an epoch, m the history of the Colony. Many of our readers; may not be aware that the late Premier, has taken a prominent part m the political arena for nearly forty years. His first official position — if we may so term the commencement of his politi- : cal career— was under Governor Pitzsot, when Mr Whitaker was senior official member of the Legislative Coun- j oily having also served m the same capacity under Sir George Grey. He was ; one of the first elected members of the: Provincial ' Council, ahdi was elected' a member of the Provincial Council of Auckland, when the; ■J^ew Zealand Constitution Act of 1852

1 was passed by the English Parliament. In that body he fulfilled the position of Provincial Law Adviser and member o£ the Executive Council. Afterwards he became Attorney-General, and subsequently Speaker of the Legislative Council. Indeed the former office he has held four or five times since/ ha v-. ing also been Premier several times. He was also Superintendent of the Province of Auckland, and was for Ayears^the recognized' leader of the Auckland political party'"*"" Tn* sueh 1 a long public career, Mr Whitaker has, of course, "taken an active part m the political history of the colony, "and : &k a northern exchange points outj *' sjich -a record of public services,^lengthened, icontiniious, and honourable, makes Mr Whitakeb's retirement^ from publib affairs an event of no ordinary import - -ande'r"^ Thofugh his years have exceedled.the^allqtted spaii^ of three score and* ten his mental and intellectual pqw;er| • ' are almost as vigorous as they were twenty years ago. lake hi 4 former confrere, . Sir William: Foxj time appears *to have told but, lightly on him, and for physical activity, and mental vogour.either of them ; miglit.be| taken for little over fifiy.years.qfoge, ; It is not believed' that the late Premier's retirement due;to-.differencSs'with>ihis colleagues; and indeed, on the contrary it is known and admitted' thatf' : he^ i: did J much to cement the Cabinet, when Questions arose which* threatened' to' cause incipient rupture,, m regard, to Minisf terialquestioßsl The "Wellington cori respondent bt the Auckland Heraldj thus expresses his opinion: — "M^ Whitaker's loss' will much i felt 'by Bii ) : cplleagues;\ He had such ex,traordin|-; ' ary capacity for* Wd : work; and such love for it, as well as,special;faculty for seeing the bearings of a case instantlyj, that he was inyaluablei as a^memberiof the Cabinet,, wi^e^his geniality of dis l- -., position,andinyariabieequality^^of<temjper had a .valuable effect imsmoothing ; over any littleiteitnpotary acerbities'stich as will always arise among lialf-a-dbzeh men 1 constantly associated ;;]boge£hei% However, he_ has. gone, 'and probably for ever,: from the Ministerial stage, ">r he is] m .his jT2nd year,i althbngh! his intellect! is; as keen and his men 1 -; —tal vigour as marked as. ever.f We fearjhe newlyconstituted Cabinet will riot-long survive thenflatelea'der's retirement, and! the end of • tinnous ■ Miinatry " ; may now bo' predict^ ed .as : \no"» far off . Under ' Mr WHiTAiKER's careful guidance and'disi creet control they pulled thrqughlast session^ although defeat appeared 1 imr .minent more. than once jbiit it will re| quire i a leader with more skill, tact> experience, and discrimination than Majpr i -ATKTNSOiff; jis ■ credited with possessing,, toienable thehis to weathe^ ihe perils of , next session. Indeed, al| things considered; we think the tim^ bas arrived. Tyhen a change of Ministry is desirable; for the coloiiyl^ Events seem to hurry on towards 'that con{ summation, and Mr Whitaker's re: tiremerit may be looked upon as the* beginning of the end— an end thai may, not be as far off as ;, is generally imagined. Time will show.