New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4830, 14 September 1876, Page 2

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14.

The latest ■ Ministerial; difficulty has so far received solution. A Gazette extraordinary was issued last night, containing the following : Private Secretary's Office, Wellington, 13th September, 1876. His Excellency the Governor has accepted the resignations of ' The Hon. Harry Albert Atkinson, holding a seat in the Executive Council, and the offices of Premier and Colonial Treasurer ;. .. The Hon. Daniel Poelen. holding a seat in the Excutive Council, and the office of Colonial Secretary. '■..-. The Hon. Frederick Whitakkr, holding a seat in the Executive Council, and the office of AttorneyGeneral :'■".'.■ i • '■'-'".-■- ! . The Hon. Sir Donald McLean, K.C.M.G., holding a seat in the Executive Council, and the office of Native Minister; " The Hon. Edward Richardson, holding a seat in the Executive Council, and theoffice of Minister for Public Works; The Hon. Charles .Christopher Bowen, holding a seat in the Executive Council, and the offices of Minister of Justice and Commissioner of Stamp Duties; ' The Hon. John Da vies Ormomd, holding a seat in the Executive Council, and the offices of Secretary for Crown Lands and Minister for Immigration ; . ■■ The Hon. George McLean, holding a seat in the Executive Council, and the offices of Commissioner of Customs, Postinaster-General, and Commissioner of Telegraphs; The Hon. John Hall, holding a seat in the Executive Council, without portfolio. (By command.) Irwin C. Malino, 35th Regt., . Private Secretary.

Executive Council Chamber, Wellington, 13th September, 1576, His Excellency the Governor has this day been pleased to appoint j The Hon. Frederick Whitaker, The Hon. Harry Albert Atkinson, Premier. The Hon. Sir Donald McLean, K.C.M.G., The Hon. Daniel Pollen, The Hon. Edward Richardson, The Hon. Charles Christopher Bowen, The Hon. George McLean, to be members of the Executive Council of New Zealand, and has fixed their order of precedence under section 6 of the Civil List Act 1863 Amendment Act, 1573, as above. (By command.) Foster Goring, Clerk of the Executive Council.

Private Secretary's Office, . . Wellington, 13th September, 1876. His Excellency the Governor has this day been pleased to appoint The Hon. Harry Albert Atkinson to be Premier, Colonial Treasurer, Secretary for Crown Lands, and Minister lor Immigration. The Hon. Daniel Pollen to be Colonial Secretary. The Hon. Frederick Whitaker to be PostmasterGeneral and Commissioner of Telegraphs. The Hon. Sir Donald McLean, K.C.M.G., to be Native Minister. The Hon. Edward Richardson to be Minister for Public "Works The Hon. Charles Christopher Bowen to be Minister of Justice and Commissioner of Stamp Duties. : The Hon. George McLean to be Commissioner of Customs. . (By command.) Irwin C. Malino, 35th Begiment, Private Secretary. It will be seen by this and by the announcement made in the House of Representatives at half-past seven o'clock that there can be now do doubt about the legal constitution of the Ministry, whether on the point of numbers or on that' of including a political Attorney-General. The number of the Ministry is distinctly within the limits prescribed by law, and there is no Attorney-General. The next point for consideration is what the Ministry propose to do. Some ignorant person has been promulgating the idea that they contemplate so altering the Counties Bill as to make it practically exclusive, in its operations, of Auckland and Otago. This is neither more nor less than a gross and utter misstatement, not deliberate perhaps, but none the less false. The tenor of feeline; at the caucus of ministerial supporters yesterday was unmistakeable. Two gentlemen hailing from Otago, the Hon. Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Bastings, did certainly offer some remarks as to the question of exempting Otago from the provisions of the ? Abolitioh Act, but two other Otago members steadfastly objected to this course , and Messrs. Pyke and Manders declared emphatically that their districts, forming as they do one third of the area of the must receive a proper system of local selfgovernment, and must no longer be left to the tender mercies of provincialism and Dunedin. That these gentlemen had warrant for what they said is, amply proved by the utterances of the leading organ of public opinion in their districts, theWakatipMail. Thatjournal,initsissue of August 31st, takes a firm stand in this matter, and says:—" But why should a district like this be asked to espouse, the wrong cause? Because faction ruled the wires, dictated articles, and brought pressure to bear to gratify its own selfish lustforpower. Wearegladthatpeoplenow seethe position clearly. Nothing was to be gained by Messrs. PYKEand Manders voting with the Opposition. Theyhavesuffered much unpleasantness, been dealt with' as traitors in the camp, and otherwise spitefully written about. We are glad that our member remained firm and that he is aiding in endeavoring to obtain all possible good out of the Bills for giving local self-government to the country districts. The task is no doubt an arduous one. The provincial party want, of course, large counties. The settled areas want to spread over an extended limit the incidence of taxation involved, and they want also to obtain the multiple system of voting and the necessity of registration before voting, except in the case of miners' rights and business licenses. Leaseholders will not obtain a vote. Even under these circumstances the local self-government to be granted will be a boon. It will lead at least to an organisation that will, be bound to protect county interests." So far this was the only difference of opinion as to the necessity for general provincial abolition at the close of the session, and the establishment of a county system 'of Government. The meeting , was quite unanimous that the new Government should not abandon a single pledge mads by the Premier when announcing a policy on his recent accession to office. There is to be no doubt and no faltering in the. matter. Ministers will be ready to meet all suggestions from members in a conciliatory spirit, need not be wedded to details, but abolition is to' be carried out, and no portion of the colony is to bo exempted from its operation at the exlpense of the whole nation. Of course it is impossible to'/say what the action ; of the Opposition is likely to be; or rather it may be pretty certainly affirmed that whilst they will.take no action of a definite nature, they will take advantage of every possible occasion to obstruct and annoy and to delay the business of the country as much as possible. How long the House will stand these tactics is altogether another matter. We fancy that members, as a .whole, are getting pretty well out of patience with such practices, and we would therefore recommend Sir George Grey and the few who follow him in practising them, not to go too far with their performances, or they may provoke the application of some restriction which will have the effect of putting a quick stop to their obstructivenesß.