The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1877.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 185, 17 January 1877, Page 2

The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1877.

For some time past the present Ministry, or rather its remains, has been in a perpetual state of reconstruction. When Sir J. Vogel went Home on the last occasion there was a reconstruction ; when he returned there was another; on his final departure from New Zealand there was another, another lollowed, and now what may be Imped is the final one has occurred once more. It 1 ias all along been understood that Sir 1). McLean and Mr Richardson would follow the example of t heir la to chief, and retire as soon as troublous times set in—the former from ill-health chiefly though—and the latter because, having enjoyed power when millions were passing through Ids hands, as Minister of Public Works,

li-i could not brook necessary retrenchment, ami merely dribbling a lew pounds away. There is a fiction existing, as to the lion lying down with the lamb, hut tiie reconstitution of tlm Ministry proves incontestably that jiohtiru! iious and lanih.s can harmonise when cirenmstanccs an; favorable. Under the 1 le w regime. Major Atkinson retains his position ol Premier and Colonial ' Treasurer. Dr. pollen is restored to his position as Colonial Fecictary, but is also saddled with the duties of Native .Minister. Al'le-,- the late Sir Donald Ale Lean, the ia(l 'r undertaking is an arduous one, and 'vc greatly fear will prove anything Iml s,neeessi'ul in Dr. Pollen's hands. Mr •/. D. Ormond, of Hawke's Day, succeeds Mr Richardson as .Minister ol Public Works, ;uu! is highly spoken oi: in his own location. Whether, however, he lias practical knowledge snllieienfc to qualify him for (lie fill Him out of his new duties is at least doubtful, Iml time will tell. Up to the present time ids chief recommendation has been, being one oi the class of everlasting Superintendents, Air Whitaker, who lias accepted the newly created office—in New Zealand — of Attoni ny- (Iem• ml, lias been an old political warrior, and the continuation of Ids appointment will he most satisfactory. At the same time we cannot help thinking that joining the Alin is try he once so bitterly opposed, and assisting to cany out a policy that is avowedly against his convictions, is a course that is unworthy of a man of standing like him. Air C. C. Jhnven is still Minister of Justice, and nothing can b-e said respecting bis retention of office. Mr (Jeorgc Ale Lean, once a hot provincial Ist, from Waikoualti, changed sides last session, and took office accordingly. He is now gazetted Commissioner ol Customs, Postmaster- - General, and Commissioner of Telegraphs. He may bo, am! is, it is said, thoroughly competent for the first ollico, but ids experience in the latter is nil. It may be that that is not necessary in a Alinistcr, if so all will be right. i liongh it has been for some time rumored that Air Donald Reid, of Otago, erstwhile one of the chief Provincial pillars of Otago, would take oil ice, with those ho so strenuously strove to eject, this has proved true, and he makes the second Otago lion tnat lias lain down with the Conner Ministerial lambs. He is now Secretary for Crown Lands, and Alinister fur .Immigration. Possibly it may be in the interest of Ids constituents, that he accepts the former position, in order to conserve the Crown Lands of his province, as far as possible, in time to come. How the public of his district will regard what may be deemed his apostacy, wo cannot say, but the public of New Zealand generally will view with satisfaction such recantation. M‘ D. Reid is a thoroughly practical man, and as such will bo a valuable accession to the Alinistry, and, whether his constituents are satisfied or not, the people of Now Zealand are likely to oe. Though a homogeneous body, as at present constituted, the Alinistry, as a whole, will, in nil probability bo a strong one, if the discordant elements existing within it do not break into active operation. At any rate let us hope that the present “reconstruction,” is final, till the next meeting of Parliament, and that in the meantime the adjusted administration may gain the confidence of the colony.