Second Edition Latest TELEGRAMS

Patea Mail, 17 April 1882, Page 3

Second Edition Latest TELEGRAMS

J his Afternoon Land Claims Commission. Thames, 14th.—The Commission on Volunteer land claims have closed their labors here. Col. Haultain, Mr Bunny, and“ Secretary Downie leave this afternoon and anticipate reaching Taranaki on Wednesday. Upward* of 100 claims were disposed of on the Thames, Auckland.—The land claims before the Royal Commission on Volunteer land claims are 1500. One in seventyfive has been granted. The commission leave for Taranaki on Tuesday, and go thence to Wanganui. STEALING A SAFE AND £3OO. Christchurch. Early on Sunday morning, Martin’s Black Horse Hotel, next Sunnyside Asylum, was burglariously entered, and the iron safe (containing about £3OO, and several deeds) was carried off from the room opening on to the bar. MEW PREMIER. Reconstructing the Government (per united press association,) .Wellington, afternoon.—The following is an accurate account of the Ministerial crisis. An important member of the Government telegraphed his resignation to Mr Hall on the 31st ultimo, and on the same day Mr Hall received what he supposed to be an intimation that another of his colleagues would also retire. Mr Hall’s health had been feeble for some time, and this intelligence, coupled with illness, led him to telegraph his resignation to the Governor, His Excellency had some months since pointed out his doubts whether the Government possessed a majority in the new Parliament, and had urged its immediate assembly for the decision of that point. When therefore Mr Hall’s Ministry resigned, the Governor felt it necessary, before commissioning any person to form a new Government, to ascertain more closely the actual state of parties. This information on the one hand he was able to obtain from Mr Hall, and on the other he sought it from Sir George Grey, leader of the Opposition in the late Parliament, and head of the Ministry which preceded that of Mr Hall’s. Having received full information of the strength of both parties, according to their, own estimate, he has come to the conclusion that parties are so evenly balanced as to render it impossible to say which possesses the confidence of the Legislature. Under these circumstances, his Excellency thinks that the benefit of the doubt should be given to those in office, and ho has sent for the Attorney-General, Mr Whitaker, to reconstruct the Government.

The Hinemoa leaves to-night to bring Mr Whitaker to, Wellington. ,