Poverty Bay Standard. Saturday, April 15, 1882.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1061, 15 April 1882, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. Saturday, April 15, 1882.

The Christchurch papers in referring to the present Ministerial crisis, say that it was privately intimated to His Excellency that Mr. Rolleston ivas prepared to accept the Premiership if necessary, and further that Mr. Kolleston had sent in his resignation to the Premier, at the same time Mr. Bryce forwarded his, the AttorneyGeneral having resigned on the Sunday previous. It is perfectly possible that such is the case, but His Excellency, while declining to accept an official recommendation from the retiring Premier, would hardly be likely to avail himself of a private intimation from one of the retiring Cabinet. Nor do we think it probable from the known facts of the terms on which His Excellency and the retiring Ministry have for some time been, that such an intimation would be at all acceptable to him. All circumstances, so far as we are able to see with the limited knowledge at our command, point to the advent of Sir George Grey to the Premiership of the Colony. That he has been sent for by His Excellency forms an important item in leading to this conclusion. Thursday’s telegrams from Auckland stating that Sir George Grey had an interview with several Auckland members, with whom the relative strength of parties, and the probable number of supporters he would have in the event of his forming a Ministry, were discussed at length, forms another, and to our mind, significant link in the chain ; these reasonings, added to the well known antipathy in which Sir Arthur Gordon has always held the Native policy of the Hall Ministry, and his tendency to the politically philanthropic views of Sir George Grey, all combine in pointing with singularly emphatic gesture to the return of the Grey party to power. While accepting all these indications cumgrano salts, and fully acknowledging the possibility of Sir George Grey having been sent for merely in consultation, we hold that the probabilities are all in favor of the advent of a Grey Ministry. That the resignation of the Hall Ministry at this particular juncture is unfortunate will be admitted on all sides, but, having occurred, it is absurd to suppose that the Opposition will let the opportunity slip past them. The Hall Ministry have done much for the Colony at large, although this district in particular has little cause for gratitude toward them. The only real blot on their escutcheon is the cheese-paring finance of the retrenchment scheme so far as civil salaries were concerned. Their Native policy has proved beneficial to the country morally and financially, while the Treasurer’s Budget has clearly shewn that good work has been done as a whole in financial reform. Great schemes were being matured for the further advancement of the interests of the Colony. The raising of a further loan of five millions regarding the proposed expenditure of which Major Atkinson was prepared to give the fullest explanation, was almost unfait accompli. Kailway extension, opening of roads, harbor and breakwater improvement, lighthouse erection, and many other schemes for the improvement of the Colony aud the advancement of the interests of its inhabitants, were, so to speak, within our grasp —when, hey ! presto !! the magician waves his wand and the entrancing vision is practically dispelled, and the policy which induced it utterly capsized and annihilated, by the advent of a party holding directly antagonistic views, to political power. It is possible, and in the general interests of the Colony we hope it may become probable, that a re-construc-tion of the late Ministry may be the outcome of the present crisis, and that the schemes we have referred to may not all be shattered in the iconoclastic manner common to the advent of new Ministry’s into power; but, as we have before said, all indications seem to us to point so clearly to the one end, that we shall not be surprised if within a very few days we find the Premiership of the Colony once more entrusted to the political custody of Sir George Grey.