Ministerial Crisis.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1062, 18 April 1882, Page 2

Ministerial Crisis.

The Attorney-General sent for. [By Telegraph.] Wellington, April 17. The following is an account of the Ministerial crisis:—A very important member of tho Government telegraphed his resignation to Mr Hall on the 31st ult., 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 has been feeble for some time and this intelligence, coupled with excess of illness, led him to telegraph his resignation to tho 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 decision of that point, when therefore Mr Halls Ministry resigned, the Governor felt it necessary, before commissioning any person to form a new Government, to ascertain more closely the state of the 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 tho Ministry which preceded Mr Hall. 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 side possesses the confidence of the Legislature. Under those circumstances His Excellency thinks that the benefit of the doubt should be given to those in office, and has sent for the Attorney-General, Mr Whitaker, to reconstruct the Government. Ihe Hinemoa leaves to-night to bring Mr Whitaker to Wellington.