THE CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8135, 15 June 1906, Page 3

THE CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION.

TEH PRESS ASSOCITIOV. Wjswisotox, June 11. Mr T. M. Wilford, M.H.R , a legal expert, after consulting authorities that would be likely to throw light on the present Constitutional darkness, sums up as follows: The position, therefore, is that according to Consii. tutional usage, they (the Ministry) should as soon as convenient, resign their offices. While there is no question as to the validity of any of their acts in the meantime, it appears (hat* it would||be quite contrary to

LATE.iT TELEGRAMS.

modem Constitutional usage thai Ministers should continue to retain their offices. If, however, Minister should think lit not to resign for some weoks, I cannot see that any reiv difficulty would arise. Technically, they are empowered to carry 011 the work of their Departments aud their official a-.'ls would be unimpeachable, tt would seem that without a Prime Minister there could be no Cabinet, proper, but it must ho remern bered that " Cabinet has no oil! cial existenco" and performs no official acts. Thero is no doubt in my opinion that it is rnoro in accordance with modem usage that Miuisteis should resign, with the view of a new Ministry being formed, although there is no legal diffiiiulty in the way of their continuing to hold their present offices If a new Cabinet is at once formed, ol course Sir Joseph Ward could not be sworn in as a Minister, but thero would be no difficulty, for on his return Ministers could again resign, with a view to his forming a Ministry Referring to Mr Uptime's contention about precedents, Mr Wilford submitted that on all questions of Constitutional us&je, people must not go too far back for prcced ents. It was undoubtedly true that it was competent in the present instance to make a newprecedent if the circumstances of the case were so peculiar as to warrant it. In his opinion, though, it could not be denied that Ministers had the power to carry on. It was better that they should resign in accordance with Constitutional usage, especially as a few formalities on Sir Joseph Ward's return would place him at the liead of affairs. FILLING THE VACANCY. "THE MECCA OP LIBERALISM." PEB PBESS ASSOCIATION. Hokitika, Jane 14. In an interview with a representative of the Hokitika " Guardian," Jlr J. A. I Murdoch, Mayor of Kumara, em- ' phatically denied the statement made by jl Greymouth paper that ho was likely to content the Westlaud constituency with Mr H. L. Michel, Mayor of Hokitika. He asserted thatno one had the slightest authority to circulate such a statement. Mr Murdoch thinks it most premature to discuss the subject. When the proper time arrives he will give his support to a suggestion made [that a member of the late Premier's family should be offered the seat. ' •

A prominent Dunedin journalist, in a wire to Mr Mandl, ex-Mayor of Hokitika, and one of Mr Sjdlon's most intimate friends, suggests that Westland should receive the late Premier's remains and become the 'Mecca of Liberalism.' Feeling throughout the district falls in with this suggestion.