The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1382.

Temuka Leader, Issue 9419, 23 May 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1382.

The fo'lowirig explanation of the late Ministerial resignation has been telegraphed from Auckland to the Lyttelton Times :—The Herald, in an article headed " The Recent Ministerial Embroglio Sure and Full Particulars at Last," after recapitulating the history of affairs up to Ministers assembling in Auckland, gives the sequel, which throws new light on the mode of resignation of Ministers, aud the motives leading up to some of the resignations :—" Mr Whitaker was walking along the streets of Auckland, when a telegraphic messenger came up to him with a message. On opening it Mr Whitaker found it to be from Mr Hall, and written in the cypher which Ministers were in the habit of using in their comminications by wire to each other. Mr Whitaker had not his code with him to read the telegram and being desirous to catch the other Ministers at Cambridge, ha forwarded the telegram at once to them as he received it. As it happened, it wis more particularly meant for Mr Whitaker himself, with whom the Premier was in the habit of frequently communicating in a confidential strain. However, this teleg -am was put into the hands of the Ministers at Cambridge just as they were on the point of starting for Matamata. The message was read by M : nisters in a rough manner by the cypher to the effect that the writer was afraid, unless the Governor ' turned over a new leaf/ they would get into troubie. Mr Bryco had some misgivings, and took the message, and read it ca.efuUy by h : s own code. There he found the word w'.roh h?d been read 'Governor was really 'Bryce.' The fact was, the telegram was one addressed to Mi' Whitaker, and meant tbr.t unless Mr 8.-yce turned over a new leaf he would get into trouble, not with his co !, eagues, but with the Governor. However, telegrams are frequently not explicit or clear, and are fe-.-e'e sou;ces of misuaocisiaiidlng, especiaiy when couched in cypher. Mr Bryce, thinking the telegram especia'ly addressed to him, was in high dudgeon that after being invited to come back to the Cabinet he should be told to turn over a new leaf. This he resolved not to do. The three Ministers went on to Matamaia, but, as we all know, Major Atkinson and Mr Bryce started from the ; e early ne-'.t morning for Auckland. Mr Bi'yce wrote his resignation in the train ao.d sent it to Mr Hall. When Ministers assembled in Auckland, they consulted on the position of affairs and cleared up the misunderstanding that had aisen. In the meantime Mr Hall w.s confined to his bed, quite unable to undertake any business, and was more than ever anxious to resign at once. It was then determined that consent should be given to the Premier's resignation, and Mr Whitaker be recommended to be sent for. Mr HaU telegraphed making explanations re spectin g this which cleared up a misunderstanding. Mr Bryce withdrew his former resignation, and the resignations of all the Cabinet were transmitted to His Excellency." This explains the great mystery connected with the late Ministerial crisis, and berrsoutour assertion that disagreements in the Cabinet were the m?.in cause of the sudden and unexpected rupture.

Somebody lias said that language was given to man to conceal his thoughts- The Governor's SDecch appears to hare been written on this principal, for no one can do more than guess at its meaning. There is nothing in it clear and definite. We are told that railways are to be made and extended, but not a word is said about ways and means. Could not Ministers boldly tell how they mean carrying out public works ? Could they not tell whether they intend borrowing more money,or whether the surplus from last year's revenue was so large that it would enablo them to do the work without incurring further liability 1 Surely if they have matured plans for extending railways, they have also thought over how they are to get the means, and it appears very cowardly on their part if they fear to place their intentions before the public. It appears to us that making such a great secret of their intentions is calculated to weaken confidence in them, for it will make people think that they do not believe in their proposals themselves when they are afraid to place them before Parliament, and that their fear arises from a consciousness that they will not satisfy public desire. But who could expect anything straightforward or manly from a Government with Mr Whitaker at the head of it. That gentleman is the greatest shuffler that ever entered Parliament, and u

doubt it is to him the stupidity of the speech is due. What is the meaning of this : "My advisers are of opinion that a plan for leasing agricultural lands -with fixity of tenure, upon reasonable terms, may -with advantage be incorporated into the genera system of administering the Crown lands of the Colony, and a measure will be submitted with this object" ? " Fixity of tenure, on reasonable terms," means, so far as we can

understand, a tenure that will last so long as the tenant pays his rent. Surely the Government do not _ intend to hand over the Crown lands of the Colony on these term 3 ? Surely they are not trying to fix the present holders of Crown land leases on the land while they pay the nominal rental charged at present ? It cannot be. We prefer feeling hat we do not understand the meaning of this paragraph, than to believe that they connive at handing over the patrimony of the people in this manner. The population of this Colony is increasing, and with it the dsmand for land, and it cannot be that the little of good land remaining is to be locked, up from them. All that we can say is that the Governor's speech is the most stupid production we have read, and it reflects discredit upon the literary capabilities as well as the straightforwardness of the Ministry who drafted it. When Sir Hercules Robinson was Governor he got a speech, of a similar kind to read but he sat down quietly, and put it in intelligible English before delivering it. Sir Arthur Gordon ought to haye done the same. It is humiliating to see such a production emanating from the concentrated essence of the collective wisdom of the Colony.