THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1051, 4 March 1873, Page 2

THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.

As tending to throw some light upo\ the present complication of affairs political at Wellington, the following extract will be read with interest : The Wellington correspondent of the ' Otago Daily Times,' writing on the subject of Mr Hall's intended de. parture by the Nebraska says: —' Hia resignation will be a great loss to the Ministry, and is not unlikely to bring about something in the shape of a crisis. Mr Waterhouse will, I believe, succeed Mr Hall iu his departmental office ; but in order to keep up the balance between the two islands in the Cabinet, a new Middle Island member will have to be added to the Ministry. Under ordinary circumstances this might not be a matter of very much difficulty, but the circumstances are not ordinary. It will be remembered that last session Mr J. Shephard, of Nelson, underwent a rather sudden i political conversion, and it was rumored that the cause was a promise of a seat in the Ministry. The rumor even took the shape of naming Mr Shephard's probable portfolio, that of Minister of Mines. These rumors at last assumed such a consistency that a deputation of goldfields members very plainly intimated to the Government that they would rather not have a Minister of Mines at all than have one in the per. son of Mr Joseph Shephard. Then the rumor died away, but it now turns out that there was some truth in it, and that Mr Vogel did promise Mr Shephard the first vacant seat in the Cabinet. This promise is said to have been unknown to Mr Waterhouse and some other members of the Ministry until lately, when, on Mr Hall's retirement being intimated, Mr Shephard claimed its fulfilment, and pointed out that he was now quite free to devote himself to the duties, as he had resigned his office of Provincial Treasurei of Nelson. The Ministry are rathei in a fix over the matter. They are bj no means anxious to enjoy the assistance of Mr Shephard as a colleague, and yet they don't very well see how to escape. At any rate, Ido not think that any new member will be taken in until Mr Vogel and Mr Reynold! return j and even then I fear Mr Shephard's ambition will scarcely be gratified. Of course, if he does sjf sit on the Ministerial benches, it wii only cost him one turn more to agaii cross to the Opposition side of til House; but to lose his vote wouli probably be better than to lose the numerous votes which would almoi certainly be lost if Mr Shephard be came a Minister. It is said that % H. A. Atkinson, the member fo Egmont, will be found on the Govern ment side of the House next year, am would have no objection to sit on til Government benches.