THE Inangahua Times, PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 1882.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1077, 21 April 1882, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times, PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 1882.

After all, the Governor has found it advisable to commission Mr. Whitaker with the reconstruction of the Ministry, and has had to succumb, however unwillingly, to constitutional practice. As has been previously stated the late Government, when it was found impossible for the Hon. John Hall to retain; the Premiership, unanimously arranged that on his retirement Mr Whitaker should be recommended to his Excellency to form a Ministry, and all the Cabinet agreed to serve under his leadership. In accordance with this compact, the Hon. John Hall on tendering his resignation, attempted to recommend Mr, Whitaker as his successor, but the high-handed way in which his messenger, the -Hon. the Postmaster-General, was treated, has already been stated, and is now a matter of history. That he made a grave mistake he evidently has already found out, and in a most clumsy and odd fashion has taken some trouble to make an explanation of the reasons actuating him, none of which bear the impress either of truth or reason. Throughout the whole Colony there has been a perfect howl of indignation at the course he pursued, and singular to say the entire Press, holding both Ministerial and Opposition views, have been unanimous in condemning his conduct in the matter. Even, if late in the day, it is well that he has retracted, and there is little doubt that the new Whitaker administration will present a fair front to the Opposition when Parliament meets, and that the recall to office of the present Government, will give general satisfaction both at home and abroad. It would have been in the highest degree inconvenient, and would have vastly delayed public business if there had been any change jon the eve of Parliament meeting. One consequence of a new Ministry being formed would have been inevitable further prorogation, and even then the new comers would certainly have been met with an early vote of want of confidence and under Sir George Grey have been unquestionably defeated, involving still further delay. It is, therefore, well as it is, and " all's well that ends well. " But what about Sir George Grey ? If ever an unhappy knight has been illused, and made a fool of, Sir George is the man. To have office held out to him, as it were, and then to be told, after all, that he is not wanted, and that his Excellency will give the benefit of the doubt to the present Ministry is altogether too bad, and if Sir George Grey does not resent the treatment he has met with in some way or other, we are very much mistaken. Though his loss is the country's gain, it is very certain that he has just grounds of complaint against Sir Arthur Gordon. Without doubt it was the original intention of his Excellency to entrust Sir George Grey with the task of forming a Ministry, and it was only when he found what a storm he had raised, that he so unceremoniously threw him overboard, and after calling on him to hasten to Wellington told him that he did not require him. The false alarm, however, is by no means unlikely to kajfc. the, .Qpjw^oimHpre, .firmly *°^ gather, ancl thY negotiations that have ■resulted will very likely so consolidate them' that they may agree on a leader. Should this be the case it will be found that the Governor was so far right in saying that parties are very nearly balanced, ancl a leader once recognised, the seats of the Whitaker administration are by no means safe.