The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-05 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

We are in possession of full files of papers and
adviees from Melbourne to the 15th March, and
Sydney 11th March, brought by the steamship
European at Suez, and forwarded to England via
Marseilles. The news is one month later than

that previously to hand, and we proceed to lay
before our readers a condensed summary of the

cading events

POLITICAL CRISIS IS VICTORIA.—TIIC colony was
passing through what might be almost termed a
political revolution. On the night of the 3rl
March the Haines Ministry sustained such a
signal defeat in the assembly, that it left them no
alternative but immediate resignation, and they
resigned accordingly. A new administration under
the leadership of Mr. O'Shanassy, was im-
mediately formed ; and that gentleman was the
Chief Secretary of Victoria. We shall briefly
narrate the circumstances which led to this very
important and significant event. The Haines
Cabinet was the first ostensibly responsible ministry
established in Victoria. They got themselves, on

the arrival of the New Constitution, " released from
office on political grounds," and re-appointed by
the Governor, without submitting to the ordeal of
popular election. The old Legislative Council,
then in session, protested against that course ; but,
a division being taken on the question, the,ministry
carried it against the representative
,members by a
bare majority of one. On the strength of that
victory they carried on the government for another

- -
twelvemonths, purposely postponing the assem-
bling of the new parliament to the very
latest moment allowed by law. At the beginning
of the present (its first) session' in November last,
they met the parliament with an assumed air of
great confidence in the strength of their position,
and laid before it a very extensive programme of
projected measures. Every dispositiOn was evinced
by the Assembly to allow them the fullest advantage
of their situation- The opposition, though numerous
and powerful, were not eager to displaCe theni from
office, nor did they show any disposition for fac-
tiously thwarting their measures i on the contrary'
they cordially joined with them inforwarding the
practical business of public affairs. Put as the
session advancld it became more and more-evident
that, in spite of their imposing programme and
assumed confidence, the Haines catinet were
rently incapable from sheer intellectual Weakness
of conducting the government of the country
Such is the language of the Melbourne Age. This
paper also states :
They (the Ministry) were especially weak on the all-
important point of finance. Day after day fresh revela-
tions were made to the Assembly and the country of
serious and unpardonable errors in their management of
the public revenues. One day they had to acknowledge
an unauthorised appropriation of several hundred thousand
pounds ; and on another, they had to confess that their
estimates of revenue for the current year were too high,
and would require to be supplemented by the extraordi-
nary means of not spending the greater portion of a large
grant just voted by the house fora special purpose
Instances of this financial blundering continually accumu-
lating, and proving beyond doubt their total incapacity
for their position, dissipated completely all public confi-
dence in the Haines ministry. Their warmest friends
were left without a single word even of apology for them.
It was felt that their doom was sealed. It was on all
hands acknowledged that t heir continuance in office would
prove positively ruinous to the country.
From the Age we take the following particulars
of the last days of the Haines ministry :-
1 (At length, the inevitable day of reckoning arrived.