1884–1887 Stout–Vogel Ministry

Stout–Vogel Ministry
Stout–Vogel Ministry
ministries of New Zealand
1884–1887
Date formed	3 September 1884
Date dissolved	8 October 1887
People and organisations
Head of state	Victoria
Head of government	Robert Stout
Deputy head of government	Julius Vogel
Member party	Stout–Vogelites
Opposition party	Conservatives
Opposition leader	Harry Atkinson;
History
Election	1884 general election;
Predecessor	1884 Atkinson Ministry
Successor	1887–1891 Atkinson Ministry

The Stout–Vogel Ministry was the second responsible government to be formed in New Zealand. It formed in September 1884 and governed until October 1887. From the outset, Robert Stout served as Prime Minister as well as Attorney-General whilst Julius Vogel held the post of Minister of Finance. Initially, the ministry had lasted only two weeks, with Harry Atkinson managing to pass a vote of no confidence against Stout. However, Atkinson failed to establish his own government, and was supplanted by Stout and Vogel who remained in power for the next three years.

Background

Vogel had the larger following in the coalition, but his poor health caused him to yield the premiership to Stout. Regardless, many observers still saw Vogel as the more dominant partner in the alliance. Both men were highly active in building consensus between the growing labour movement and middle-class liberalism. Both leaders were likeminded on social policy, however frequently clashed over financial policy.^[1]

At the time the ministry was formed, New Zealand was in a prolonged economic recession. As Treasurer, Vogel did what he could to promote recovery, including borrowing, though with little success. The initially hopeful populace lost faith that the government could restore economic prosperity, viewing that retrenchment was the only solution, not expansionism. Atkinson passed another motion of no confidence against the government on 28 May 1887. Stout was granted a dissolution, but the subsequent election went against the Ministry and Stout himself suffered the indignity of losing his own seat.^[2]

Ministers

The following members served in the reconstructed Stout–Vogel Ministry:^[3]

Name	Office	Term
Sir Robert Stout	Prime Minister	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
	Attorney-General	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
	Minister of Education	8 January 1885 – 8 October 1887
Sir Julius Vogel	Minister of Finance	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
	Postmaster-General	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
	Commissioner of Trade and Customs	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
	Commissioner of Telegraphs	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
	Commissioner of Stamp Duties	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
Edward Richardson, MLC	Minister of Public Works	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
John Ballance	Minister of Native Affairs	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
	Minister of Defence	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
	Minister of Lands	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
	Minister of Immigration	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
Joseph Tole	Minister of Justice	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
Patrick Buckley, MLC	Colonial Secretary	3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887
William Reynolds	Member of Executive Council	3 September 1884 – 3 January 1885
William Reynolds	Member of Executive Council	3 June 1886 – 8 October 1887
William Larnach	Minister of Mines	5 January 1885 – 8 October 1887
William Larnach	Minister of Marine	5 January 1885 – 8 October 1887

Notes

^ Sinclair, Keith; Dalziel, Raewyn. "Vogel, Julius". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
^ Hamer, David. "Stout, Robert". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
^ Wilson 1985, pp. 69–70.

References

Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.