The Second StoutâÂÂVogel Ministry was a responsible government in New Zealand that was 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.
This ministry entered power less than a week after the short-lived First StoutâÂÂVogel Ministry fell. It had lasted only a fortnight, with James William Thomson moving a vote of no confidence against Stout; Harry Atkinson then formed his fourth ministry. However, Atkinson also failed to win the confidence of parliament, and Stout and Vogel supplanted him and remained in power for the next three years.
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.
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.
The following members served in the reconstructed StoutâÂÂVogel Ministry: