The Globe. FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1875.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 365, 13 August 1875, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1875.

The debate on the second reading of the Abolition of the Provinces Bill still drags its slow length along. Many members of the House of Representatives have yet to make a public statement of their views on the question, and with the well-known talking power of the New Zealand Parliament, we are led to wonder when the debate will close. Mr Pitzherbert has yet to heard, and it is certain that his speech will be of no inconsiderable length, and will take up the time of the House for many hours. There are also other members Avho no doubt will deem it a duty, both to themselves and to their constituents, to indulge in the questionable luxury of speaking, more or less to the point, for some hours at least. But with all the eloquence that has already been expended, both for and against the Bill, we question very much if an ex perienced observer of the manners and customs of the House of Represent a tives, could not, even now, draw out an accurate division list, as it will ap-

pear when the second reading is carried. The speeches that the members who have not yet spoken on the question, will deliver in their turn, will not influence a vote. The conclusion is just as much foregone as it was on the evening that the debate opened. The Government are determined to carry the measure through this session, and they have a majority which will enable them to do so. They may have lost a supporter or two since last session, but on the other hand they have gained about the same number of adherents, and they can count every vote in the House with the utmost certainty. It is not to be expected that the resolutions passed at any of the public meetings held in either of the islands will affect the determination of the Ministry. Of these meetings, that in Christchurch was by an overwhelming majority in favour of immediate abolition, whilst the meeting at Wellington was in favour of the question being submitted to the decision of the electors, by deferring the passing of the Bill until after the approaching general election. But it is worthy of notice that the M.H.R. for Wellington City declined to defer to this opinion, and declared his determination of voting for the Bill, and doing his best to get it carried through the Assembly. If the resolutions of this meeting had no weight with the representative, who had been elected by the votes of many present, it would be idle to suppose that it would be more successful with the Government. If Mr Pearce has any idea of representing Wellington again in the House of Representatives, he must have been persuaded that the resolutions carried at the meeting did not express the views of the majority of the electors, or otherwise he would hardly have put himself in direct opposition to the amendment which we are informed was carried by so large a majority. But whether the member for the city of Wellington is in accord with a majority of his constituents or not, it is evident that his mind is made up, and that he will form one of the followers of the Government in the approaching division. We feel quite certain that every other member of the House has already settled which way he is going to vote on that occasion, and, consequently, that the Government, through their “ whips,” are in a position to say exactly what majority they can command in the forthcoming division.