THE, Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1876.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXI, Issue 2321, 18 January 1876, Page 2

THE, Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY , JANUARY 18, 1876.

The elections are gradually coming to a close, and it becomes interesting to ex. amine how far the results are likely to affect the present Ministry, and the policy they presented, for the acceptance of the country in the Abolition of Provinces Act. It is tolerably certain that the Government will not command the majority they had last session, but it ia as certain that no attempt will be made by the Opposition to repeal the Abolition Act. It appears to be generally regarded as ah accomplished fact that the system of Provincial Government is practically at an end, and that it would be foolish and futile to attempt to reverse the decision of Parliament. Upon this question, should anyone be so indiscreet as to raise the issue again, the Ministry would have an overwhelming majority, but it is mo-re than doubtful if they will command tha-t majority with regard to their Local Government Bill, and there are many questions of finance and administration generally which could only be touched on last session that will come forward for serious debate and hostile discussion. And there is the fact that the "ins" have had a long term of office, and the " outs" are getting impatient. But vp On

what special ground the Parliamentary fight will take place we cannot tell. It may be the question of Separation, it may be upon the question of consolidating the land revenue, it may be upon the reduction or alteration of taxation, or it may be upon all these questions combined. As to the division of the Colony into two Provinces with a Federal Government at Wellington, it is impossible that such an act of madness can succeed, and we cannot think that either Mr Macandrew or Sir. George Grey seriously believe in their own proposals. They are simply brought forward as claptrap, and having answered their temporary political purpose, will be cast aside as no longer wanted. But upon the question of the consolidation of the land fund there mu3t inevitably be a hot and bitter conflict, for the inequalities and injustice of the existing system are every day becoming more glaring. For instance, look at the latest example : — the gold-fields revenue of Auckland that is urgently needed for necessary public works on the gold-fields was ruthlessly stopped by the General Government the other day to pay the interest on the Auckland and Mercer Railway, because the law says that any deficiencies shall be charged against the land fund. And all this time Canterbury and Otago are wallowing in wealth which properly should belong to the Colony as a whole. But the Government have pledged themselves that the compact of 1856 shall be maintained intact, so that the only hope of those who desire to see it annulled lies in the uuseating of the Ministry. But on the other hand, it is not likely that any party Btrong enough to do this can be got together, for Mr Majandrew and his followers would fight as hard for tne localisation of the land revenue as they fought against the Abolition of Provinces Act, and only the North Island members and a few from the South would be opposed to them. So it will be seen that at any rate this land question will produce some peculiar complications. On the subject of taxation, however, there can be no doubt that the Opposition will unite, and they will attack the Government upon the grounds of reckless and wasteful expenditure, and will resist any attempt to increase the public burden. We do not believe that the Colonial Treasurer will be able to effect any reductions in the tariff. His estimated surplus is already vanishing as each quarter's returns are published, and he will have to meet all the additional demands on the Treasury which the subsidies to local bodies and the maintenance of departments hitherto supported by the Provinces must create. .Then again, there is the Local Government Bill, with which the Opposition are so much dissatisfied, and which they will, no doubt, attempt to upset by counter proposals of their own, the nature of which, however, they decline to announce. Altogether there seems to be as nice a nest of difficulties as the Ministry ever had to encounter, and it is quite on the cards that a change of Government will take place in the first session of the new Parliament. Mr Stafford, who nursed the Ministry through last session, did so simply in order to secure the passing of the Abolition Bill. On numerous important questions — finance and general administration — the Government have not a keener or more unfavorable critic than the member for Timaru, and it may be expected that he will assume a very different attitude towards them next session. But if Mr Stafford has any idea of again taking office, he, like Mr Macandrew and Sir George Grey, conceals his policy. At the meeting of his constituents at Timaru a few weeks ago it was expected that he would have disclosed hig views upon political subjects, but his speech referred to nothing but the purely local affairs of the district, chief of which was the construction of a breakwater at Timaru. He uttered not a word upon any of the great questions of the day, and he left the Colony, which had been on the tiptoe of expectation, in disappointment. But this very reticence is to our mind indicative of a purpose. If Mr Stafford had made up his mind not to take office, he would have had a good deal to say upon the policy of the Government and the election cries of the Opposition, but as no doubt he sees that he may be called upon once again to take the reins of Government, he abstained from saying anything that might compromise himself. Sir George Grey refuses to disclose his policy, so that all the country has before it is the Local Government policy of the Ministry. One thing appears to be pretty certain, and that is I that the next session will be one of the hottest that has occurred in the history of New Zealand.