New Zealand Times. TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1874.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4184, 18 August 1874, Page 2

New Zealand Times. TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1874.

The length to -which on Parliamentary report extends to-day compels ns to withhold a leader and items of local intelligence.

The opposition to the Government on the question of the abolition of Provincialism in the North Island appears now to have assumed form and shape. Mr. Reeves, in opening the debate yesterday afternoon, stated that he did not do so as leader of the Opposition, but simply because of his strong feelings in favor of Provincialism. Hr. pitzherbert, it is understood, is the recognised leader of the parties who have now combined tbeir forces in opposition to the Ministry. Mr. Reeves spoke for over an hour in a hesitating and ineffective manner, to prove that the resolutions were introduced under feelings of irritation, without preparation and at an inopportune time, and that they would be mischievous in their operation, and a failure, while the present Parliament, elected on a policy of public works, had no moral right to deal with great constitutional changes. The steamer Tararua, which sails from Wellington on Friday, the 28th inst., will convey the next mail from New Zealand for Europe, the temporary disarrangement of the San Francisco service rendering it necessary for the Post Office Department of the Colony to avail itself of the Suez route. The steamer Cyphrenes, now in Auckland, is expected to leave for Sydney to-day, telegrams for transmission thither being receivable up to 1 p.m. In our telegraphic news will be found a letter addressed by Mr. Russell to the Canterbury Press on the subject of the Sau Francisco service, which, it is to he hoped, is only very temporarily interrupted, and will very shortly be resumed. According to present advices, the New South Wales Government seem determined to carry on a service which has already proved of inestimable value to all the Colonies. The debate on the resolutions proposed by the Premier for the abolition of Provincialism in the North Island was resumed in the House shortly before three o’clock yesterday afternoon by Mr. Reeves, who moved the previous question. He was followed by Major Atkinson andMr.M‘Gillivray,whosupportedthe resolutions, and Mr. Curtis, Mr. Thomson, Mr. J. L. Gillies, and Mr. Donald Reid, who supported the amendment. Shortly after eleven o’clock the adjournment of the debate was moved by Mr. Macandrew and agreeed to. The discussion will be resumed to-day, shortly after three o’clock, it being the second order of the day. The interest taken in the debate on the important question now before Parliament in the Lower House was evinced by.the largeness of the attendance there yesterday. There was a strong muster of members when the House met; the ladies’ gallery was unusually well filled ; in the Council gallery there was a considerable attendance; and the strangers’ gallery was unusually full for so early an hour, strangers not generally mustering in force until after dinner. The s.s, Omeo, Captain Calder, arrived at the wharf at midnight. Considerable anxiety hid been felt during the day respecting this steamer, as she was reported as having left Lyttelton at 10.10 p.m. on the- loth, and a number of people waited on the wharf up to a late hour on Sunday night expecting her in. Yesterday morning a telegram was received in Wellington stating that a large steamer was some distance off the Kaikouras, and it was immediately concluded that it must be the Omeo. As she was not signalled during the day, instructions were sent down by the Government to Captain Fairchild, of the p.s. Luna, to proceed out in search of her, as it was surmised that her engines had broken down, and that she would need assistance to reach the harbor. The Luna left about half-past four in the evening, but did not fall in with the Melbourne steamer. Most probably Captain Fairchild would make for the Kaikouras, where this morning he will learn by telegraph of the safe arrival of the Omeo, and immediately return. The delay was not caused by any breakdown, but is attributable to the ffiots that the steamer has been considerably reduced in steam ; her boilers are out of order ; it is some time since she was in dock; and for thirty hours after leaving Lyttelton she had a strong westerly gale, in which she could make no headway. On her return to Melbourne, the Omeo will be put in dock and undergo a thorough overhaul.