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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4508, 1 September 1875, Page 2

Progress has been made with the Abolition of Provinces Bill. It has passed through Committee of Supply, which is the first stage in all money bills ; and having been read a second time, is down for Committee of the Whole tomorrow. In committee the debate is likely to be somewhat tedious, but it will be of far greater interest to the country generally than that which took place on the second reading. The discussion will necessarily be of a more practical character. Its bearing on the financial position of the colony will not be the least important feature, and judging from what took place yesterday, the Government will be called upon to defend their proposals at all points. So far, Ministers have been successful in this, and the detailed information promised by them will greatly simplify the proceedings.

Our issue of yesterday contained an extract from the Journal de Gand in reference to recent religious disturbances in Belgium. We have received a letter from “ Observer,” holding us responsible as identifying ourselves with the opinions expressed by the Journal de Gand, and as being accountable for the facts put forward by it. The only reason we can find why “Observer” should identify our opinions with those of the journal we quoted from is, that he himself is apparently perfectly horrified at what we quoted as being in defence of acts which he considers as bad as the murder of Commodore Goodenough. The writing of “ Observer” is suited to his subject so far as it concerns religious disturbance, for it characterises those Belgians of whom he complains as “ ruffians,” “ infernal demagogues,” and “ held up to contempt and execration,” while the Journal de Gand is mildly mentioned as “ a perfidious Press.” Now, we would point out to “Observer” that in quoting from our European contemporary we in no way accepted responsibility for that contemporary, and therefore decline accepting his letter under such a responsibility. We simply gave, for information, a view of a set of circumstances from an authority to which “ Observer” is evidently opposed. That being so, we shall be only too happy to insert anything “ Observer” may have to write so long as he does not endeavor, by a false implication, to put us in a false position. We neither admitted nor denied the statements of the Journal de Gand.