New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4510, 3 September 1875, Page 2

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3.

We are not quite certain that we understand the Ministerial statement made last night by the Hon. Major Atkinson. Hfs remarks will be found in our report of the parliamentary proceedings. He intimated that although the Government could not accept the amendments, of which notice had been given by Mr. Macandbbw, the Government would go much further in the same direction than that gentleman proposed to go. A Bill would be introduced dividing among the various provinces their share of the land fund, and handing it over to Boards of Works to be appointed under it. A Bill would likewise be introduced constituting and confirming the existing Education Boards, and handing over to them all the properties and reserves which are at present vested in them for educational purposes. Until we have seen these Bills we do not care to offer any opinion as to their general effect upon the policy of provincial abolition, or the allocation of revenue under the Abolition of Provinces Bill. They may run on all fours with that measure, and we infer that they do from the subsequent declaration of Major Atkinson ; hut at the first blush it seems probable that the Bin now before the House will undergo some very radical change in committee to make it fit into the proposed measures. One of the most pressing wants of the colony is a national system of education, and a strong recommendation in favor of provincial abolition was the promise which it gave that education should be made a colonial charge. If, however, we understand the effect of the proposed Bill dealing with education, anything like a uniform school system for New Zealand would be impossible. We may be wrong in this supposition, and we sincerely hope the event may prove that we are in error ; hut we cannot avoid thinking that in this matter the Government have made an unnecessary and unwise concession. The sense of the country is clearly in favor of a general scheme of education, embracing the whole colony, and placing every part of it on an equal footing as to educational appliances and funds. Any proposal which falls short of this, must of necessity create widespread dissatisfaction. Touching the proposal to create Boards of Works, and endow these with that portion of the land revenue which the Abolition of Provinces Bill provided should be appropriated by the General Assembly for public works and immigration within provincial districts, (which is what we take the proposal to mean,) it is in the direction of local administration, but would appear to be unnecessary if the Local Government Bill is to be proceeded with in its present shape. As we said at the outset, however, we do not quite understand the effect of the Ministerial proposals, and must await further developments. It is, however, at all times a difficult movement to change front during a general engagement, and it should never be attempted unless under the pressure of imminent danger, and with the most disciplined of forces in hand. Now, the Government carried the second reading of their Bill by an overwhelming majority. They have encountered as yet no formidable opposition, and the country is unmistakeably in favor of the abolition of the provinces. The necessity for the promised Bills is not therefore so pressingly apparent. Legislation in the direction indicated may be needed, but it did not appear to be necessary from anything which fell from Ministers hitherto during the debate. We await fuller information, however, before expressing any decided opinion on the merits of the proposals.