THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." [Established November 15, 1861.] DUNEDIN TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1867

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23517, 4 June 1938, Page 26

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." [Established November 15, 1861.] DUNEDIN TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1867

SEVENTY-ONE YEARS AGO

SUMMARY FOR EUROPE The near approach of the meeting of the Assembly the 9th of July, naturally arouses a great deal of speculation as to its proceedings. It generally happens that the precise subjects which, previous to the sesr. sion, it is expected will occupy most attention are easily disposed of, whilst during the session there usually crops, up some unexpected bone of contention. According to present appearances Otago’s quarrel seems likely to be the great subject of the session; but when the time comes, its main point may be briefly decided, and the discussions wander off into channels not now antich pated. That questions affecting the relations between the General and Provincial Governments will be brought forward and freely discussed, there can be no doubt; but it is impossible to .conjecture which will be the leading phase of the subject. There are a dozen different points round which the largest at-

tention may centre, and the first decided, the rest may be virtually disposed of by the victory of the Provincial party For instance, the whole Provincial quarrel may be fought out on a proposal by the General Government to absorb the Police Forces. Or there may be the famous Municipal substitute for General Government, or the policy shadowed forth by Captain Atkinson, of the General Government undertaking the Government of the smaller Provinces; or the proposal may come from the Provincialists to secure to the Provinces a fixed share of the Revenues, or that the loans should be consolidated upon the security of such fixed Revenues, or that the delegation of certain powers, the Goldfields amongst others, should no longer remain optional. All or any of these may take the wind out of the sail? of the Government, and make them glad to retire fndeed, there is a very likely contingency which m a y Pfocede anything else, and that is the breaking up of Rie Ministry, To those who remember the bitter aversion in which M r Stafford’s colleagues held him, and the circumstances under which they joined him. and recollect, moreover, that • the promises of last session in respect to the disposal of the Native difficulty, are almost wholly unfulfilled, it will be more surprising that the Government should hold together than that it should break up. . This much, at least, may b e said, the present Ministry i? not bound together by an agreement of opinion. . ,