The Patea Mail. Published Wednesday and saturdays WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1876.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 107, 19 April 1876, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Published Wednesday and saturdays WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1876.

It is now generally understood! that Parliament will meet on or about the 15th June, a month or so earlier than usnal. Whether this arises from the lact that the business is expected to occupy a longer time than hitherto, or that Ministers desire to hurry on Abolition—the Provincial doom being fixed at two clays after the close of the coming sossfom —can only be guessed at; but it is exceedingly probable that both reasons have induced the Government to the step. Without doubt, the coining session will be the most important that has been held since the Constitution Act was granted, for it will, in fact, consummate the amendment of that very Act,, and alter the Constitution, as originally devised, m one of its most loading features. There arc now at least two distinct parties in the Assembly, It may be said that a Provincial ami Anti-Provincial party existed some years ago, the latter being represented by Mr Stafford, but, such a dearly defined and definite policy as the present one,, was never debated till last session, and the linos will be still more unmistakably drawn in the one to come. The fight will be the keenest that ever took place in the New Zealand

Parliament, and it •will be well if some ul‘ the shameful scenes that have recently disgraced the Victorian Legislature be nut repeated in ours. Hie ITovinchilists gained strength at the recent general election, and, though they know that the battle is lost, and that they can but postpone the final evil day, they will make every ellort to do so, or to obtain the best compromise tbev can. Une of these is separation, or "in other words to form ttfo huge provinces, each island comprising one. This proposal, or any modification of it, will not be listened to by the Government party; but the Opposition may, and very likely will, protract matters, as they .did last session, aiid the sitting become almost interminable. It is just on the cards that by some lltike or other, the Government may sailer defeat on some question that they take their stand on, lint which may detach rt few of their usual supporters, and thus give a majority to the other side. In such a case, even if they recommended and obtained a dissolution, the Provincial party would expect to gain by it, for in tlie south they have been organising, whilst there is little or no organisation on the part of the Abolitionists. With Sir George Grey in the north, Mr Muciualrew in the south, and Messrs Pilzherbert and Rolloston as centre pieces, special organs of the press subsidised for the advocacy of Provincialism, a warm opposition can be offered, and it is not at all unlikely that a dissolution would strengthen the hands of that party. In case of there being no dissolution, no Ministry that the present Opposition could gather could stand a week; and on taking office again, the Government would naturally he careful to avoid any rock on which they had previously split. The chief assault will bo on the financial defences, and there certainly will be as close an enquiry into the financial position of the Colony as the strictest economist could desire. That this is by iio means us satisfactory as could be desired, is unquestionable, and will, we fear, he found a weak point. Next to that will he the maimer in which it may be proposed to deal with the land fund, for, despite the compact of 1856, and the assurances that hare bceii given, it may be deemed to the advantage of the Colony to materially depart from both. A bint to that effect lias already been given, thotlgh whether it will be acted on remains to be seen. Another and a great difficulty will he to frame a Local Government Bill, likely to suit even nearly all sections of the House, and such a measure, in the face of pending abolition, must be passed in the coming session, and cannot be held over, as it was last year. It would probably save a great deal of debate, in the House, ami at the same time afford the Government a good deal of assistance in preparing their measure before finally submitting it to Parliament, if a rough draft of the proposed bill, containing all the leading principles, with details, was printed and circulated throughout the colony, in order to give the people an opportunity of expressing an opinion on its provisions, before Parliament meets. Copies might be sent to all Bond Boards, Borough Councils, and other bodies of a cognate nature, with a request that any amendments suggested might be forwarded for consideration. By these means a vast mass of information could be obtained, and the Way for the bill’s passing materially smoothed. With the changes impending, the country cannot be too well informed as to what is proposed for the future- A stormy session is certain, and anything that will break one of its clouds must bo considered in the highest degree desirable.