The Timaru Herald. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1868.

Timaru Herald, Volume IX, Issue 343, 9 September 1868, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1868.

The pressure on our space will not permit us to notice at iiny length the important news from Wellington. It jauy J»e- briefly summarised us follows : ihe Opjwsition assert that they have .detached some of the Government supporters from Mr Stafford, the principal ones being- Messrs McLean nnd Ormond, of Hawkes Bay, and Mr .Curtis, the Superintendent" of Nelson. Of course, Mr McLean takes with him three of the Maori members, who are prepared, it is asserted, to vote against the Ministry on Mr Fox's motion, which cpm.es on to-day, Mr Fox and Jiis pnr.tv hope the motion will he carried, tut are likely to quarrel over the division of tha spoil — Mr Stevens and Mr Vogol both claiming' the Treaeurerahip. The Opposition are also prepared with a " policy," which fg tQ sever the financial connexion between the provinces and the colony f 1 gradually ?' and to permit local government to be granted to outlying /districts by Provincial Councils ! The Ministry, on the*6ther hand, are prepared with a special Bill to create, 1 imam, Wanganui, and Ouninru /counties, with fifty per cent, of their revenue, and ore considering how other ■" counties" shall bo formed, whether pn tlio request of die people of the locality, or whether on the request of Provincial Councils, They also propose to take »11 legislative powers from jthe provinces. If Ministers are defeated, an appeal will be made to the country .on the question of " counties, or no counties." We are prutty certain of the answer whf.eu wpuld be rettirned. The public have now before them Mr Fox's idea of "local government." God help the outlying districts if he should come into power ! They would then be thrown under the tender mercies of the provincial centres, and be plundered to prop up provincialism a little longer; and Vhen there was nothing left for the outlying districts to improFß their estate with, they would probably obtain the gracious permission pf Mr Fox to use their own local revenues. The accession to office of such reckless men as Fox and Yogel, at the pre&ant juncture of afifcirs, would completely dawn the future of the colony. New Zealand is now^suffering from the eyils of a " little wnr bill" contracted principally, by Mr Fox, to the extent of about three millions, and will feel the prostrating effects of his former policy for many many years. $ure)y we have hud enough of native Urats, and of Mr Fox for the present. As we have before stated we h,aye little iear of the result of an appeal to the country on an intelligi^e policy. Counties will win the day, and if Mr Fox's rootioo is carried, it is the duty pf Mipisters to appea} at once to the