THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2019, 24 June 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 1875.

:The telegram from Christchurch in yesterday's issue would appear to confirm Hh&* rumours -that have been,,, current regarding the intentions of Mr E. W. Stafford in the next Parliament. Since the newt was received that the Premier would not be able to "return to the Colony in time to take his seat at the opening of the Assembly, speculation has been rife a* to the fate of the Ministry; and their probable successors in case of defeat. The names which have been most prominently brought forward as likely to be leaders are those of Sir George Grey and the Hon. Mr Stafford. With^regard to' the former we see not the remotest probability of his assuming a prominent \ position as a leader of the Opposition, or !as. the head of a new Government. Sir : GedrgeGrey: will no \clotibt ?at once take up in the House a position of importance, but judging by his utterances we cannot see in what direction he is going; to acquire any large following. His extreme views on the land fund will prevent his coalition with the ultra-provincialists of the .South, and the declared opinions,of. a \ majority of the/ House on the abolition l: question—so different from Sir George's— \ will .not permit the idea to be entertained ithat the: Superintendent ;pf Auckland ; will his influence by moving in this ; and he is top miich.attached to jhi* convictions to sacrifice them in order to \ influence a party. On the othor hand, if tho \ present Minisi try ; < shpuld have to; succumb? iMr Stafford would stand a good chance jof being called upon to form a Government. He is much more of a Centralist than any evenoftlie 1 present"Government, and in his views on this question he has been consistent. If we remember rightly it was Mr Stafford's government that introduced and carried through the House the New Provinces^Actj aridf it wasf MrStafford —"then, in 1859, a declared —who said that lie supported ;the measure because itiJwpuld than ;anything else telid'toTiasten the ultimate sweeping away of the Provinces. If Mr Stafford has not changed his views he will advocate;the entire abolition of the iProvinces. In that he would be warmly supported by—we believe—a majority, and his well-known influence as a leader will, if he exerts it, be successful in gathering around him a powerful following. :Siir Greprge.jGrey has. little sympathy 'with the wealthy Southern Provinces. 'He seeks to alter the disposition of the iLand Fund—a fact "in itselfC siifficientrto? | get up the backs of tho Provincial parties in Otago and Canterbury. He will have to modify his view regarding the land fund and the abolition proposals before he can hope to rally round him a party of any kind. Mr 'Stafford has no uphill game ; to' play. He has been known for years as a staunch Centralist, and if he should see fit to oppose the recommendations of the present Ministry on the score that they do not go far enough, Mr Stafford will probably gain friends enough to enable. him to take the Premier's place if he desires it. Mr Stafford is no stranger to the political arid if ithere isj to be a change' Of Ministry we believe the charge of forming the same will fall to the lot of the member for Timaru.

We hare heard that Mr William Eowe, as chairman of the Waiotahi District Board, is endeavouring to throw obstacles in the way of handing over the water supply to the Borough •- Council. Mr Eowe has on several occasions in the Council been betrayed into tho expression of rather eccentric views, not at all compatiblo with what most people interested in the Borough conceive to.be required of a Councillor; noticeably on the question of the foreshore. There is'no reason why the interests of the Borough should collide with-tho interests" of the Waiotahi District; but it does seem that Mr Eowe looks upon their interests as decidedly inimical, and that he experiences the difficulty- of -serving two masters. The burgesses are beginning to feel this, at any rate; and a conviction is gaining ground that Mr Eowe would best consult his own comfort, and the'welfare of the two bodies of which he is such a distinguished member, by retiring from one or the other.

The Waiotahi road; about which so much j was said at the time it was.being made ! and since, is again occupying somo attention. We hear that the question is to-be brought before the Borough Council this evening with a view to a united representation to the Superintendent to get the road completed up, to Nolan's Candlelight. The portion of the Waiotabi road already formed, as. has j been; said before, begins nowbere and ends nowhere. Its construction was characterised as a' job, because it was made alongside an expensively built tramway, and for the reason that the vote,: for its making was obtained, against thp expressed convictions of the Thames representatives. Now, however, it would appear* that the piece of road is likely to form.a portion of a maiujgoldfields road'leading to, an important auriferous .district that ;is virtually closed in; consequence of want of the means of/communication. It is ■contended that the Tramway is practically-■• useless, being unsafe and too expensive to use for the transport of quartz ; and it is now sought to connect Pollen street with the lower end of the Waiotahi road, such connection

to be dono by tho Borough Council. The Waiotahi Board will spon have the road completed to a spot known as the Devil's Elbow; and the next conpidera* tion is to continue the road up to Nelan's Candlelight claim, so that the many mines on tho way may be able to send their quartz to the mills. At present the cost of carting quart? is, wo learn, from 18s to 20s a ton, at which rale it does not pay to crush. We know that several miner are now idle that might be working but for the expenses attending the transit of quartz. One claim has 90 tons of stuff to send down. Other arguments are advanced to show the necessity of the work. The matter will-be referred to in the Council to-night, and it is probable that some united action niay be decided upon to try and compass the completion of the work. The question of means is a tough one, and will not readily be got over, even if a decision become to that the work is necessary.