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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2054, 4 August 1875, Page 2

We would not care to go the length of saying that the people of the Colony will declare with one voice for abolition, but we do.think that in-, case of an appeal to the country (he decision of the constituencies would be largely in favor of abolition, more especially since the Government measure was made public, the proposals [of the Government being much more liberal than the most sanguine could have anticipated. The Qtago Guardian in a recent article on the question is confident that the people of Qtago will welcome abolition, and opposes any postponement of the decision. The paper mentioned says :—"lf there were anything like uncertainty about the matier, if any expression of opinion hostile to the Abolition question had been evoked, if any desire for delay had been expressed, or if the measure had now suddenly and for the first time been mooted, we should raise our voice strongly in favor of postponement, and cordially support its. relegation to the constittU encies during the next general election. But what are the facts of" the case ? Twelve months ago Sir Julius Vogel inti-mated-his intention of bringing down an Abolition measure this session, and since then.-it has been clearly understood that the promise would be fulfilled by himself or his colleagues. For one entire year,then, the people of New Zealand have had the proposal before them, and have, therefore, had ample time afforded them to take the matter into consideration—and what has been^the result ? Have they expressed their disapproval of the proposed Abolition in any one way? Have they expresseda .wish in any one instance, hj meeting, or- petition, that it should be postponed ? If so, where were the meetings held? Where are the petitions that should have flooded the floor of the House ? Is not the very reverso the case? In all parts of the country, on every possible occasion, whenever an opportunity has been afforded, public opinion has been unmistakeably expressed in favor of the abolition of the Provinces. We believe, in the whole Province of Otago, no single district could be found —not even excepting-. Port Chalmers, where Mr Macandrew's influence is considerable—unfavourable to the Abolition being pushed forward this session, provided the land fund is localised and secured. ..-....., . . . The truth of the matter is, the people are utterly disgusted with Provincial institutions, and are anxious to see them all swept away as soon as possible, and the sooner the better." The localisation of the land fund seems to have been the only cause for dread on the part of our Southern friends. The point has been conceded by the Government, and opposition to the Abolition of the Provinces has vanished from amongst those who wavered so long as there was any doubt regarding the intentions of the Government as to the disposal of the land fund.