WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3878, 29 July 1875, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

[By Telegraph.]

(From our own Correspondent.) Wellington, July 28. The Aucklanders are very much dissatisfied with the Representation Bill, which takes away one of their city members and gives an additional seat to the Waikato. Auckland City Wert and East are to be united, returning two members, instead of three, as now. Nelson remains with two, and Oamaru gets a second. The politioal atmosphere is considerably agitated by rumor. Mr Reader Wood, who has gone bodily over to the Opposition, moves for the appointment of a new committee to consider the financial question. The Government cannot fail to accept this as tantamount to a want of confidence motion, and if brought down business must be suspended till it is disposed of. Knots of members are to be seen at street corners discussing the outlo >k, which portends a storm. It is generally believed the Government will not, after all that has been said, press the abolition question to an issue if the House agrees to the principle of the Bill. July 29. There is no authority for the statement that Mr Reynolds resigns his seat in the Lower House or retires from active politics. The Abolition and Local Government Bills will be brought down along with the Financial Statement.

After the dissolution, &ir George Grey and Mr Macandrew intend stumping the country. The Provincialises are straining every nerve, and using the wires most extensively. Mr Prendergast's opinion that the Assembly has power to abolish the Provinces, and that upon theix abolition the Provincial system will have no existence in the districts abolished, but that the Assembly must provide for local concerns of such districts, is authorative. As this is only an individual opinion, and in view of the many doubts.and especially thepublicly declared opinion of Justice Gillies, that he was satisfied the Assembly could not abolish the Provin-

ces, the Government are generally blamed for not i following Mr Prendergast'a suggestion as given in December 1, 1874. That it would be well if the Secretary of State was asked: to take the opinion of the law officers in England, andjthen if there was any doubt entertained by them a Bill should be at once passed for the same. The Opposition consider their position strengthened by Mr Prendgergast's opinion, since his previous one is to be found in the appended journals of 1868. A totally opposite view i<< given by the '.NewZealand Times,' which says : *' The Government would have given their supporters in their security and forethought if they had acted on Mr Prendergast's suggestion. How this phase of the business will affect the course of legislation this session it is impossible! to *say, but it is one for which few members were prepared. A false step may postpone much needed reform, and we counsel Government to seriously consideritheir position," Since the Government generally admit that there are grave doubts as to whether Sir J. Vogel is legally a member of the Executive, the ' Times urges that the present unsatisfactory state of things should not be allowed to exist; as if Sir G. Grey's doctrine be correct and not questioned, a serious complication may arise, and the Legislature cannot too soon pass an Act covering all transactions which Sir J. Vogel, in good faith and full belief in his authority, concluded on behalf of the Colony. A personal tone in the debate an the Constitutional question was provoked by Major Atkinson, who went out of his way to refer to Mr Sheehan's professional engagements at Hawkes Bay.

" The Government have ordered free immigra tion to be continued.