The Globe. MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 1875.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 373, 23 August 1875, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 1875.

It is stated that the Opposition have , to let..the second reading ol v the Abolition Bill go by default. They 1 hire decided to walk out of the House when the division comes, but they will try to amend it in committee, and oppose the third reading. We are puzzled to know what is aimed at by such a course. Surety those gentlemen who hare spoken in such violent

terms of the measures of the Government should have/jbeeu most anxious to ffiave had their votes against the Bill recorded, v Perhaps it means that discord has. already, shown itself in the ranks of the Opposition. We should not be surprised if such were the case. What is 1 here in common between Sir George Grey and Mr Reader Wood on the one hand, and Mr Rollestou and Mr Macandrew on the other. The two former view the question from an Auckland stand-point, and would gladly welcome any measure which would lay hands upon the land fund of the south. We should like to point out to our readers what would be the result were ‘the Government defeated and the leader of the Opposition sent for. A Ministry would be formed with Sir George Grey at its head, and a majority of Northern members as his colleagues. What would their policy be? Justice to Auckland, which means according to them, the seizure of the Middle Island land fund. We do not believe for a moment, so long as the representatives of the South are true to their trust, that their efforts would be successful. The members of the present Opposition with the aid of doubtful members, hold far too diversified and different views on almost every questo be able to continue for any time working in harmony. A great deal of nonsense is talked about the danger to the land fund, consequent on abolition. The compact of 1856 rests on a resolution of the House, which can be rescinded the moment a majority is in favor of such a step. The present Government Bill proposes to renew the compact, granting the land fund to the provincial districts instead of to the provinces. It will be as binding on the House as the compact of 1856, and can only be rescinded by a majority, exactly as the present compact can be. It is urged, especially by Mr Fitzherbert, that the necessities of the colony will shortly be such as will compel the House to lay hands on the land fund; but he fails to show that were provincialism continued, those necessities would not arise. If anything they are likely to be greater, and should a financial pressure come, there is nothing to prevent the land fund from being impounded, even if the provinces continue. A simple resolution of the House is all that is required ,to sweep it into the “ vortex of colonial finance,” as some speakers are fond of putting it. It is plain, therefore, that our land fund is as safe under the one plan as the other, whereas, if the present Government are turned out of office, and a Government formed with Sir George Grey at its head, and Mr Reader Wood one of its leading members, our land fnnd will not be safe. Every stratagem will be employed to bring about an alteration, and we in the South may find to our cost that we should have been far better off with a Ministry who are known to be loyally anxious to place it in perfect safety, than in the hands of the ultra-pro-vincialists, headed by Sir George Grey. If the people of Canterbury should lose their land fund, they will only have themselves to blame. Had the entire province raised a unanimous voice in favor of the Government measures, it would have assisted the Government in making it law. Our land fund would then have been secured to us by enactment, which would have been as binding on the House as is the compact of 1856,