POLITICAL NEWS.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 689, 4 September 1876, Page 3

POLITICAL NEWS.

(From a correspondent of the Press.} Wellington, September 2. The Gazette Extraordinary, announcing the new Ministry has not yet been published, but its contents are sufficiently indicated by the Press Agency and otherwise. There have beenlengthy Cabinet meetings since Thursday but there is no outward index of the results of their consultation. Meantime members are wavering or strengthening in their allegiance, according to the whisper. The supporters of the old Ministry hope that the new Ministry will accept provincialism as thoroughly abolished, and go on with the Counties Bill, if with none of the others, and many of them assert that if any attempt ia made at compromise or postponement, they will form a new Opposition. They mean a no confidence motion, but are credited with more wisdom than to bring down such a motion on such a narrow issue as Sir J. Vogel's appointment to the AgentGeneralship, and not on the broad grounds of policy. At present it is doubtful if Sir J. Vogel's appointment will be approved. On the one hand his former supporters say he should at once quit his seat and accept the appointment. On the other hand the weaker vessels say his acceptance will split the present party. Meetings will probably be held on Monday, Sir J. Vogel having intimated a desire for one, though circulars have not yet been issued. The Argus to-night suggests that Provincial Councils should be permitted to meet again, so as to assist any scheme of real local self-Government to supersede provincialism, but the article is not supposed to be any emanation from Government. The Post is still strongly opposed to Sir J. Vogel as Agent-General, and to the office altogether, as being now unnecessary except on a trifling scale. The Times this morning points to the Counties Bill being made a purely permissive measure on a petition of the ratepayers in Boad Board districts.

The public petitions committee have lately been inquiring into the claims for compensation by Mr Coleman Phillips, for his ideas having been used in the proposals for a Polynesian company submitted to Parliament two sessions ago,