THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 723, 13 October 1876, Page 2

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

[By Telegraph.]

{Per Press Agency.)

Wellington, October 13,

The following is a precis of papers laid on the table last night by command. The first is a copy of a despatch from the Governor to the Secretary of State, dated June, 1876, covering a letter from Sir G. Grey. The Governor shows, by incontrovertible evidence, that Sir G. Grey's apprehensions about the bombardment of Auckland originuted with himself in 1875, in a conversation with Mr Dargaville of Auckland, long before the Abolition Bill was thought of. He says—- " Sir G. Grey, when he wrote this letter to your Lordship, must have bsen perfectly aware [of the fact .that the Government of a colony have no control whatever over her Majesty's forces, and that they could, under no circumstances, be brought into action except through the intervention of the Governor himself. To suppose, therefore, that it could be possible for her Majesty's ships to be used for the purpose of cannonading the city of Auckland, he must, in the first place, have presumed that I had entirely los'mysenßes,beforelcouldbeinducedtomake such a requisition to the officer in command of her Majesty's ships; andin the second place, that that officer must have been equally mad to comply with it." As to the ultra vires point of view of the Abolition Bill, the Governor Ba y S __« Thac the Legislature has power under the authority of the Imperial Parliament to make the change proposed by the Abolition Act is, I think, amply proved, by the fact that your Lordship has informed me that Her Majesty will not be advised to disallow it." Yesterday the Governor sent the following cable telegram to the Secretary for State. " Wellington, October 12—Superintendents of Aucklaad and Otago have sent telegrams to your Lordship direct, forwarding copies to me. Copies have been laid by me before Parliament. Ministers advise that there is no reason to fear the consequences predicted in which I entirely concur; the Counties Bill to replace the provinces has passed the Lower House by a large majority. The second reading passed the Council without a division—NormanßV. Earl Carnarvon, Colonial Office, London."