The Globe. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1876.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 755, 21 November 1876, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1876.

Loed Caenaeyon's last despatch has, as we expected, completely destroyed the last hope of the provincialists. The Otago Daily Times, which has the reputation of always following public opinion in Dunedin, has been shifting its ground regarding provincialism lately. In an article a few days ago on Lord Carnarvon's despatch, our contemporary accepts abolition as finally settled, and says that it may be supposed that had the despatch been before the Convention at its meeting, the resolution to send an embassy home would hardly have passed. With regard to the legal aspect of the question, our contemporary seems surprised to learn that the advice to Her Majesty not to disallow the Abolition Act was given under legal counsel, and that the result of taking legal advice was that the Act was not ultra vires. The Times, however, comes to the conclusion that only two other courses remain open for the Antiabolitionists —an appeal to the law Courts, or open rebellion. After the opinion of the Secretary of State for the Colonies the former line of action appears to have small attraction for our contemporary, and the other is equally deprecated* " The time will " come," he says, " when the old pro- " vince will make its vengeance felt, " but we do not think this result can " be arrived at by continuing an agita- " tion to revive what is now finally " extinguished." Our contemporary concludes with a hope that all the more moderate Anti-abolitionists, having fought to the last, will feel that they are fairly or unfairly beaten, and that they will now set themselves to work under the new order of things, and endeavour to do the best they can for the province under the county system. It is plain, from the above language, that the more moderate of the Provincialists, in Otago at ■ any rate, have abandoned all thoughts of extreme measures.

The tone adopted by Sir George Grey also is worthy of notice. In the speech which he made to his consti tuents at the Thames on Saturday night, he appears to have had a great deal less to say regarding the rights of man, and the well-being of the whole human race, than vv e have been accustomed to hear from him. If the

telegram, which we publish elsewhere, is a fair Bummary of what he said, it is evident that Lord Carnavon's despatch has had a powerfully restraining effect upon the great champion of Provincialism. We hear nothing whatever of the illegality of abolition, and of his intention to resist the Act by every means in his power. It is plain that Sir G-. Grey, Mr. Macandrew, and their party feel that they have been utterly defeated. We hope they, will submit with a good grace to an inevitable destiny.

We hope Cr Nathan's resolution re asphalting the streets of the city will receive the serious and careful consideration of the Council, and that they will see their way to carry the proposal into effect. The footpaths of Christchurch are certainly no credit to the city. In summer they resemble in many places a dry river bed, covered with rolling shingle, anything but pleasant for pedestrians. In winter the scene is varied by numberless bogs over which it is scarcely safe to travel. Of course, every year such scenes must become less common, but unless great energy is displayed, we may have a repetition of last year's blunders during the coming winter; and at any rate considerable sums will have to be expended to keep all the footpaths in the city in a proper state of repair. Would it not be cheaper in the long run to carry out Cr Nathan's proposal at once ? The comfort and convenience resulting therefrom would at any rate more than compensate for the outlay incurred.