WELLINGTON.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 529, 8 June 1869, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

fSROM OUR SPECUi CORRESPONDENT.) [The following was transmitted by the s,s. Gothenburg, but was not delivered in time for publication in our last.] June 1. The General Assembly was opened at 2 p.m. to-day by Commission, his Excellency having found it desirable to prolong his stay in Auckland in order to visit the Maori King and his chiefs at Ngarnawhaia. There was an unusually large muster of members of both Houses, and the greater portion of the new members were sworn in. It is very seldom that the benches of the House of Representatives present a respectable appearance until the first week is over, but to-day only some of the Otago members and a few from Canterbury aiid Taranaki were absent. Of course the reason for this was the universal opinion that whatever political fighting had to be done would be commenced and probably finished at the very commencement of the session. Nor is this expectation likely to be unfounded, for the speech from the Throne contains matter enough upon which the Opposition can take issue. The Native question will undoubtedly, as you predicted in your columns a month ago, be the cams belli ; and no efforts will be spared by the Opposition to unseat the. Ministry upon their war policy. But the result is hardly doubtful. The Ministry may have lost a vote or two by the recent elections, so f.-ir as the question of Provincialism is concerned, but it is equally certain that upon the question of the management of thd war they will, have the support of several influential members who usually sit on the Opposition side of the House. All sorts of rumors are flying about, and the local papers appear to outvie each other in the manufacture of canards, respecting the leaders and tactics of the Opposition. The last invention is that Mr Fox is to be deposed from the post of leader, and that his place is to be supplied by Mr Rolleston, and with him Messrs Tancred and Ormond. I need hardly tell you that there is no foundation for this report. Mr Fox is still the recognised leader of the Opposition, but it is doubtful if the same reciprocity of feeling exists between him and some of the prominent members of his party as obtained last session. I think it possible that Mr Fox may go so far as to approve of the course the Government took in dismissing Mr Donald M'Lean from his office of agent on the East Coast, and it is very probable that many others who formerly held a different opinion will do the same. The position of the Ministry is strengthened by the fact that the Imperial Government has positively refused aid either in money or men to the Colony, so that mere party considerations nmst'give way to the necessity of devising ways and means for subjugating the rebel natives. The main features of the speech were — praise to Col. Whitmore and the Colonial troops ; a reference to the establishment I of a permanent well-organised force ; a hint that the estimates would show a reduction in the ordinary expenses of government ; and intimations that Bills for readjusting the Representation "in conformity with the altered condition of the several districts," and for making undevised real estate distributable amongst next of kin in the same manner as personal property. Mr Nathaniel iUdwards of Nelson will move the Address in reply, which will be seconded by Mr Swan, of the Thames. The latter gentleman gave notice to-day of his intention to bring in a Bill having for its object the extension of the miners' franchise to the elections of Superintendents. If he carries the Bill it will play the deuce with the provinces of Auckland and Nelson, unless the latter loses its gold fields, for the miners will be able to carry the elections. Talking of Superinten dental elections, I may mention that in Nelson, Mr Curtis will be opposed by Mr Edwards ; and in Auckland Mr Williamson will be opposed by Mr T. B. Gillies, formerly of Dnnedin. With regard to the movements now going on in the Buller and Grey Districts for the formation of fresh Counties, I am afraid that there will not be much chance of either petition being carried this session, for the reason that the House will be too much taken up with the infernal native question. Neither petition has as yet arrived, and if anytliing is to be done it must be done at once. lam given to understand that the Ministry quite approve of the creation of the proposal to erect the Grey Valley into a separate County, and will as far as possible give it support. Of one thing I can speak positively : if the Nelson Gold Fields Separation petition be granted the boundary of the new County ; will not extend further south than the Razorback, and the rest of the district will be included in the County of Westland, unless another County be formed.