The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28. 1876.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 160, 28 June 1876, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28. 1876.

Public opinion as expressed in Wellington journals forms just now a curious but an exceedingly interestirg study. We have before us leading articles from the two evening papers — the Argus, a stout supporter of the Government, and the Post, an equally staunch advocate on the Opposition side. Both of these hint at the possibility of a change in the Ministry, and both point, the one somewhat darkly, the other in a more outspoken manner, to Mr Stafford as Sir Julius Vogel's successor in the Premiership. A few extracts from these papers will serve to show how matters stand. The Argus of the 21st instant wrote as follows : — The Provincial party is. we believe, beginning to realise the fact of its own insignificance as a power in the State, as also the hopelessness of attempting to preserve the political institutions which already have so long survived ; their usefulness. They arc, therefore, quite prepared to throw over the old cause and to raise a new cry. Their opposition savours greatly of a personal character. It is true that they dislike Abolition, but they dislike Sir Julius Vogel, Major Atkinson, and the other members of the Ministry, even more. So long as they could get rid of the present Government they would care little for what followed. * * * Looking in vain in their own ranks for a leader, some bold spirit conceived the scheme

of offering their allegiance to Mr Stafford, and changing their platform from the maintenance of provincial institutions to insular separation, either financial or political. We are informed that a careful study of the names of members and of the speeches delivered during the elections, led to the > conclusion that twenty-nine members existed who would approve a policy of the kind, and" it was very properly thought that if Mr Stafford could be induced to throw in his influence with the party, and become its leader, recruits would soon join the ranks. Overtures, more or less direct, have, it is said, been made to the member for Timaru, but, as might be supposed, they have met with no encouragement. Mr Stafford, in fact, laughed at the wild idea of his falsifying all his previous career by such a step as the one he was invited to take. His convictions are not of the easy and elastic nature of some other prominent members of the House, and although he might not indulge in the tall talk of sacrificing everything, even life itself, to prevent the. sale of a swamp, or even to ' preserve the unity of the colony, we are quite sure that no private feeling, no political animosity, or no personal ambition, would ever cause him to swerve from the earnest advocacy and support of a policy which he has consistently urged for many years, as the one best calculated to promote the well-being of the colony. - The Provincialists were mistaken in their man. The next day, however, +,here was a slight change in the tone of our contemporary : — We yesterday alluded to the overtures made to Mr Stafford by the provincial party. These are not so wild as might at first sight appear. If the Government in any way attempt to alter what we regard as the most serious blot in the Abolition Act, that relating to. the disposal of the land fund, they undoubtedly change the whole aspect and arrangement of parties. The whole of the . Otago, and the majority of the Canterbury, members would not be unlikely to array themselves in opposition, in protection of their land fund, and the assistance of the Auckland members would be secured by the bribe of the Seat of Government for the North Island at Auckland. This, we believe, is tha basis of the understanding to which we referred at the beginning of this article. Each island one province, localisation of the land fund, the Seat of Middle Island Government at Akaroa, and of North Island Government at Auckland, would be the programme, and Otago and Canterbury might even be sufficiently generous to admit Westland and Nelson to. participation of their land fund in order to secure the votes of the representatives of those places, should they be needed to make up a majority. We are not sketching any imaginary combination, but rather one which is seriously contemplated, which has been carefully discussed iu all its, aspects, and which will take effect if opportunity be afforded. The above shows what the Argus regards as a possible outcome of the present session. Now let us see what the Post, a virulent opponent of the Ministry and a hitherto supporter of .Sir George Grey, has to say on the political situation. From an article in its issue of Friday last we take the following : — Most public men who take an unprejudiced view of the political situation are of opinion that the abolition of the provinces is inevitable. Were this question of abolition fairly settled, the opportunity would be afforded for Mr Stafford to come to the front. When some years ago Mr Stafford defeated the Fox- Vogel Ministry, he got into office by the aid of the Provincial party. This very circumstance proved fatal to his chance of remaining in power. He has ever been a consistent opponent of Provincialism, and an advocate of maintaining one General Government to deal with affairs of general concern, while affording the fullest measure of Local Self-Government to every part of the colony. Holding such views, it was impossible that a man of Mr Stafford's character could long retain the suppoit of the Provincial party. He might have done so had he pandered to all their desires, and executed all their behests. It was not in his nature to do this, and thus it followed that ere his Ministry was a fortnight old it was ousted from the Treasury Benches. It may be said that his defeat was directly caused by the shameless apostacy of one or two members who had helped to place him in power a short time before, but who afterwards deserted him and went over to the other side. This is quite true, but it is nevertheless the fact that if Mr Stafford had been entirely compliant to the wishes of the Provincial party, he could have remained in power. Since that period Mr Stafford has made no effort to obtain office. We believe bis feeling has been that until Provincialism was abolished it would be well that he should keep in the background. Were the abolition of the provinces carried out, the reason which has held Mr Stafford back would entirely disappeai*, and the eyes of those men who desire a change of Government would naturally be directed to him. It may be said that Mr Stafford beiug in. a certain sense a supporter of the present Ministry, could not consistently with his own sense of honor become the leader of that new third party, the possible formation of which has been suggested. There is no Aveight in such an assertion. Mr Stafford ardently desires to see abolition carried out; and, holding that view, has supported the present Ministry because he recognised in them the instruments by which his object could be accomplished. • But no one who knows anything about Mr Stafford's past public career -will for a moment believe that he has any confidence in Sir Julius Vogel or feels approval of the manner in which he has carried on the business of the country. Hence, if the present Ministry carry out the Abolition scheme, it is quite possible that the time will then arrive when the alliance between them and Mr Stafford will come to an end, .and the latter will feel fairly entitled to strike out a line of action for himself. Taking all the circumstances of the case into consideration, we are of opinion that the prospects of a change of Ministry are becoming more and more likely of realisation. One more quotation and we have done. This time it is from a powerful exponent of public opinion in the south — the Otago Daily Times. Our contemporary wrote on the 15th instant as follows : — There is every sign that the country is, beginning to get a little afraid of tbe outcome of the present confusion and extravagance. Mr Stafford's worst enemies will admit that his policy has always been one of caution and of economy, and we doubt if his warmest friends will care to assert the same of the Premier. In putting Mr Stafford into office we should at least put into the position of chief one whom we could trust, and it would be diffcult at the present time to suggest any clement more entirely wanting in our councils than this element of trust. Again, we should be making a chief of one whose economical tendencies are indisputable, and there is nothing that the colony requires more than this just now. * * * The undoubted probity of Mr Stafford's character has secured to him a large and faithfullyattached band of followers. There is no one in the House, indeed, who has now so strong a following. * * * We think it extremely probable that the members for Otago ahd,

for Canterbury will unite during the ensuing ■session, and turn out ..Sir Julius Vogel and put in Mr Stafford.' The colony would regard this state of things with unmixed satisfaction, and we might then hope to see a reign of economy and of honesty in government inaugurated such as has for too long a time been strange to us. We could trust Mr Stafford to reduce expenditure, and this is the only means we see to avoid additional taxation. The foregoiug extracts may in themselves be regarded as trivial and unimportant, nevertheless, we are disposed to look upon thetn as straws floating about iu the atmosphere, by carefully observing which some idea may be obtained of the direction the breath of public opinion is takiug.

The [Financial Statement is to be delivered 'on Tuesday next. A Masonic Ball is to take place" at the Provincial Hall to-morrow night, and promises to be a great success, as the tickets are passing off rapidly. At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning D. M. Isaacs was fined 10s and costs for allowing his chimney ;to take fire. There were a -number of small debt cases of no interest. The election of a City Councillor has been progressing quietly during the day, the only candidate who has come at all prominently before the public by means of posters and conveyances for the electors being Mr J. A. Harley, who, if hard work is of any account on such occasions, should certainly head the poll. At a special meeting of the Auxiliary Fire Brigade, held on Monday evening last, the tender of Mr Jos. Gilbertson for the erection of a hose reel shed was accepted. The want of a shed has long been felt by the Brigade, they having had, since the erection of, the new Government wharf "was commenced, to keep their hose-reel in the open air. JTrom our Parliamentary telegrams it will be seen that the Government obtained a large majority in the division which took place last night on the Piako Swamp, question. Thirteen members did not vote, namely:— Sir G. Grey, Messrs Harper, Hislop, Kenny, Lumsden, Macandrew, O'Rorke, JD. Eeid, Seatqn,, Seymour, Sheehan, VV hi taker, arid : JRyJ. Wood. A most extraordinary-looking animal, known, we believe, as .the Tiger Seal, was brought up from the Coast by the Kennedy this morning, it having been recently captured near Charleston. It is about eight feet in length, of a light brown color, and having a most formidable array of very sharp teeth.. Mr Levy has it on view in Trafalgar-street, and as a rare curiosity it is well worthy of a visit. The work of transporting the " infants" of the Naval Brigade was performed yesterday, when the two guns were safely taken across in a barge to Haul-Ashore Island, where the battery is to be erected, and they only require now to be put into position, which will be done by the members of the company oil Saturday afternoon next. The work has been carried out under the very, able supervision of Sergeant-Major Mowatt. Between nine and ten o'clock this morning the firebells sounded the alarm, a stable at the rear of Mr Livick*s corn store in Bridge-street having been discovered to be ou fire. With a promptitude that would be remarkable were riot the people of Nelson accustomed to it the members of the Brigade were on the spot, and in a very short time a deluge of water was pouring on the burning building, in which 30 cwt of straw had been stored only yesterday. The stable and its contents were completely destroyed, but, owing to [tbe plentiful supply' of water, the entire absence of wind, and the exertions of the Brigade, the flames were prevented from spreading to the adjoining buildings. There was no insurance, and Mr Livick estimates his loss, at about £30*. In • the loft were a number of- boxes which had. been left. in Mr Livick's care at various times J when he owned, the Albion Wharf, but had not. since been claimed. All these were destroyed, but what the contents were of course is not known. . " Tongariro appears to be again in a state of activity, if. not eruption, (or . bright lights have been seen from a number of places, while some subterranean mutteriugs indicate that something is disturbing tbe mountain which Hochstetter describes as having sunk down to nothing- more than a large solfaiara " "Itis a noteworthy fact," continues the Wairarapa News, " that during the time it was supposed to be extinct several yery iheavy earthquakes occurred, and that since its return to a state of activity so little of the kind has been felt that numbers of brick buildings have gone up where before people would not think of such a thin". New Zealand appears to be better off with than without a volcano." (For continuation of JSews see fourth page.)