THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, JULY 31, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2051, 31 July 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, JULY 31, 1875.

A aBNEBAL election seems imminent. Our Wellington correspondent advises us of a caucus meeting of Ministerialists today, at which supporters were to advise the Government to go to the country on the distinct issues of finance, abolition and local government. Unless Ministers are certain of a large majority they will likely accede to the suggestions of party: the result could be foretold with certainty. We confess that we should prefer to have the voice of the country on the Abolition question. People have become accustomed to talk of this question as if it involved no important changes or considerations; but when viewed in all its bearings it. seems little short of revolution. On many grounds we are inclined to think a disso-' lution would be the wisest course to adopt. It would satisfy the Opposition, while it could not materially affect the position of the Abolition party except in an accession of strength.

In pursuance of a practice which has been carried out for several years now, the Government last night forwarded by telegraph the Financial Statement delivered in the House by the Hon. Major Atkinson. In addition to this we were favored with a copy of the Abolition Bill and Local Government Bill, also by telegraph. The latter we publish to-day as transmitted. Of the; Draft Abolition Bill we have prepared a, careful precis, which will be found to contain the gist of each clause in the Bill. The Financial Statement we have published in part only, with the intention of giving the remainder to our readers on Monday. We have adopted this course because we did not wish to publish these documents in full to the exclusion of other matter, however important they may be, and no doubt are. By following this course we are enabled to give our usual complement of news in a slightly condensed form; and we are quite sure that the course will meet the approval of our readers, many of whonrprefer to take figures and the dry details of Acts of Parliaments in small doses..

The Abolition of Provinces Bill and the Local Government Bill are now before the people of the Colony. The one is designed to knock down the worn out structure of Provincialism; the other to build up something in its place. We shall not attempt any general comments on these two important measures at this stage : for one thing, because our space is largely encroached upon by the measures themselves and the Financial Statement. The Abolition Bill is comprehensive in design, and impresses us with the idea that it is fully competent to answer its purpose ; power being given to the Governor to step in and exercise functions not otherwise " expressly provided for or implied." The Abolition Bill will no doubt raise a storm of opposition amongst Superintendents and their lieutenants; but we have every confidence that the Local Government Bill designed to supersede the Provincial system will rally the people of the Colony round the Abolition banner.

The Ohinemuri Agricultural Leases Regulations have been amended according to therecommendations we referred to the other day, the same having been gazetted yesterday. The rent has been reduced and the clause providing for survey fees has been expunged. Next Tuesday the regulations will come into operation, and we expect to hear that a considerable area* has been taken up or applied for under the modified terms. ;