The Westport Times AND CHARLLESTON ARGUS. FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 312, 31 July 1868, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLLESTON ARGUS. FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1868.

The latest accounts from Wellington, where the Assembly are at present in session, show that tbe Stafford administration is in peri], and it is quite on the cards that their overthrow is imminent. Though the Provincialists and their opponents have already had skirmishes during the brief period the Assembly has sat, they have not, as yet, had any engagement that ever threatened to be of a decisive character, but an issue has at length been definitely raised, and on its result the Ministry have declared their intention of standing or falling. This is on the first instalment of local self-government, contained in a Road Boards bid. As may be imagined, the Provincial office-hold-ers have at once taken the alarm and

that the fray will be one of the hottest there cannot be a question. On both sides the whips have been busy, and though professedly a harmless Roar] Board bill, still it is generallyadmitted that it is the battle of the day as far as the existing Assembly is concerned, and that tho whole strength of General Government supporters, as opposed to Provincial divisions will on this oc-

casion be exhibited. The Provincialists have not been by any means idle, and their hands have been strengthened by, to say the least of them, some very ill-advised measures that the Ministry have in troduced. By this means they have weaned many of the neutrals who otherwise might have been won over, and, the parties being so evenly balanced before, it is quite possible that these votes may kick the beam at a critical moment. Por instance, some of the clauses of the Various Offences bill, introduced by Mr Hall, are so ridiculously incompatible with the usually received idea-* of the present age, and so utterly at variance with public feeling that it is only a matter of surprise how such a usually astute a politician could have so | far committed himself as to father it

at all. To show this we may say that this General Grovernment Bill, if carried, will make shooting on a Sunday a penal offence; another clause renders perso :s hiring a horse for Sunday recreation liable to fine and imprisonment, and indeed altogether is of as Sabbatarian a character as the most puritanical could desire. Another clause provides for the punishment of servant girls who may beat a carpet in the street, and that a Colonial Grovernment should descend to such detail, fitting only to be dealt with by local authorities, is as undignified as it is absurd. By this course Mr Stafford and his subordinates has deprived themselves of much support when a question of vital moment is brought forward, and the opposition availing themselves of the opportunity, force the Grovernment, whilst the irritation thereby occasioned is at its height, to a trial of strength. The Eoad Boards Bill is the casus belli mutually agreed on, and on its fate depends to a great extent the existing system of provincialism. Though its opponents decry it there can be no doubt that its' passing in a somewhat amended shape would be the first step towards local selfgovernment, and a great boon to localities distant from the Provincial centres. On this ground, whilst totally differing from the Stafford policy in many questions, we hope that the attack which was commenced on Wednesday last on the Boad Boards redoubt may be unsuccessful. For reasons given above, however, it is by no means a secure ministerial position, and Mr Stafford is well aware of the danger his administration is in, but he has thrown down the gauntlet and it is understood that in case of defeat, ho

will go to the country on the question, which of course in other words, means that he will advise his Excellency to dissolve the As* ambly, and gather the feeling of the people by a genera 1 election. Should this by no means improbable contingency arise tho newly elected members for Westland, North and South, and the .Westland boroughs, will have worn their honors,' but a brief time and new elections will lake place. That is on.' chief matter for consideration, but there is another, viz., that if such should ho the case, Westland North, that is to say, tho West Coast of this island, from thenorlh bank of the river Gre\ r upwards, may be virtually disfranchised. At (lib last election, miners' rights and business licenses of six months standing, entitled their holders to a

vote, butsincerhen an electoral roll has been compiled, and will, we believe, be published in a few days, of all who took the trouble to register themselves. Our readers will- be somewhat surprised to hear that out of a population of between nine or ten thousaud, just ninety-four names are registered. We have not a copy of the Act to hand, and cannot speak positively, but believe that the late qualifications, as a roll has been now been compiled, will not ensure a vote; if such is the case the above number will have the election in their own hands. They are located as follows—Westport votes 65; Brighton , 2; Cobden, 11; Addison's Flat, 4;" Packers Point, 1; Nelson, 8 ; Nelson Creek, 1 ; Mokihinui, 1. The debate that wdl decide the fate of the Stafford administration was to begin on Wednesday last, and is expected to last some days; at tho latest, by Wednesday next, we shall know the result.