The Globe THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1875.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 310, 10 June 1875, Page 2

The Globe THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1875.

“ It is understood that Mr Vogel has not resigned; though it is so reported in “ some quarters, but his colleagues are “ in a position to tender his resigna- “ tion, if necessary.” Such is the telegram which appears in our issue of yesterday. It looks almost as if it were the beginning of the end. Mr Vogel’s Ministry cannot stand without Mr Vogel at the head of affairs. Mr Vogel is compelled to remain in England until after the next sitting of the House of Representatives, and is ordered by the doctors to undergo a course of German baths, that will put off his return to the colony for an indefinite time. Ergo, Mr Vogel’s following, deprived of their able leader will not be able to retain their seats on the G-overnment benches. Then Mr Vogel’s resignation is handed in by his colleagues, and he leaves New Zealand to its fate, seeking fame and power in a wider arena than this colony affords him. Such is the programme of events as sketched by many of those who are opposed to the present Premier and his policy, and who shall say that such a course of incidents is improbable ? It appears to be conceded that the present Ministry will have a hard struggle to retain their present places when Parliament next meets, and we look in vain through the names of those high in office, to find one gentleman who, up to the present time, has shown ability enough to warrant his being able to steer the G-overnment through the troubled sea that they will inevitably find themselves in during the next session. The question of the abolition of the provinces will call forth much strong opposition to the present Government, and this opposition will be ably led, while the Government must fight under the disadvantage of the absence of the originator of the scheme and the leader that they have so often followed to victory. Under these circumstances a triumph for the Provincialist party might be looked for with some degree of confidence, and, unless some of the gentlemen holding office at present should show unlooked for powers of debate and leadership, provincial institutions may yet have some years of life. The

leaders of the opposition may safely be relied on to leave no stone unturned to defeat the abolition scheme. Too many imerests are at stake tor them to be negligent in such a cause, and they will naturally strain every nerve to d■ •f.-ai the scheme while the abb st memher of the Government is absent. Whether their efforts are succeastul or not cannot yet be predicted with any degree of certainty, but it is certain that if they cannot command a majority against the Government when Mr Vogel is absent in England or Germany, that they will not have much chance of doing so, if he should appear again in his seat in the House of liepre'sentatives.