Parliamentary Gossip.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 174, 25 July 1893, Page 2

Parliamentary Gossip.

(BTf TELEGEAPH.—SPECIAL BEPORTER.) Wellington, this day. AN OPPOSITION COUP. A vagde rumour is about to the effect that the Opposition is at last bent upon executing some sort of couy. It is alleged that Mr Rolleston's reason for delaying to speak on the Financial debate is not his unreadiness nor even pique at having his claim jumped by Mr Fish in leading offthe debate. Rumour has it thab he intends moving a vote of no-confidonce in the Government in the shape of an amendment to supply, declaring that no financial policy can be acceptable _to the country that does ' not, in^ view of the surplus, propose a {emission of duties on the necessaries of life. This report is almost too good to be true, and the Opposition has been so lethargic that it is most) unlikely that itwili be galvanised into such vigorous action as this. I record the rumour for what ib is worth, bub it is probably no more reliable than the canard which declares that Mr Reeves and Sir Robert Stout are already intriguing for the formation of a new Cabinet. PROGRESS OF BUSINESS. With regard to the progress of business, the Government has resolved, after recent unsuccessful attempts to press on the Financial debate, to leb affairs take their ordinary course, and allow questions, motions, etc., full sway. 16 appears that a largo number of the Government supporters who have not yet spoken are desirous of placing on record their approval of the policy of the Ministry, and, most of, the Opposition members having spokon, members on the Government side do not wish to lose thoir only opportunity of expressing their views. NATIVE AFFAIRS. The Premier has resolved to take Mr Cadman's place on the Native Affairs Committoe, and in Wow of the important nature of the native legislation proposals this session, ib has been also resolved to add Sir Robert Stout and Captain Russell to the same committee. Yoslerday the Premierwas busy for several hours with law officers and Judges of the Native • Laud Court, going through the Native Billa proposed to be dealt with this session. Judges McKay and Barton have been summoned to Wellington to confer with the Government on the subject of these measures. Ministers appear fully determined to get through the native land legislation this cession, bub owing to Mr Gadman's resignation work in connection with these proposals is now in rather a backward condition. • , . ' THE MINING INDUSTRY. The annual report of the Mines^ Department is in a forward state of preparation and is expected to bo laid before the Honso at tho end of this week. I understand tho document will tell a very flattering tale of the development of the colony's mineral resources. Tho total value of the output of minerals last year will bo shown to be about £25,000 in excess of the previous year's record. This is, to a large extent, made up by the growth of coal mining. Lasb year, a total of nearly 700,000 tons of I coal wore pub out of the colonial mines, | beinganincroaßeof4,ooo tons on thepnvious | year's output. Ib is gratifying bo note that tho output of bituminous coal shows a afeoady increase year by year. There i." also a lartie increase in the value of gold returned for the last year, but thiß is not so much owing, I fancy, to the growth of operations as to stocks of gold being withheld from lasb year's rnturns in order to escape the gold duty which was repealed last session. FINANCIAL DEBATE. The Financial debate was expected to have closed on Friday last, bub it is now plain that if it is brought to an end before next Friday we shall be fortunate. Twenty members have intimated thab they are going to have bheir say before the Hon. Mr Ward stands up to reply. THE EXPULSION OF JACKSON. PALMER, M.H.R. Tho reporb of Dr. MeGrogor, who was appointed'to inquire into • tlie conduct of; the lisad Government messenger, in expel-! ling Mr I'ahner from Government buildings, stated that Mr Revell could not have acted otherwise consistently witli his duty, bub that he was desotving of reprimand for ! having lost) his - temper and speaking; abusively towards Mr Palmer. The Government however considered that Mr Revoll should nob only be reprimanded but require that ho should send an apology for his conduct bo Mr Palmer. This the hasty janitor has accordingly done. LABOUR DEPARTMENT. The Labour Department Bill vrillbe in the main similar to that introduced lastl' year, bub additional precautions will be j U-ikon to prevent tba publicabion of statistical information obtained under it by the Department in euch a way as nob to disclose private business of anyone. Figures will be groupod and published in totals. THE DIRECT VETO. Numerously-signed petitions, which have lately been laid on the table of the House, - would Borve to remind membors of the im-1 portance of tho Direct Veto Bill, even if tho, measure was nob under the distinguished i charge of Sir Robert Stout. Notwithstanding, however, the great support the Bill has outside the House and the many adherents it_ has within, ib is almost certain that it will nob become law this session. Ib is the very importance of the measure thab will bring this aboub. Members, whebher they are themselves favourable or the reverse to tho direct veto are averse to take any action before they have definitely ascertained the wiehes of the majority oi their constituents. Everyone who is aware of the manner in which petitions are gob up, knows perfecbly well thab in very few cases indeod are such documents a reliable criterion of the opinion of any largo body of people. The besb and only way ab preeenb to ascertain thab opinion ia by appealing directly to the electors. Members feel this strongly, and ib appears to be the view of the case accepted to aome extenb by the New Zealand Alliance, .which has been so strenuously working in the interests of the Bill. ,The deputation from the Alliance which some time ago waited on the Premier recognised the difficulties which stood in the way of the Bill, and would moub probably effectually bar ita progress through tho House this session. Much as the Alliance would like to B ee the direcb veto law as soon as possible, they are reasonable, and suggest that should ib be found impossible to pass the Bill this Parliament, an amendment should be introduced into the priser^ Licensing Acb which should provide for *-,he next elected licensing committees rolcUng office for one year. Only in this v.ay, when the new Parliament mot it would be free .o introduce the direcb veto If the electors had

ffiven their voice in favour of it. Another %£%■ »s. •aa- .-V ? measure an opportunity of being disoußaed in the new Parliament, instead of being postponed for another three_ years which must occur if neither of these or some similar proposal is given effect to Mr Seddon expressed himseii in" favour of the committee's suggestion and promised to recommend them to his colleagues for their approval. Although, 88 1 said, it is most unlikely thab the Direct Veto will get through this Parliament, there is not the remobesb wish or intention as far as the Govenment is concerned to obstruct its progress. Indeed, there has been nothing in their attitude all along to make this assurance necessary. Whatever insinuations may have been thrown out by members in the heat of debate, it is perfectly certain tbat the Goverment will afforded every facility for Bir Robert Stout's proposals. If the Direct Veto is rejected it will be through the action of the whole Parliament. Its defeat will not be due to any hostility towards lihe measure on the part of the Government. LOCAL INDUSTRIES. A Dunedin firm which has commenced the manufacture of rice starch, has forwarded a request to the Government that the tax Bhould be taken off rice, in order that the colonial maker may be enabled the better to compete with' foreign' manufactures. Samples of the new colonial article, together .with, an analysis of the same, occupy a prominent position on one of the tables in'the lobby of the House. RESOLUTION OF THE AUCKLAND BOOTMAKERS. In reference to the resolution passed by the Auckland bootmakers' operatives, Mr Reeves informs me thab the meeting must have been under„some misapprehension, because, in all courts, legal representatives can only be employed with the consent of all the parties concerned. THOSE LEATHER MEDALS. The Government is asking the Railway Commissioners to withdraw from their resolution to cease issuing gold railway passes, so far as the present Parliament, and especially the labour members of the Council, are concerned.