PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1760, 4 November 1884, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP

BY TELEGRAPH,

[special to bay op plenty times. J

Wellington, last night. Captain Morris informs me he had a long talk with Wahanui over the desirabibility of allowing gold prospecting to proceed in what is called the King Country, but that at present hesees no chance of the natives consenting, although it is not from pure cussedness, but rather from a wish to more fully understand their rapidly changing position before making any further concessions. Mr Ballance's Native Bill is a regular sweeper so far as proclamation is concerned, but in his explanation to the House on Saturday he plainly inti- | mated that it would not be pressed forward as a whole, the only part insisted ' t on being the freedom from private negotiation of the native lands named in the schedule. Captain Morris tells me that the , Government have declined to place ' £4,000 on the Supply. Estimates for ( the construction of a road through ■ what is known as Thomson's Track to Waikato. The Government view of the ease is, it appears, that having so recently \ completed a track through to Te Aroha> } not far from the proposed new road, f they do not feel justified in at present incurring further expense, j Three Auckland members left for their homes on Saturday, and others i would have followed their example, [ but are waiting for the Canterbury races and show. There is no further interest taken in the sessional work. There was a division on Saturday i on the Property Tax Bill, when the b Government had a majority of 21, and this may be put down as their standing majority till the end of the session, now they have successfully pulled through the District resolu--3 tion, which was a strong trial to the / faithful. Sir Julius is much better. y""*^ There is nothing to prophesy aboutS^