PARLIAMENTARY.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XX, Issue 2849, 1 July 1892, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Wellington, Wednesday nigbt. — Although the Council has power to elect a Speaker, it has been discovered that no regulation provides for such contingency whether by opening votiog or ballot. The difficulty has arisen through the Act passed last session giving the Council power to elect a Speaker. Although no definite decision has been arrived at, the probabilities are that either Grace or Pollen will be chosen by the Council as Speaker. The financial statement. Wellington, Thursday. — The Financial Statement will be delivered | to-night. The surplus is £330,000 and will be devoted entirely to public works on the co-operative principle, and the opening up of lands for settlement, no new railways will be constructed, and there will be no borrowicg, either within or outside the Colony proposed, except by the issues of debentures for the purchase of native lands. No alterations in the tariff will be submitted. The totalisator tax remains at H per cent. Native lands. Native lands will not be taxed for at least twelve months. If Mr Cadman's bill pasees, Government will acquire a sufficient sum to purchase sufficient native land for settlement, these lands will be immediatlye settled and local bodies will derive taxation there from. The penny post abandoned. The Statement will announce that the Colony cannot afford the penny post without interference with land settlement, it ia therefore to be postponed indefinitely. The Bryce episodeThe unfortunate episode which last session terminated in Mr Bryce's resignation of his seat was the subject of an exceedingly animated debate yesterday afternoon. The Premier said that Ministers could not accept the motion in favour of Mr Bryce beiog heard at the bar of the House. Mr Bryce's friends are not likely to make any further move towards getting the censure resolution rescinded till a charge of administration is brought about.

Thompson's Track petition. Mr Kelly presented a petition from the residents of Tauranga County praying for the construction of the read between Tauranga and Te Aroha over Thompson's track, as the railway i extension to Kotorua was disadvan- 1 tageous to Tauranga though beneficial to the Colony as a whole, he presented similar petitions from Taurauga Borough and County Councils. Speakership of the Council. Dr Pollen has 'definitely refused the speakership of the Council. Totalisator abolition motion. After an animated discussion the motion by Mr Smith, (Waipawa), for the abolition of the totalieator was lost by 28 to 25. Of the Auckland members Col. Eraser, Houston, | Kai pa,' Thompson, and T. Thompson voted for the motion, and Buckland, Kelly, Lake, Lawry and Shera against it ; Cadman, Hamlin, Mitchelson and Palmer, did not vote. The Council Speakership. "Wellington, Thursday. — In the Legislative Council, Sir P. Buckley said he had conferred with the Crown Law officers, and acting on their advice he moved that the Hon Capt Baillee be appointed Acting Speaker until a Speaker be appointed or until the Council otherwise order. This was agreed to.

It was decided to make a call of the Council on tbe Bth July for the purpose of electing a Speaker. Native petitionsMr W. Kelly presented a petition to the House of Representatives from certain natives of Wtiakatane, respecting fgnevanees in connection with land at Whakatane, and from others at Te Teko to a similar effect. Address-in-Reply. At an early hour this morning a motion for the Address-in-Reply was carried. The debate on the Financial Statement. Mr Ballance delivered the financial statement; at its conclusion, Mr Rolleston asked when the Premier proposed to take a debate on the statement. Mr Ballance said he should consult the leader of the Opposition, but thought the debate should be taken at as early a date as possible. The House rose at 9 p.m. The King Country licensing affair. i The Governor has revoked the proclamation creating a licensing district in the King County in order to allow the sale of intoxicating liquor at Otorohanga.

The dissolution rumours.

The followers of the Government are bringing pressure to bear upon Ministers to induce them to abandon the intention of going to the country at an early date. Government however still adheres to its decision to appeal to the country in the event of measures being thrown out or mutilated by the Council.

The statistics published by Sir J. Hector in the Gazette ahow-that the rainfall all over the Colony during the month of May was exceptionally heavy. The heaviest downfall was at Puysegur Point, where the amount regisf ere d by the lightkeeper was 22.36 in. The next i largest was at Ingle wood, where the record was 10.77 in. At the summit (Rimutaka) the record was 9.94 i n; at the Wainui-o-Mata Keservoir, B.&Jin ; at lie Government Observatory, Wellington, 4.73 in. The smallest rainfall was at Mahino, Otago, where only l.Ooin was registered.