PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7350, 1 July 1889, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

[Br Tkleqraph.] [from our special correspondent.) WELLINGTON, June 30. Conflicting accounts still prevail as t* the prospects of the approaching straggle on the property tax question, which will be also on the issues whether the present Government is to remain in office, whether the present Parliament is to undergo premature dissolution, and whether everything is to be relegated to a new Parliament of seventy-four members. On the property tax question pure and simple the members are believed to be very evenly divided, each side claiming a small majority; but on the question of confidence it is believed that Ministers have a safe majority of from six to eight at least, and possibly larger. The Property Assessment Bill will be introduced on Tuesday, and the second reading will come on aa soon as possible thereafter, but as Wednesday and Thursday are private members' days it is probable that this great battle, the first great fight of the session, will not begin before Friday. Meanwhile the whips on both sides are exceedingly active. Mr Pyke intends to get an early opportunity of bringing under the notice of the House the correspondence relative to the St. Giles' mission. A large number of members of both Houses attended a public trial of the Maxim gun yesterday, and several them* . selves tired it. All expreseed astonish* ! ment at the wonderful powers of the gon, and at the ease with which it was manipulated.

[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]

WELLINGTON, June 29. A trial of etrength next week over the subject of taxation is certain. The Aucklanders to a man are opposed to the property tax, and it was understood last night that Mr Withy or Sir George Grey would move for its repeal, but now it appears probable that if Mr Ballance takes the proffered leadership of the Opposition he will accept the responsibility of moving a resolution traversing the property tax proposals. This would immediately be accepted as a direct hostile vote by the Government, and a no-confidence debate would result. The Opposition claim to have a small majority, bat the Government havirg counted heads, are sanguine that the motion will be defeated by six or eight votes.