WELLINGTON NOTES

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7782, 9 February 1891, Page 5

WELLINGTON NOTES

THE FEDERATION CONFERENCE! THE GOVERNOR AND THE URIWHRf NATIVES. [By Telegraph.] (FROM OUR CORRESPONDKirr.^ .WELLINGTON, February 8 ,' The arrangements for the representation of New Zealand at the Federation Confer* enoe have only been finally settled to-day, I Informed you some dajs ago that S4i Harry Atkinson had been asked to go it place of Sir William FiUherbert, and that Sir Harry would accede to the request bub his actual consent was only received by U»e Government to-day. Some surprise was felt that; no reply arrived from Sir George Grey, who has been staying for some time at Kotorua for toe benellt of hie health, but an Auctlaud member, wno know* him very well, said to mc that) if (aa was understood to be ihe case) Ministers had asked Sir G. Grey whether his health would permit his KOlng, he would not take any notice of the enquiry, as he hated any allusion to his ill health, aud never answered any such questions* However, as it happened during the coarse of conversation between the Premier and myself to-day on this very subject, a telegram arrived from Sir Geo. Grey, expressing his willingness and ability to attend the Conference If bis health permitted, of which he had no doubt, ho that enabled mittens to be finally settled. Oapfc. Busseil bad intimated that he was still willing to go, accordingly Sir H. Atkinson, Sir G. Grey, and Captain Russell will be the New Zealand trio, and they have been requested jtxt go by the Mararoa, which leaves the Bluff For Melbourne on the 20th intst. It will be expressly understood that they shall dot commit ihia colony in anyway as .regards federation, but shall merely hold " watch , ing briefs." i -v

The projected trip of the Governor through the Uriwera country, on which his Excellency was to start on Tuesday next, has been abandoned. The Urlwerae have intimated that they are not prepared at present to receive the Queen's representative in suitable style, and,, ec they have asked him to deter his visit.i It is whispered that a certain Maori potentate has arranged to visit them ±o state the same time as Lord Ooelow named, and that this visit has to be got over first. The Uriweras suggest the end of Marches a convenient time for them, but this, I understand, will not euife Lord Onslow, who now proposes a visit in May just before he comes down to Wellington to open Parliament. It is thought doubtful, however, whether a tour through that country would fee feasible then, owing to the heavy Hoods in the rivers which often occur afc thjit season, so, In short, the projected expedition is "hung up" indefinitely. Idp nob know that it matters* much save to his Excellency himself, wb,o is very ansldia to visit that district and people, bat a good deal of fuss has been made about the affair In the North. Major Steward does not deem it rigbt to bis views respecting the T« Aro seat beyond saying that he will await the Judge's decision before announcing his own. I am assured, however, by a veteran Parliamentarian there ia no ground for the contention that Mr Allan's! seat is really vacated through absence with out leave during the late session; because as the petition was pending he could not until the Judges had decided op, Wβ* claim to election, become a member , yyltk undisputed right to sit and vote.! Having therefore no unchallenged right to sib and ' vote, but being able to do ho ouly ut bis own peril, he did not therefore, gequjEire leave.of absence, in the opinion o£ n)y Informant, than whom there stre, few better colonial authorities oq l . procedure and precedent. : ' '~ i