POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7865, 16 May 1891, Page 6

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

(By Telegraph.)

(from our correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, May 15. So for very little movement has been made by the Opposition party in preparation for the coining session. There is a strong feeling on the -part of many members opposed to the Government that any premature action would be unwise, and ia to be deprecated. Some correspondence took place recently among prominent members of the party as to . the advisablenesa or otherwise of convening a meeting of the party before the assembling of Parliament, in order that some plan of action might be concerted. After full consideration, however, it was decided not to convene the meeting. All the members on that side of the House could not attend, and it was felt that unless the gathering was thoroughly representative it would be worse than useless, and would probably be mischievous. Some of the party openly avow their preference for a Fabian policy, or as they put it, for "giving the Government plenty of rope." There seems still to pc some difference of opinion as to the question of leadership, some favoring the early election of a permanent leader, while others prefer the continuance of the "Managing Committee" plan adopted last session. If, however, the choice of a leader should be agreed upon I have reason to believe that Mr Bryce will be chosen. A caucus will be held at the earliest possible period after members have arrived in Wellington for the session. I hear that the examination of the Auditor-General and of the Audit Department officers by the Royal Commission produced some sharp verbal encounters, the Auditor-General (who is rather an " ugly customer" to tackle in debate) at last declaring he would not answer any more questions, or permit his officers to do so, unless they were treated with more consideration. I understand that one point of dispute between the Commissioners and the witnesses was as to the form of certain entries which the Commissioners insisted were inaccurate, and should have been condemned by the Audit Department, while the Audit officers maintained that the entries were strictly in accordance with the requirements of the law, and could not have been different without being in contravention of the law. The Commissioners, I hear, next endeavored to extract from the witnesses an expression of opinion that the law might, therefore, be altered so as to compel the entries to be made in the form preferred by one of the Commissioners, but the witnesses generally declined to commit themselves to such an expression of opinion without due consideration, as the alleged defect consisted mainly in the law not agreeing with the Commissioners' opinion of what it ought to be, and, judging from what has transpired as to the direction taken by the Commissioners' enquiries, those gentlemen appear to be under a misconception touching the duties of the Audit Department as prescribed by law, and to mistake its functions for those of an Inspector, which it does not legally possess, but which in the opinion of the Public Trust officers themselves ought to be vested in some officer and freely exercised. (PBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMS.) WELLINGTON, May 16. The' Native Commission finished taking evidence, and will report next week. The Public Trust Commission also finish next week. The Cabinet will consider the dispute with the Midland Railway Company next week, and come to a definite determination. The Native mister is continuing the work of hia predecessor with regard to the Rotorua leases. Tiie Hon. Mr Cadman has personally obtained ~ number of signatures and only about 50 Natives out of 1100 are now standing out. Their whole interest only represents three or four hundred pounds. The Railway Commissioners have asked for £40,000 for additional rolling stock appliance, goods sheds, and other accommodation on tre opened lines, but as the Government are able only to give half this sum, there is likely to be much disappointment throughout the colony, the sum asked for (about JB2O per mile) being only sufficient for the most pressing necessities. AUCKLAND, May 15. The Hon. R. Seddon was to have returned to-day from his Northern trip, but he has been detained at Kawakawa, owing to the heavy weather. He was given a banquet by the people of Kawakawa.