PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 3, 23 July 1874, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

(From a Correspondent.) Wei^in'gton, July IG. You are no doubt well acquainted with all the proceedings that have yet taken place at the Assembly from the ' Hansards ' and telegraphic intelligence. There may, however, be one or two things on which it is possible to make a few observations tbat may be interesting to your readers. Before the House met it was rumored that the Session would be a short one. The speech of His Excellence' on; the occasion of opening tbe Assembly certainly favoured this idea. Not only the hope was expressed tbat the Session would be short, so as to afford ministers time to attend to the duties of administration, but the list of subjects on which it was proposed to legislate was shorter than usual. I may state however, that the general opinion amongst men competent to judge is that the session will be about the'ordinary length. The Government, whether they will or not, will have to face the large question of Provincial borrowing. This will lead to a great. deal of debate. The financial position of the Province of Auckland is also to be brought, before the House by the Auckland members. This also is a question rich in debataeble matter, and doubtless there are many- other large and important questions that willrbe forced on the attention of tbe Legislature, both by the Government and by private members. The Ward- Chapman scandal has been more prolific of discussion than any other question yet brought before the Legislature. With the particulars of this scandal the public are well acquainted. The Government, whilst willing to lay on the table all papers bearing on the subject, opposed the motion for a select committee. Iv the interests of pure administration of justice, it considered that an inquiry was necessary. The Committee is to inquire not only into the merits of the scandal, but also as to bow the telegrams reached ths • Otago Daily Times.' The results of the inquiry, either as regards the scandal itself or the telegrams, are difficult to ' guess. The action of Judge Ward was exceedingly impudent. This is admitted even by his warmest friends. Professional men have often a strong feeling against each other. This is perhaps more marked in the case of lawyers than others. It is not generally supposed that there will be any very strong opposition to tbe Government this session. There is no/ body of men on the oppotifipn side of the j House anxious for office. This, perhaps, is owing to the very general conviction that the finances of the Colony are in anything but a satisfactory condition. Mr. Yogel has promised to make the Financial Statement on 'l uesday. Till this is made, the House and the country are very much in the dark?' When we are in possession ot the budget, we shall be able to form a much more correct opinion as to the probable length of the session, and as to whether it is likely that we shall have , a change of Government; indeed, unless something very startling is brought outan the. budget speech, there is, I may say, not the slightest prospect of any changein the~ administration. It is felt, however, that changes are more than likely to take place in the Executive, a 9 at present, constituted. , The only two men of mark are Yogel and M'Lean. M'Lean-i has ■ hot yet; - returned' -from New South Wales.;.! Tti& whole duties, therefore, of conducting the Government business, fall on Vogef; when' /he is . absent;-* Government businesl cahnbt/go oh. .Rich - ' ardsen . seems, to have/, lapsed -"'into the position of a Governmental officer ; and 'as to. Reynolds and>. O'Rorke^why; the less said about them.the. better. • ... „; . -. The ■■night:befpre > la'st,;the*.'PremJCT' ; gaye

a long speech on the.flubject. of forests, in/ moving the second reading of the ForestsBill. Mr. Yogel has evidently-been reading up on this subject,- for he almost wearied the House with long extracts on forestry. It is well known that Mr. Yogel 18 of- a hopeful temperament, but Ido not think even his most ardent admirers would be prepared for the exuberant hopes he entertains of his forestry schemes. In six years from the present date,, he considers that the revenues arising from the. forests he proposes planting will be sufficient to pay the sinking fund on our loans ; that in twenty years more, these revenues will pay any deficiency there may be in the revenues of the railways for the payment of interest on their construction, and that then the revenues arising from the forests wiil be so great we shall then be able to make a beginning in paying off the loan itself, which bye and by these revenues will be sure to effect. This Bill opens so many large questions that, if the Government insist on carrying it this session, there ia no saying how long the session will last. The Premier, however, does not seem to be very hopeful of carrying his forest bill this session. Perhaps it would be well to let it staud over for another year, to give it the advantage of bring . ventilated by public opinion. I notice tbat Mr. Tnomson, member for Clutha, asked the Minister for Public Works, in the House ot Representatives, on Wednesday last, the number of contracts into which the Government proposed dividing the formation of the Clutha and Mataura line of . railway, and when they proposed calling for tenders for the [contracts? iYgive you the answer of the Minister, for general infomration. Mr. Richardson said that " it had ; not been finally decided into how many contracts the \ works would be divided, but it would be satisfactory to the hon. member to koow that everything iv connection with the contracts, plans, specificifions, &c., c were prepared. Careful watch would be kept on thejabour market aa to the time for calling for tenders.