POLITICAL NOTES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4935, 9 June 1887, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES.

[special to daily telegraph.]

[own correspondent.—by telegbaph.]

Wellington, Last night.

NOTICE OF MOTION.

\ Mr Rolleston to - day gave uotice of motioi for to-morrow as follows: —"That tb exercise of a prerogative dissolution, under i system of Triennial Parliaments, is fraugh with much danger to the independence o Parliament, and the successful working o representative institutions in the interests o: the people." A HOST OF QUESTIONS. Questions were again postponed to-day the Premier promising, if possible, that h< : would answer them to-morrow. There arc i now nearly fifty questions on the order- : paper, and they will certainly occupy the s greater part of the afternoon's sitting. 1 PROROGATION ON FRIDAY. ' ! The Premier stated this afternoon that the '. Government hoped to be able to prorogue , Parliament on Friday morning. There is a good deal of business yet to be done, and a number of questions spoken of as necessary to bo ventilated, before the close sf the session, but on the other hand,, others arc very anxious to get away to their constituencies', and are averse to transacting any further business; and there is no doubt, therefore, that a strong effort will be made ; to get away on Friday. ; WEST COAST SETTLEMENT BILL. Nearly the whole of this afternoon whs taken up with the West Coast Settlement Bill in committee. As I previously in- . formed you, tho native members are very ' much .opposed to the principle of the bill, and we had a couple of hours' stonewalling on tho part of the native members, but ultimately progress was reported on the bill. SOUTH ISLAND NATIVE RESERVES. The second reading of the South Island . Native Reserves Act Amendment Bill was then agreed to, and the Houso rose for the dinner adjournment. At half-past seven the Treasurer moved to go into com- . mittee on the latter bill, but as I write, Mr Pratt, the member for the Southern Maori District, is strongly opposing that course, on the ground that the translation of the bill was only justin the hands of the native members this morning, and it can do no one any harm to let the settlement of the question stand over till the meeting of the next Parliament. Ho announced that he would use all the forms of tho House, and every effort of which he was capable, in strenuously opposing the measure. The Treasurer agreed to postpone the bill till to-morrow, and it is almost certain the bill cannot go through in its present form. The Government aro anxious to getjthis one, and two other small bills, through the House before again taking up the Public Revenues Bill, in order to give the Legislative Council some business to. keep them employed, i MINING ACT. 'i Some dismay has been caused to members by the form of the Mining Act—one of the remaining measures the Government want to deal with —has assumed, as it may mean the session being protracted, and there will probably be opposition to the bill being anything more than an Amending Act. THE NATIONAL PARK. Some time ago I informed you that the natives had petitioned against the presentation of the* lands round Tongariro to the colony as a National Park, on the grounds, that they are joint owners in the lands indicated, and have not been consulted in the matter. The Native Affiairs Committee have shelved the petition till next session, but recommended the Government not to take any action with regard to the

land until the claim has been enquired into fully. The Native Minister denies Te Huiatahi's right to claim, on account of ownership, and asserts he has no such claim to this land whatever. ~: This day. A "BREEZE" BETWEEN THE SPEAKER AND TREASURER. The West Const Settlements Reserves Bill had a very rough passage through committee last night, and was productive of some exciting scones. The native members offered the most determined opposition to the bill, and "stonewalled" it till the supper adjournment. After supper an amendment was made to recommit the bill for the purpose of amending it. This was objected to by the Treasurer, who spoke against it. Presently the motion was put " That amendments be considered at the next sitting," and was negatived by a large majority. The Speaker then proceeded to put the amendment, when he was interrupted by the Treasurer starting a speech. "The hon. gentleman has spoken," said the Speaker. The Treasurer replied that he had not spoken to this question, and the Speaker reiterated that he had. The Speaker again started to put the question, when Sir Julius Vogel said something about a point of order, that this was a new question, and that he could speak again. " I have ruled," said the .Speaker, sternly,

" That you undoubtedly cannot. A member can only have one speech on a motion, and one on an amendment. You wish to have four." "Very well, Sir," said the Treasurer sharply ; " I give notice that I shall challenge your ruling before the House to-morrow." The Speaker turned toward Sir Julius, and said, " You had better put a notice on the paper censuring the Speaker." " I shall take a vote of the House on it," repeated Sir Julius Vogel, in spite of tho Premier's apparent attempts to conciliate him. "Then you will put a motion on paper," said the Speaker, and the matter dropped. Sir Maurice O'Rorke appeared to keenly resent the Treasurer's challenge, and spoke as if under the influence of strong emotion, whilst all over the House there were cries of "Chair,"

"Order," etc. The Premier having intimated that he expected to prorogue on Friday morning, the House meets at 11 today, and the Government will probably answer questions.

A ■CURIOUS SPECTACLE. The position of Ministers last nisrht was a most extraordinary one, on the "West Coast Settlement Bill. The Native Minister was in charge of the bill, and had assented to a new clause proposed by Mr Samuel. The Treasurer, however, opposed the clause to such a extent, that enquiries were made as to his position in connection with the bill, tho answer to which was to the effect that as the bill concerned the Public Trust Office, it was in the Treasurer's charge, and had only been taken up by the Native Minister as:a matter of convenience. Sir Julius Vogel then insisted on taking up the bill himself, and humiliated Mr Ballance as far as he was able, The latter behaved in a most dignified and manly way, which was very much in contrast with the dictatorial and childish attitude assumed by Sir Julius Vogel. Another curious feature in the position was that Major Atkinson, Sir Robert Stout, and Mr Ballance supported the bill, whilst Sir George Grey and Sir Julius Vogel opposed certain parts of. it. The position afforded Mr Pyke an opportunity that gentleman was very unlikely to lose, and he commented facetiously upon the mental satisfaction derived from the spectacle of the Premier and the leader of. the Opposition united in brotherly amity, while tho Treasurer " stood out and played a lone hand."