POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 7198, 28 April 1887, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, April 27.

The House presented a livelier appearance to-day. A number of additional members had put in an appearance since yesterday, including Major Atkinson, the West Coast members, and Major Hamlin (Chairman of Committee). Leave of absence has' been applied for on behalf of Mr Samuel for one week, Mr J. 0. Brown for one month, and Mr Sutter for two months. The Dunedin Unemployed.

Mr Bracken this afternoon received a telegram from the Mayor of Dunedin urging that work bo provided at once for the unemployed. Tho member for Dunedin Central at once interviewed the Minister for Public Works, who gave instructions for commencing a section of tho Catlin R'ver Railway extension immediately. The unemployed will bo conveyed to the work free of charge. i' The Native Councillors. One of the vacancies in the Legislative Council has be?n filled up by the appointment' of Major Ropata vice the Hon. Mr Mokanc (Morgan) resigned. As Wi Tako is seriously indisposed there was only one' Native member in tho Upper House, so the necessity of making the appointment is obvious. Major Ropata han i rendered many loyal services to the Colony, and ! his appointment-which will be gazetted in the course of a few days—is sure to be received with satisfaction, I hear that'Mokena, following the precedent of the Hon. C. J. Pharazyn, accompanied his resignation with a request to be allowed to nominate his successor.

Ambiguous Motions Discountenanced. The Colonial Treasurer this afternoon expressed a hope that anyhon. members requiring returns of a financial nature during the session would communicate with Ministers as to the way in which tho resolutions should be wordejl. He explained that owing to the vague manner in which motions were often worded the officers in the various departments were put to a deal of unnecessary troublo and the country to expense. This latter remark caused BL - Taylor to reprove those gentlemen who asked for returns without showing good reasons foV their so doing. [ New Bills. *

Bight new Bills, whioh I enumerated yesterday, woro introduced into tho House to-dajr, four of these being Sir George Grey's measure?. In the case of the Bill to authorise the purchase or other acquisition of private lands far subdivision for purposes of settlement, the consent of the Government was necessary to its introduction, the Bill being a money one. On

the assurance of Sir George that the BUI was the Bame as that brought forward last year, the Premier at once gave his consent to its introduce tion, and it was read a first time. Subsidies Towards Prospecting.

In a conversation with the Minister of Mines to-day relative to recent applications by private _ parties at Coromandel, he informed me that any'' assistance towards prospecting must be obtained from the County Council. He added that he had set his face altogether against direct subsidies by Government towards goldfields prospecting and tunnelling. The Civil Police. It is understood that the Native Minister has completed all necessary arrangements to hand over charge of the civil police to the Minister of Justice. This step will in every respect lead to the more economical working of the department. The chango is not likely to bo made before the recess. The Employment of Females Act 188 L Amendment (the Premier) is the same measure which the late Mr Bradshaw introduced last session, but was thrown out by the Legislative Council. It provides for limiting the age of employment to twelve years; prohibits the employment of f males after hours as saleswomen; and makes the obstruction of inspection a penal offence. Papers, Papers were laid on the table to-day relating to the proposed acquisition of the New Hebrides by France, and to the Australian Stock Conference ; also a list of letters patent and letters of registration received during 188 G. The total number is 504. The 'Post' Veering Hound. The tone of articles in the 'Post,'which is the recognisod Ministerial organ, appears to indicate an approaching change in the political front of that journal. The apparent alteration of policy has caused some surprise amongst members, and has oxcited considerable comment. Mr Ballance's Mill. The Minister of Lands tolls mo that ho will givo notice of his Land Acquisition Bill this week. It is the same measure which was circulated during the recess. He is very much amused at Sir George Grey's adapting tho word "acquisition" m the title of his opposition Bill. The Hlncmoa to be Laid Up. Tile absence of money in the public oxchequer is shown by tho small but significant faot that the Iliuemoa is to bo laid up immediately, although cargoes jf railway material were waiting here and at Lyttelton for Wellington and Auckland. Retrenching at the Wronjr End. Some of the attempts of Government at retrenchment aro paltry in tho extreme, and the ' Post' says that if the Hon, Mr Reynolds, who is the moving spirit in this direction, can do no bettor than cut off a messenger and reduce the already small salary of an over-worked ' Hansard' reporter, it would be as well to let things alone altogether. Post Office Savings Banks. During the year ending December 31 last there were 177 post office savings banks opon, the total deposits amounting to L 1,248,405 and tho withdrawals to L 1.336,287. In 1885 there were 161 savings banks, with deposits amounting to L 1.,341,001 and withdrawals t0L1,264,305. Tho returns for the principal towns during 1880 were: Auckland, 1154,800 deposited and L 176,471 withdrawn; Christchurch, L 271.199 deposited and L 264.761 withdrawn; Dunedin, L 201.957 deposited and L 195.244 withdrawn; "Wellington, L 229,924 deposited and L 244.270 withdrawn. Items. Mr Taylor, membor for Sydenham, has put forth a Bill of his own. Its object is to amend tho Municipal Corporations Act in the direction of enabling boroughs to erect gasworks of their own. Tho National Park Bill has been printed, anci will be brought down at once. The Opposition. Tho meeting of the Opposition party to-day is said to have been thoroughly unanimous, enthusiastic, and determined, and the party express confidence in thoir prospects. There were twenty-three members present, and the total number accounted for was thirty-eight. These were all reliable supporters, and it was understood that tho prospect of catching waverers was good. Nearly every member present spoke. Tho opinion was strongly oxpressed that tho Government were unprepared to meet tho House, and would endeavor to delay the moro important business with sidowind Bills. It was decided that Major Atkinson should be the only speaker on the Address-ln-Roply, and that nothing should bo said or done that would discloso tho hand of the Opposition or assist tho Government in developing their policy. It was tacitly understood that the first real ottack on the Government should bo made on the qucs'ion of finance. It was stated in the course of the discussion that the Government would endeavor to stavo off the Representation Bill until tho question of finance was •usposcd of, in tho hope that if they were defeated on finance and had to go to the country they would do so on tho present Representation Act, which would bo more favorable to them than a new one. The First Ucbatc. It is seldom that a debate on an Address-in Reply proves more hollow than was tho case to-day. Tho wholo debate was concluded witlrin an hour, and was disappointing to the occupants of the crowded gallery. Mr Frasor, who moved tho Addri/ss, did so in a labored speech of t"n minutes' duration, in the course of which ho mentioned every point of tho Spoech, and briefly dismissed it with his opinion thereon. He reviewed the unearned increment cry, and gained tiro appreciation of Sir George Grey for thi-i and other sentences. The speeclr of the seconder was of the M-tccabe af tordinnerspeech order. Very little of it was audible, and the sentiments of the hon. gentleman are still unknown to the House. Major Atkinson twitted the Government with their unpreparedness for the session ; while Sir R. Stout, in reply, claimed for himself and his colleagues a do ire to push through tho Representation Bill and other work, which he declared waß all ready. Assisted Immigration. It appears that during the last eighteen months 247 persons, described as small farmers, have arrived in tho Colony under the regulations, with an aggregate capital of L 24.423. The amount paid by tho Colony towards their passage money was L 1,915. Of these desirable immigrants, 100 wero from England, 79 from Scotland, and 8 from Ireland. Honorarium Ueductlons wero made last session from the following members of both Houses because of absonce:— Legislative Couircil: Acland, L2B; Bonar, L 35 10s; Campbell, L 152 13s; Fraser, LO7 9s; Henderson, L 124 ss; M'Lean, Ll4 4s; Monzics, Ll4 4s; Miller, L 72 4s; Peacock, L 45 3s; Peters, L3l 4s; Reeves, L3l 4s; Robinson, L 30195; Stevens, L 67 9s; Walker, Ll7 15s; Wigley, L 46 3s; Williams, L 3 lis} Williamson, L 49 4s. House of Representatives: Gar-rick, Ll3 Gs; Harper, L7O; Holmes, L2O; Ivess, LlO 13s 4d; Lance, L 23 03 8d ; Locke, L 3 0i 8d; M'Kenzie, L 3 6s Bd.