POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 12026, 26 October 1903, Page 4

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[FIIOM OUT. Reporter.]

WELIINGTON. October 26. ADMIRALTY HOUSE.

As the Admiral declines to occupy Admiralty House o.fc Auckland, the local Harbor Board are inviting the Government to give them power to lease the place as a board-ing-house, or Anything else that would lessen the present loss of £SOO per year. The Premier has premised to put through a Bill giving the required power if the Auckland members will consent to assist. TWO IMPORTANT MEASURES. It is improbable that either the Banking Bill or tho Public Works Statement will be brought down before next week. TO-NIGHT'S ORDER PAPER. The measures at the head of to-night's Order Paper are the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill (consideration of new clauses added by the Council), Fisheries Encouragement (third reading), Fisheries Conservation Amendment (consideration of report and third reading), and the Counties Amendment and Companies Bills (to be committed). THE LICENSING BILL. The second reading.of tire Licensing Bill will probably be taken on Wednesday evening. STATE FIRE INSURANCE.

There is now a reasonable hope that the State Firo Insurance Bill will survive the present deadlock. It is anticipated that at the third conference, which, will probably take place to-morrow, the managers for the Council will waive the titter's amendment to clause 26. LENGTH OF THE SESSION. Opinions are greatly divided as to the length of the session. The Leader of the Opposition, Messrs Millar, Arnold, and other prominent Government supporters are agreed that Saturday. November 7, will see the curtain rung "down. On the'other hand, it should be borne in mind that, there are thirty odd measures on the Order Paper still to be disposed of, in addition to the Banking Bill. The Public Works. Statement, the Supplementary Estimates, and the discussion on Preferential Trade have to be taken, and the ocean mail resolutions to be debated. In addition, there are local Bills and the consideration of the Commerce and Industries Committee reports on the meat supply scheme and the Flour Millers'- Combine to be dealt with. In the face of Mr Massey's declaration on Satnrdav night that the Opposition could prevent the practice of rushing legislation through in the dyimhfurs of the session, I adhere to mv % fre-quently-expressed opinion that the Wsion will extend beyond carnival week, though in doing so I recognise that I lav mvself open to the charge of pessimism.