POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 77, 8 December 1887, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(own correspondent.') WatnisoioN, yesterday.

It will not at all he a surprise if the Council reject# the Bill to reduce the honorarium. The inequality of payment between the two Houses will in all likelihood be the professed reason of the rejection. Some of the members would like to oppose the Bill to reduce the numbar of members of the House, but are afraid to do so. The chances are that in committee the reduction of members will be greatly modified. The proposal to take away one Maori seat will probably be dropped. The return) showing the expenditure in Ministerial houses since the defeat of the late Ministry last session disclose some extraordinary articles charged against the country. Considering the financial straits the colony was in at the time some of the items are exceedingly queer. The Representation proposals of the Government have opened up a very sore spot with many members, especially with members of the Fish type. On the motion being brought forward to go into Committee on the Bill a number of members commenced stonewalling, prominent among whom was Vogel and Seddon. It was getting on to 2 o'clock before the motion was carried by a majority of 25.

Mr Downie Stewart moved at quarter to three this morning an amendment to the effect that the Representation Bill should not come into operation before October, 1889, even if there were a dissolution before that date. Many of the members failed to perceive the important bearing of the amendment, and voted for it, the consequence being that it was carried by a majority 5. When the House met this morning an adjournment was made at the request of Major Atkinson until 2.30 p.m., when he said he would make a statement as to what the Government would propose to do in view of the carrying of the amendment proposed by Mr Downie Stewart, a It is generally believed that the Government will insist on the rejectment of the m easure.

The carrying of the amendment will mean that if the Government were defeated any time before 1889, and a dissolution followed the new Parliament would be elected on the present basis. The Opposition are determined to cause as much trouble to the Government as is possible, the waste of time and money is apparently not considered.

The Public Works Statement will in all probability be delivered next Tuesday.