Parliamentary Notes.

Hastings Standard, Issue 455, 20 October 1897, Page 2

Parliamentary Notes.

[From our Special Reporter.]

Wellington, This day. It is understood that Mr Theo. Cooper will represent Mr Ward in tka Appeal Court, but the date of the hearing cannot be fixed till the Bill receives the Royal as&ent. The Governor is out of town but is expected to return to-day.

For the same reason some of the despatches between the Government and the late Governor on the subject of Mr Ward's case have been When they see the light they are" expected to furnish some spicy reading. The whole of yesterday afternoon's sitting was wasted over a di.-ciu;-sion on the motion of Mr Fraser affirming that the sub - editorial in the New Zealand Times of Friday re breaking pairs by the members for Wakatipu and Rangitikei constituted a breach of privilege. It seemed that there had been a misunderstanding between the Whips. The debate was more or less personal in tone and there was some smart passages between the Premier, the Minister of Lands, and Messrs Fraser and Scobie MacKenzie.

Eventually the motion was carried on the voices, but the Premier gave the House to understand that no further action was contemplated.

Before the House rose the Premier announced the appointment of a Royal Commission, comprising one of the most experienced Stipendiary Magistrates and Mr Tunbridge, to enquire into the whole recent charges against the Police. Mr Seddon said the new Commissioner would have an absolutely free hand and on his advice the commission was set up. It is understood that Mr Beetham will be the Magistrate.

What looked like another stonewall on the question of the representation of the respective parties on the remaining sessional committees was averted last evening by the Minister of Lands moving the adjournment of the debate on the setting up of the Petitions Classification Committee. ' This is perhaps the least important of the committees, and the Premier proposed seven Oppositionists arid three Government supporters. This was looked upon as an insult to the Opposition, and it looked as if some hours' would be spent in discussion. Although the question is shelved for the present a further protest will be made when it again comes up for discussion. Captain Russell set the ball rolling in the Budget debate last evening, making an excellent speech. He traversed as much of the Statement aa the time limit allowed, firing heavy guns right along the line of march. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones followed, supporting every item of the Budget and praising his colleagues and himself for the marked advance to prosperity the colony had made under the Seddon reyinie. Sir Robert Stout made a powerful speech against the Budget in general and the Government in particular. At midnight the debate was adjourned till this afternoon.