WELLINGTON GOSSIP,

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5438, 19 July 1879, Page 2

WELLINGTON GOSSIP,

(PEOM OXSn Outfit COKR^SfONDENT)^ . B*rMay. A caucus^ erf the Opposition wots ; held to-day* when 41 member's were accounted for.! It wad f esolyed that . Sir W. FoiE should move an amendment on the ad* ' •/ dress iv reply to the Governor's' Speech; " ; , expressing a, direct want of confidence oft : administrative .gr.dun.dsj This will be : done fcO4!^*; -■ '*','.' MrQ-oldie has declined, to ; second the address, and the task has devolved on Mr - F. J, Moss. Sir W. Fox will follow him > with the amondmentj and Sir Geo. Grey willj it is lindgrsfcdod, I'eply., and conclude ■• V the night's i talking; The debase will prd* .A bably last, all next. , Week, arid., it' ia Said -'; that .Ministers vfiQ US9 every, pplssib^?, "'? means' id prdldng the agony; That -jMey are at present in a minority is admitted on all hands. . . ,'..'. I, To day Mr Macandrew, on behalf of : .; the Minstry, had an interview with Sir. •'- . William Fo£ on the subject, of : the . ' Loan Bill; Ityli explanations [ were -•> entered jntd and correspondence' pro* '>' dlidedj indiudind: sj, letter froni .the ,'-'. Bank of ISfew Zealand, intimating*, its " willingness, if .absolutely .iiec'esaii^,".'V"'' to advance »sum not, exceeding £4P0, 000, " !;) but declining to . go beyond this, . ', The *V^ result of the interview is understood, Jjto/ have been a pledge from Sir W. Fox that,; if the r Loan Bill was sent < dowa by,;"... message from the Governor, the Opposi- ..-A tion would not oppose ita immediate'^passage. The Governor-is also stated to be now willing to assent to the bill without waiting a reply tdihe address. The Eesident Magistrate's Act Amend- — nient Bill enables any officer, or agent of • ,/-, any incorporated campany to :make de- * "" position and take oaths as principals to an action under section 34 of the Aot of 18U7* ....,,.. . . .. •• -- The Introduction of .Convicts, tion Act Amendment Bill extends all tHe ; .' provisions' of the Act of 1567 to any perf . . son convicted or sentenced or condehined ' •'/ to be punished for any . capital' dffene'e' against the laws of any Sovereign State; and any person undergoirig Sentence", oi ti*ansportation for any offence against: . such laws ; and any person who is or . shall bo under any conviction Or sentence . of condemnation whatever in any colony or possession of such State for any capital or transportable - offence, and. any. person not at liberty by reason of any such conviction or sentence of condemna- / ,'• tion as aforesaid, to reside in any part of such State as aforesaid or in any colony or possession of such State in which such conviction, sentence, or condemnation may have been had or passed ; and any person so convicted or pentenced or condemned in any such State or colony or. possession as aforesaid, who has or shall have received a pardon or remission of sentence on condition that he shall leave or not come or remain within the said State or colony or possession in which such conviction or sentence or condemnation shall have been had or passed, for or during any residue of the term of the original sentence, or for or during any . other period. The objection raised by ' Captain Russell and Major Atlrinson to this is that it would prevent political offenders claiming the protection of the' British flag. 9.10 p!m. Sir William Foz has been an hour, speaking, but so far said nothing remark-' able or new. Plenty of gesticulation and shrieking, but very little solid argument. Mr Joyce has interrupted him several times on abxurd points of order and has consequently beoh sat upun. ., Mr Shanks j spoke veiy briefly and hesitatingly. Mr Eeeves, who seconded . the address in-; ; stead of Mr Moss, only said a few words : in a very loud voice. ' The following extract from a letter addressed toMajor Richmond by the Premier was read to-day in the Legislative Council : — "I did not answer your letter about your being appointed to the Legislative Council Speakership at an earlier date because, I wished when I wrote to you to be able to write with some degree of certaiuty, and inasmuch as you were , the only applicant for the . office whiilst 1 =': knew that several other persoiis were probably anxious to get it, although they „- said nothing, I did not desire to enter into: , > a correspondenc with anyone until T[ knew that I should in a short time set all , doubts at rest. I well recolleot pld times •-'. and your many services to the State in . days gone by. This, however, is a case in which one cannot give way to. mere, personal feelings, -however strong these may be.' There is a necessity in such an appointment .to give assurance^ to the public that the Government intend to carry .'measures 3 of' a certain character, and to secure, if pos- ' sible existing laws to which' they stand i ' pledged from being repealed or in any way altered, so that their force or main characteristics might be destroyed. In fact, this is a case in which the public interests alone, must be consulted, .and I am in fact but a trustee of those interests* ■„■ and must make my own feelings give ; { to them. Acting o.n these principles I ' fear that the choice of President must fall an another person than yourself."