POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 16, 5 June 1880, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[Specially Telegraphed to Star.]

(prom ottr own co-respondent.)

Wellington, Friday night.

Politics are dull, but the general aspect of affairs shows that the Ministry is strong, and that it knows it. The agitation against some of the details of the Property Tax Act is wavering, and it is now well known that some of the more objectionable features will be modified — not that any more exemptions are expected, but simply that the particulars of the returns to be filled up by persons liable for the tax will probably be less detailed and inquisitorial. Both the Times and the Post advocate this course, and it has come before a caucus of Ministerial supporters, and has been strongly approved of; so say the " quidnuncs." I understand it is unlikely that there will be any marshalling of the political forces until after the delivery of the Financial Statement on Tuesday next. If anything important should turn up, you can depend upon " Your Own Correspondent."

The Ministry has forced on the work briskly already. The Colonial Treasurer says that to knock off the tax on personal property would involve the loss of about to the revenue. It is very doubtful whether this would be agreed to.

Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, the Colonial Secretary in the late Conservative Ministry, is said to have written to the Governor of the colony, saying that a certain irregularity has been allowed to officers in receipt of Imperial pensions, and that the advisability of discontinuing the same has been entertained in consequence.