PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume VIII, Issue 1356, 12 July 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

(BY TELEGBAPH.)

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) WELLINGTON, July 10. The report respecting the sale of district railway debentures is decidedly the sensation of the session so far, the Times says, and has produced a painful effect. The Press refers to it as the " ugließt doenmeut of the kind that has ever been presented to Parliament." It goes on to connect the finding of the committee with the rumors of jobbery prevalent in 1884 and 1885, when the District Railways Purchase Act was passed. The Press Beems to think that there is a good deal in the affair ; while the Post, on the other hand, leans towards objecting to what the committee has done. All the papers, however, suspend judgment until evidence has been given. A committee was appointed on the motion of the member for Clutha to enquire into and report whether any member of the Legislature negotiated for or claimed or received any commission or remuneration for promoting tbe passage of the District Railways Purchase Act, 1885, or for negotiating the sale or purchase of tbe defentures issued or to be issued thereunder by the Government. The members were Messrs. Thomson, Barron, Bruce, Cadmnn. Duncan, Fulton, Garrick. McMillan, Ormond, and Pearson. With tbe exception of Mr. Cadman, who dissented from tbe first and last paragraphs, tbe report is said to bave been unanimously approved of by the members of the House. Last night the Criminal Code Bill was thrown out on a motion to go into committee. The general impression seemed to be that it would take- two or three weeks to cousider it in committee, and the House evidently did not care to tackle tbe job, so tbe bill has gone for another session. This is tbe fourth time it has been shelved. The Defence Bill, which is to convert the A.C. into a new force, to be called the Peimaoent Militia, was advanoed a stage. So was the Police Force Bill, which merely re-enacts the provisions of tbe present Constabulary Act. saving that it omits the clause which has hitherto debarred members of the force exercising the franchise. Tbe Civil Service Bill was also considered in committee, but most of tbe debateable clauses were postponed. " Puff" in the Press has the following about the ploughing at Mokoia : — " Native difficulty at Hawera. Maoris building a whare on Mr. Lysagbt's farm — threatening to plough and enclose the leasehold

from Whennakara to the White Cliffs. Well, if they build decent wbares. ani plough straight, aad fence substantially, the settlers ought to be well satisfied. Oh 1 but they don't — they only make a botch, just to annoy the settlers, and aßsert their right to the land ; let tbem alone, and they wilt go home, and leave tbeir botch behind them. A small army of constables bave been sent against them. Bather a joke if Ballance has to conduct another Parihaka campaign, Yes, he'd look well charging through the marae on a piebald horse, indicative of tho union of the two races ; but there's no fear of that. The potato is cooked, ami John Bryce cooked it. Perhaps it's still hot enough for Ballanco to burn Ins fingers over it."