POLITICAL NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6085, 27 August 1880, Page 6

POLITICAL NEWS.

pBOJtt-UUi* SPBOIAI COBEBSPONDEUT.J WELLINGTON, August 25. I take advantage of the departure of the Hinemoa for Lyttelton to forward you (per courtesy of Captain Fairchild) , the following synopsis of political news, which, of course, would have been wired but for,the continued interruption of telegraphic communication. , As has all along been predicted in your, columns would be.the case, the beer duty has*, been reduced from 6d to 3d. Sir G. Grey threw an air of intense sarcasm into his . voice,, when Be asked the Government what they intended to do after their defeat. Major Atkinson replied, rather dej'eotedly, that they intended to go on, and that the reduction of the Beer tax would necessitate some reconsideration, of the Property tax proposals. I am under the impression .this means reducing the exemption. from £SOO to £3OO. The House will probably l agree to this, after, which there will be a stampede of members. Neither Sir W. Fox nor Mr Speight took part in “the Beer Division.” • A curious illustration occurred on Monday of how little some Ministers really know of what they are talking abont. Eeferring to the Beer tax. Major Atkinson said “ the estimated revenue will befilOlO." „ []A voice; £110,000.] Major Atkinson accepted the correction and proceeded in a tone of vpioe indicating that he considered it very immaterial what the amount really was. I have looked over the evidence taken in connection with Taiaroa’s disqualification, It certainly contains some curious statements. Mr Lewis, Under Secretary, of the Native Department, stated that Taiaroa had never Bent in any resignation of . his office as Native Assessor. He had returned a portion of his pay wrongly -drawn while acting in the capacities of Assessor, and member of .the Council—but not all—only one month’s. On this point the following minute from Mr Sheehan was put inApproved so far, as pension is concerned; as I consider Taiaroa’s. ease exceptional. -He was hot a new member in. such a sense as to justify hi» being compelled to abandon his. position as Assessor. No doubt the law is dear and technically he has no chance but to resign; —J. S., Oct. 6, 1879.” In Mr Sheehan’s ' examination. he said that he had wired to Taiaroa to consult Mr Stout, and he replied that his resignation had been sent on. Taiaroa here exclaimed, “ No, I have never seen it.” The Chairman, H It appears to me the whole: business arose out of some blundering in the office. Mr Sheehan, “ It was like it was m the charge of the Light Brigade, ' somebody blundered.’ ” Sir George Grey’s .evidence was as follows “It was not an appointment 1 considered; myself bound to look : closely into—the question of .disqualification. I thought: it; rested principally .with the Native l Depart*, ment- I approved of the appointment, and I considered he was perhaps the best l qualified ; Native in the.country.for the office.” As you are aware, the Committee disqualified Taiaroa,. who now intends standing, for Tainni’s con-; stituenoy, the latter resigning. A deadlock has occurred between the South Island Native ■ Commissioners. (Messrs - Naim l and Smith) and the Government. It appears they travelled about’ until ' January, last taking evidence, and that at about that time having exhausted their funds, a voucher presented by them for payment of expenses was ■ dishonoured by the. Treasury. At this stage, a correspondence of rather , angry nature commences between the Commissioners and Mr. Bryce, who suggested that the Commissioners. should make an interim report. The'Commissioners declined, and asked that arrange-. ments should be made for paying their expenses. Mr Biwce' declined to take the res-, ponsibility of tulowing any expenses beyond the vote, and intimated in remarkably plain language that - if the Commissioners did not male an interim report he would consider the, expediency of requesting the - Governor to., wind up the Commission. The Commissioners then wrote tlmt there was .evidence at Anck-, land which they wished to collate, and askea. that for this purpose the services of their.; Secretary should- be retained. Mr Bryce, again refused, and would not promise to ask. Parliament for further vote.. Bo the matter l stands. All through the correspondence Mr Bryce intimates very plainly that he considers

the OommiskConera have taen’enjoying them.’' solves at the «xpenM of the country, without any adequate return for tho expenditure. The Public Accounts Committee have been investigating the statement made by the West Coast Commissioners - relative to - certain vouchers for *£2ooo charged by the Land Purchase Department to .cost of acquiring Waimate Plajns. The following were tho questions remind to them s— 1. Was the sum of £2ooo,'imprested.to an officer of the Government for a specified service, expended by that office? on an entirely different service, though vouched for 4s expanded on the service for whiohlthe imprest was made f 2.' If snob was the case who is responsible for (he misapplication of the money-? 6 Were the purposes to wiioh- the money was actually applied disclosed to the Native Minister, to the Under-Secretary of tho Land Purchase Department, or to the Audit office, when the vouchers were, submitted for approval, and passed to the credit of the impreatee? 4. Who is responsible for the preparation and signature of these vouchers in'a form at variance with the actual facts of.the baseband for the suppression of the true vouchers'? 5. How the Wathmte’-Plains Purchase,' Or takoha” account;, which now stands charged with the expenses represented by the vouchers upon which emit was allowed to the imprestoe, may be ! re)ievod of 'the same, and to what account ftho true expenditure r niay sought to be charged? -On,.these the Committee reporto-4“ That the Committee is of opinion that this matter should be’ investigated by (be ! Comptroller and AuditorGeneral, and that snob' action ’should be taken by him qs the circumstances of the - case may be found 'to require.-. August * 23,. 1880. (Signed) E, 0. J. Stevens, Chairman.” - It is said that’daring a period pf dive years a certain Land jPufohase Commissioner drew in salary and expenses over £14,000. It is whispered in political circles - that Sir William Fox, 1 Messrs Gisborne, Ormond, Wakefield, and Reader Wood, have arrived at an excellent underatandingrand that the commencement of next Session:will probably see. the formation of a sew party, of which they will form the nnoleus.

' , From the Goldfields Report, tabled yesterday, I take the following figures: —The value of the yield of i gold for 1879 for the whole Colony was £1,148,103, showing a decrease of £91,971 compared with the yield of’ 1878. The number of mines at work on March 31, 1880, was 14,853, against 14,297 for the previous year. During the three months ended March 81,1880, the value of the gold produced from the - Otago fields showed an increase of £45,808, as compared with the same quarter of the previous year. Auckland increased £9295; ' whilst in theyield of other places there was a decrease of £34,388. A paper laid on, the table.of the House shows the manned in 'which material is ordered from Great Britain .for the Public .Works Department. All material is ordered through the Agent General/who advises the nonsuiting engineers, Messrs Homans, Farmer, lanored and Co. They prepare specifications, and then tenders are called for. The engineers inspect the material, and are paid at the rate of li per cent on the invoice value of the material passed.' It is contemplated to appoint Mr Carruthers aa. consulting engineer, and the Agent-General' has been instructed to reduce the inspection fees to 1 per cent/ When material is ordered from America, instructions are sent to,Mr Evans* consulting engineer, Hew York, .who makes the necessary arrangements for prqouriug and shipping the material. He is paid 2} per cent on invoice value. He also' pays the person or, persons l supplying the material, and draws upon the Agent-General for the total amount. The amounts paid by the Agent? General in commissions during the year ended July 1, 1880, were: Homans and Co;, London, £6346 Evans, of Hew York, £841; travelling expenses, £lO6/ Total; £6292, . It is said that the Public Accounts Com? mjttee being equally divided as to the legality of the payment of arrears of, pension to the Hon Dr Pollen, (mentioned by me in a previous communication), the question is to be remitted jfco Sir G. M. O’Eorko. It is rumoured* that in order to avoid a second defeat.the Government-will deprecate any attempt that it. may be tnsendea to make to precure the re-committal' of the Beer Tax Bill with a view 1 to-fixing the, duty at'the amount originally proposed, viz., fid. . •12.30. The latest repofiTS that the Government intend virtually to drop the Property 'Assess-; ment Act Amendment Bill, passing pply the schedule, simplifying the sending in oi returns. That is to sayi the whole of the following clause in the Property Assessment; Act Amendment Bill will be abandoned;— “To the. classes of property exempt from taxationunder the said Act as. mentioned in ; ings—All household furniture and effects in actual use, including hooks, plate, wearing; apparel, jewellery of all muds, and all pictures and worka of art ; but such exemption shall not extend - to or include any such articles when kept or used as'stock-in-trade and for purposes of sale.” The session! will; in all probability, to all intents and purposes, close on Friday, although the formal prorogation may not take place until Monday. It has been arranged that the Hinemoa leaves with Horthern members on Sunday morning. ’