ITEMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXII, Issue 132, 7 June 1888, Page 3

ITEMS.

V *.•*•>. rj<fc?fr? m cv* own.Cbrreßpondent.) - V , * ' ' Wellington, Jane 6. WSi-Wvir^^PHß CHIHESB 'CONFEfEBN'OE. Tbfre tfaß oo earnest passage at arms tieWreen M« Oliver, the delegate frem New Zealand, and Sir G. Grey ov«r the Cbinf cc qowjtion jaflt outside the Parliamentary rhifi afternoon. Sir G. Grey and v W. L. Rees met Mr Oliver who aeked Sir I ndtotse tat Borne leering ideas on the Chinese <jae«UoD. mentioning that he wrb just abont wating for Sydney. Sir G. Grey rbfus^d on Wgrtmnd ibfit the Dill os altered by th« - l ''^Wgttlatlyi'Connoil with the assent of the 1 *- S v(|G^rnni4iot wsotd in reality work tbe vrry kM»|ii'|bat the people of New Zealand desired ' 'MfiwiwwiC* !**•■•' tho Ooanoil'a action would : S^&glgSfi wpOblnew faatite born snbjcots of 4^e~<3r6v?n"in<o the colony, and that even* Au^iSWly tti)| Would be extended to oil coloured "' aVp lea-i to the Empire being broken '< «* 'Oliver replied that it was not bo afc „ - ~ .^Hl^lnd that he Wonld be no party to any ''t/'^Mwh tran^otion* Be emphatioally deolared -'-: the B|li»B altered by the Council wos ;■ • * llOTA^^'W? in itß Bc °P e ¥ waß aUoged. Sir ,-■ ~"« T V«w<sL£i*fsiltted fhat it was, whereupon Mr X- >' ' oH^Oe^oi^ very energetic in his denial, ' ; "' th^ b* would not hove become a f^:'*'^Sffeiatfrinb **& He * r ßno d tL»I the Bill •i-*'mffij3p idmitted 'ihose Chinese who were

fkfctuWised in 'my"" 7 ower wlonyj 6v • rah' i\Q bora snbjeo's of the Queen from rlong Koner or B'ng»pore or other p1«c<»B. After Sir G. jflrey had expressed his surprise that Mr 'Oliver waa nob barter informed aa to th« amendments made in the Chinese Immigra- . lion Bill, the interview terminated. Thh Middlm Party,. •I learn from a nvmber of the Middfa Piltty that they are being led by Mr Bee' bam. The party complain at tho attUnd* of Ministers in oouneotion with Mr Ormond's wpolntionp. They soy tbftt after I the TPrenii"r welcoming the resolutions rs I cloarititf the way »o the consideration of the I tariff, the Government combined with the Oppr B ition, and by giving b b'ok g Vo(e f. prevented th« r-'Bilulions being diaouased, and I voted upon seriatim. I Raising the School age. I Dunnpr th B oonraj of the finanoial dbale j' to-day, several bon mombera < sorted a I wish to see the eohcol ago raised, and ns I t.bfirenre already resolutions on (h« o^er Paper having 'h»t o v >jeos in viaw, a test will probably b* mart- when he Eduontion I eal.imatea are coosidf re \. The Ooucoil by 13 votes -to 7, thin afternoon ufflrooed that tho I eohool age be raised tofiix yeavs. bafc dissent d I from' -the* abolition of Edncaiion Boards by II to 9. :•■■■ . ; The Midland Railway. I Ministers Bn«»tained another defe»fc in the Council this afternoon. The hon Mr Waterj bons«) moved tb*at in the abßenoe of positive j information on tbn Bn^ject tbie Council is I no*: prepared to sane' ion the proposed deviaMi3n in the South Island MWlnnd railway cotitr-ot, and in doing bo, he objected (o the I pronoad d^via'ion of the lin?, urging tba f . While it wai plocing considerable power in the hinds of any Gwernment, the country I would not derive any benefi% from the ohange. Several Oonnoillora pro'eatcd I flgiicßti grAnting any fartbftr concessions I *o the Oompaoy, and ©xprestdi the •oonvicI tfph thftt no harm would ncorno to the ofl'ony if the Syndioate abandoned the work. A motion proposeii by Sir G'orga Whitmore I r-ferriop fbe mater to a Selebt Oommifcfee for further iaforma ion was carried by 19 to 1 16, despite the protcßt of the At orney G'fiQ»ral. No Likelihood op a Dissolution. I " There is scarcely the slightest chance of a' dissolution," said a Minister to me to day, although to tell you the truth we ourselves I cannot imagine what will be the putoome of the present very involved situation. I think, however, you will find that we shall succeed in carrying our tariff proposals with the aid of the Opposition and those of our supporters who remain faithful to us. It is true the members who have seceded are very sore, but I am confident many of them will return to their former allegiance after the tariff is disposed of, while we shall also retain the support of some of the Opposition. Last session's Bill reducing the number of members to 75 ra the safeguard against a dissolution. Members will hesitate very considerably before they run the risk of having to go back to their constituents with the certainty that 20 at least of their number will be consigned to political obscurity." Railway Extension. An attempt will probably be made by a section of members to confine the railway expenditure next year to pushing on the Manawatu Gorge railway and carrying the Otago Central line as far as the Taieri Lake. They say that after paying off the Bank of New Zealand, something like half the million loan would be available.