PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5583, 7 October 1879, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

BY TELEGRAPH, FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRES. PONDENT. Wellington; Monday, 6.10 p.m. MINISTERIAL MEETING. Ministers had a meeting of their own at half-past 9 o'clock this morning. They were all present, and Sir George Grey explained his view of the position, which was to the effect that he would simply tender his resig. nation. All the Ministers agreed that this was the only course thoy could adopt. At 11 the whole party met iu caucus in the Ministerial room, when 42 were present. Tho Premier again narrate ! his views of the position, and stated the resolution which had been come to l>y Ministers. The party unanimously acreed that the course recommended wai the only one. The Ministers resignations were already written out, and they at once signed them. The Opposition, on learning the result of the caucus, said it was the wisest course which they could pursue. At the caucus Mr. Moss read a resolution, whioh he thought they ought to submit to the House, to the effect that they should address the Governor, asking him to call to his counsel* men from the party which hal initiated the Liberal measures which tho country approved. A good deal was said by Mr. Sheehan to the effect that overtures had been made by some of the men who had voted against them, offering to come over. Mr. Swaneon said if that were so, could the House be got to reverse ita decision ? That, | however, could not he done in regard to the present Ministry. Two or three members may have said that they w**uld support the Ministry if Sir George Grey were got rid of, but that is, I believe, all, and if Sir George Grey wore eliminated the party might lose more than they gained. TOSSING OVER SIR GEORGE GREY. It is reported that for the last few days negotiations have been on foot between a section of Ministers and a few members of the Opposition—that is io tho3e members who voted against Ministers s lely because of the personal dislike to Sir George Grey. It is said that Colonel Whitmore and Mr. Sheehan would not be sorry to sea Sir George Grey out of the Ministry. The caucus, however, ended as I have informed you. RESIGNATIONS TENDERED. After lunch Sir George Grey went over to Government House, an I informed the Governor of what had taken place in the House. It wns intended, I believe, that tho official intimation should not be made till the amended Address was presented on Tuesday by tho Speaker. Hh Excdleucy, however, was not quite pleased with the treatment he had received, and said that he had expected that he woul 1 have been informed a» so-'n as possible after the vote was taken of the result, and that Minister* should have sent in their resignations. The Premier proceeded to make some explanation about the smallness of the vote calling for consideration by the party, when the Governor said, as he looked at it, Ministers had been beaten by eight, for that the vo'ea of Ministers themselves could scarcely be counted Thereupon Sir George Gr- y tendered his

resignation, and with htm all the Ministers go out of office. The Governor did not ask for any advice as to who he should send for. nor did he ask Sir George Grey if he c« uld undertake to form a Ministry that would be acceptable to thb majority of the House. Sir George Grey did not volunteer any advie?, and. so the interview terminated. DR. WALLIS'S SUr PRISE. Dr. Wallia was somewhat suprised and astounded this morning to receive a telegram that Mr. Machattie bad been convicted. The petition in his case has been received, and will be brought before the House tomorrow. If the matter were dccided by a vote of the Houae he would be riiiht, because the consciences of hon. members, supposing them to have consciences, would fceil each one that he had been almost as bad, to say the least of it, as Dr. Wallis; but an Election Committee is selected from both sides of the House, and the decision is often a mitter of party rather than law, or even of fact. The Oppositionists are amused at the decision, but do not seem to attach much substantial importance to it.

CROWX LANDS. The report on the Crown Linds Department for the 5 - ear ending the 30th June last has b a en printed. From the foundation of the colony, a totil area of 14,014,632 acres haa been sold and reserved for public pur* poses. The part sold realised £11,210,412. The report of thrf Commissioner from Auckland states that the amount of land absolutely disposed of (9933 acres) falls short of what was anticipated. This is owing to the withdrawal from the administration of the Land Board of the whole of the Waikato confiscated landa, the locking up for a considerable time of a large and valuable of the Patutahi block as endowments for municipal purpose?, the delay in the transference to the board of the Waiharakeke and Te Puke blocks, the noncompletion of the surveys of the Aroha and Taramaiama blocks, unanticipated delays which have taken place in carrying out certain road works undertaken to give access to several tracts of surveyed land in the Hokianga and Wlianaape districts. The area of Crown forest lands in the Auckland district is estimated at 1,330,G00 acres. Of this area it is estimated that fully 50,000 acres are covered with valuable kauri timber. Unlicensed-timber cutting ia much leas frequent now than in former years. The forests are belived to have suffered comparatively little from waste or fire during the past twelve months. The Otago Coinmis-iorier states that the rabbit pe»t has now Bpread up the valley of the G'lutha to the Lake 3. The occupants of all cultivated grounds, however, find little trouble with them, as sized holdin"B can be thoroughly examined, an'l the rabbits destroyed. The pastoral tenants are the principal sufferers. The carrying capabiiities of runs hava been, in some intances, reduced by about one-third.