PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5638, 11 December 1879, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

r EV TKL'.I.r.AI'II, FIIOM oui: SI'ECI\L CORRESPONDENT.] Welli s (;to n". Wed nesday. A KC.'iOCR was current to day that Mr. Uryoo was going to take the portfolio of Lands, and Mr. Sheehau t:i join the liovernment as Native Minister, but it is not true. Mr. Bryce, however, evidently finds himself unequal to the Native Department's work, and will soon be knocked up over it. The natives do not like the new regime. He will hardly see any of them, no iuatter how far they have come for the purpose, A short tirno ago, William Thomson's daughter and her husband came from Waikatotoseo the Native Minister. No lodgings were provided, and Mr. Sheehau bad to ask them to his house. Aft-:r sev ral day's stay, thev waited for hours in the lobbies to sic Mr. i'.ryce, and were at list told must put their business in writing. Of course they were greatly disgusted. The bn.-iuess in the House lrv=t night and to-day has been devoid of iucideut, and uninteresting. Last night Mr. Swanson seemed much annoyed at the Government to exempt steam engines from the propertytax. So did Mr. Saundern. Mr. Shepherd's bill to rcdace ministers' salary was thrown out by a majority of 10 to-day. AU the copies of the Public Works Statement, distributed last niglit were suddenly called in on account of an error. Thereupon tho most astounding rumours arose as to its nature. Tho fact was, if is only a printer's error in a figure, aud the corrected copies were issued in an h iuror two afterwards.