PARLIAMENTARY NEWS AND GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6157, 10 August 1881, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS AND GOSSIP.

[by telegraph.—special correspondent.] Wellington, Tuesday. Much les3 interest than usual was manifested in the. Public Works Statement tonight, probably owing to the fact that so large a portion of the principal works proposed to be carried out are now contemplated to be undertaken by private enterprise, assisted by Government grants. All the galleries were only poorly filled, especially that devoted to Legislative Councillors. Mr. Hall, on rising to deliver the statement, was received with applause. He read the statement very clearly and distinctly, and was listened to with close attention. The first applause was elicited by the announcement of the precise amount of net profit yielded by the railways, and still more by the statement of excellent results given by New Zealand coal, and that it is now solely used as fuel on the railways. On the whole, however, there was almost total silence until reference wa3 made to roads in Taranaki, which was received with cheers, and counter cheers!of a somewhat ironical nature and much laughter and some sotto voce "chaff" of Taranaki members, who endeavoured to look stoical'.y unconscious. Each allusion to roads projected produced applause from representatives of districts affected. There was a good deal of merriment over the limited proposals for public buildings, especially at the prominence given to increased accommodation in lunatic asylums, which members seemed to consider as somewhat personal. All, however, was in perfect good humour, it being very well known that the funds are limited, and therefore that no extensive works could be undertaken during the current year. The Premier's announcement of the Ministerial policy in regard to limitation of future borrowing was very well received and heartily applauded. Sir. Hall concluded at 8.45, amid loud applause from both sides of the House, having spoken just one hour and a quarter. The question was just about to be put for going into supply, when Sir George Grey rose and opposed it, on the ground that further information was wanted before proceeding with the estimates. These persistent obstructions to going into supply are becoming serious obstacles to business. But for this system, now constantly- adopted- by the - Opposition, good progress would have been made this afternoon, biit they deliberately talked against time. Sir George Grey is doing the same thing to-night. The result is that the question is under consideration whether it may not be necessary to adopt some modification of parliamentary rules to check this unreasonable suspending of business. The motion for going into supply is now the signal for a long debate, and almost total stoppago of progress is the consequence. More will be heard of this later. The present condition.of the order paper is as follows 82 Bills in various stages, 65 notices of motion, 22 questions;. 297 petitions have been .'presented*-and 137 papera have been laid on the tab}®. , ; 1.7