NEWS NOTES FROM WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7341, 30 May 1885, Page 5

NEWS NOTES FROM WELLINGTON.

[by telegraph.—OWN COREKSTONDENT.] : Wbxusgwjn, Friday. Te PARTY MOVEMENTS. ? : f N e hkaed to-day, from a member of the House £i f Representative!!, just returned from the mv onth, that a movement ie on foot there to Qn rganiae a strong opposition to the Governient daring the approaching session ,of "arliament. This statement ban been conrmed by other members of the .House, of horn I made enquiries, and who are usually an fell informed on political matters. v The toamour goes very far beyond the speculative i ineies which so often begin and end with . he person known as *• the man in the mi treet." It is said to be based on fact, and th; 0 originate with one or more of the gentle- jj ien who are spoken of as parties to the lovement itself. The movement is, I undertand, known to Ministers, and may develop taelf with many formidable dimensions, ini 'he facts, so fat- as I have been able to ha ather them, are said to be the following :— , 'hat Mr. Montgomery, since his return from England, has expressed his dissatisfaction with he Ministry, and has consulted Mr. Macndre as to the feasibility of organising a party a Parliament, to review the adnc infiltration f the Government since the present Minisera took office. As the result of several inferences between these two well known loliticians, it is said that Mr. Barron was ailed to their council. This led to a further Tl levelopment of the movement, and it was Qfc esolved, as I am informed, to open v negotia- £ ions with Sir G. Grey. What the result of p his last resolution may. have been, I am " r( tumble to state, but if the above intelligence se< ie true as alleged, it must eventually bring . tfajor Atkinson and his party to the front. Che selection thus sketched out is prolific of a r ery interesting session. I have heard a great leal of the probable issues of these party novements, but lam not disposed to indulge th n any predictions on the subject. > I can i n , inly state that the authority for the above t&tement of facts is very high, that many ndirocfc concurrent circumstances support its reditability, and that Ministers themselves to not regard the statement as being without trong political significence..... DEFENCE.. . • RIt is not the intention of the Government at ,o go outside their own resources for labour ch o complete the defence, works.' The wariloud having passed away they will - not be inder the same pressure for the purpose of peed? completion of all the contributory vorks of batteries, such as roads, 'etc. For he completion of all such necessary works m ihey will in future rely o i tho Armed Con- na 3tabulary. . ~...'. f ]:( EUROPEAN AND NATIVE DISPUTES, pa The Native Minister has received telegrams relating to disputes between natives md settlers in the Parihaka distriot. Some q, )f these causes of quarrel I have already nfonned you of. It is said that a European .vas accused of stealing pigs from the Maoris, ;lmt this same European had barricaded a w j •oad used by the Maoris in going to their .•* jshing grounds. In regard to the first com- 1, ilaint, lam informed that the Native Min- "€ ster has given instauctions to the officers in W! sharge of the district to collect evidence; to: ivith respect to the second complaint, it j. ippears that the European had purchased she section of land which includes the alleged Maori right of way. The Government canaot, therefore, interfere with his property rights, but they have given directions for jutting a road which will give the Maoris icce<s to their fishing grounds.. General ' a: instructions have beea given that any breach th }f the law, whether committed by Maoris or Europeans, shall be investigated by the afficera in charge; that the complaint, on its merits, shall be considered by tha Resident Magistrate (Colonel Roberts); and that wrongdoers, whether Maoris or Europeans, pg shall be punished according to law. r HEAD INSPECTOR OF SHEEP. o f There has been a good deal of animadversion here upon the alleged conduct of the Colonial Secretary in sending to Tasmania for a person to fill the post of Head Inspector under the Sheep Act; indeed, the discussion extended considerably beyond this T< particular appointment, and it was broadly stated that it was a part of the Stout-Vogel 1 " foreign " policy to go abroad to fiil Govern- ** ment offices. I saw the Hon. Mr. Buckley this morning, and ventured to ask * him tr. whether the statements were true. • • His reply was as follows : "I have employed a • Tasmanian, but I have not sent to Tasmania ln for an officer. Besides, the arrangement is M 1 merely temporary one. The administration th of this Sheep Act has been one of the to greatest difficulty. Notwithstanding the strong recommendations of the joint committee of last session I have met with con- ° 3 eiderable opposition. Whenever it was pro- 21 posed to shift an inspector difficulties were 3( put in the way. I have been obliged to shift most of them for the purpose of getting at the actual state of things. Having gained the information actually necessary I replaced these officers. Tasmania has been frVe of scab for a long time, this has been owiag to i the manner in which the law has been administered. The employment of this " ( officer is an arrangement to enable the Go- la vernment to reorganise the whole system of ai sheep inspection. lam in hopes that in less than twelve months there will be no scabby . sheep in New Zealand." .'..:'- '-'\ IS THE FISH INDUSTRY. . ; . /. I have heard that Messrs. MaseOeld and c * Do., of Kaipara, have forwarded samples of preserved fish to Wellington, which are is pronounced excellent eating. Several gentlemen of my acquaintance, who have tasted v the samples, confirm this testimony. • * TELEPHONE. ' ai The Telegraph Department after a fortsight's trial have abolished the telephone messenger branch, in consequence of the revenue received not being sufficient to pay the expense of it. r