WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7759, 4 October 1886, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

[BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. MEETING Ob 1 THE CABINET. Political interest is for the present centred in the proceedings of the Cabinet Council that is to be held on Monday. Some of the subjects which will engage the deliberations of Ministers have been already ventilated and diaonssed by the general public. The cable rates come within this category. It is eight weeks since the Loan Bill was sent to London, and it is not improbable the Government have received intelligence of its prospects before now, but as yet nothing has been allowed to transpire respecting it. The other principal topics will be the Native Land purchases along the North Trunk Railway, and the construction of that work. From what is already known of the Native Minister's tour to the North, no obstruction of any kind will be opposed to the construction of the work by the native land owners. A number of them have promised their cooperation by offering areas of land at a nominal price, fully recognising the increased value that will be given to all their other lands near the line of route. The Minister of Fublio Works will be in a position to lay before the Cabinet the schedule of works to be proceeded with, which will inolude the Helensville extension. The Minister of Lands will have much to nay about the village settlement scheme, the planting of forest trees, encouragement to special industries, and (being also Defence Minister) as to the progress of Volunteer and Militia organisation, with the view to the establishment of a permanent force, and the location of fortified positions in the places most exposed to external attack. RETRENCHMENT. It is very generally stated that the question which will receive from the Cabinet the most serious attention is the practicable reduction of expenditure. It is said that the Hon. Mr. Reynolds has drawn up a plan to be submitted to the Cabinet by which a large saving will be effected. Sir Robert Stout is giving special attention to this subject, and the falling off of revenue has turned the attention of the Colonial Treasurer in the same direction. Those who are most likely to be affected by redaction, either of salaries or the number of officers of the Civil Service, hardly conceal their anxiety as to the result of the deliberations of the Cabinet, which will probably sit for several consecutive days. THE DEFENCE MINISTER AND LAND VALUATORS. The Post again empties the vials .of its wrath on the head of the Defence Minister for the appointment of Mr. Liffton, of Wanganui, as an assessor in the Compensation Court that is to determine the value of the land of the Crawford and Rhodes estate, which is taken for defence purposes. It is not only that the ostensible organ of the Government is angry with this appointment, bat it publishes correspondence to account for the motive which led to it. Here is a statement from one who signs himself "Behind the Scenes," made in a letter to the Post this evening : —"The real truth, if rumour is to be relied upon, is that the Hon. Minister of Defence is anxious to retain his seat for Wanganui, and to be re-elected without a contest. This heaven-born assessor has hitherto been a staunch opponent, yet we fiad that the erstwhile demagogue of Wanganui, the working man's friend, the radical opponent of the Church of England's appropriation of the reserves of Wanganui this same hon. Minister for Defence, is moderating his wrath, and lying down with the Church lamb, which he was but yesterday ready to devour. Is it to be wondered that; common mortals remember that this same assessor is a leader of that church, and say to themselves 'how funny it is that Mr. Ballance should be found embracing his enemies, and the Ministry conferring appointments upon them.' But then an election is close at hand, and if the country pays a little extra for it, amd Wellington men are disgusted, what is the odds." THE PREMIER. Sir R. Stout is expected in Wellington to-morrow by the s.s, Tainui. He will go S< uth again towards the end of the week to conduct the prosecution of Hall and Miss Houston, who are to be tried at Christ- 1 church, j