POLITICAL NEWS AND GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9074, 7 June 1888, Page 5

POLITICAL NEWS AND GOSSIP.

[BY telegraph, —SPECIAL correspondent. Wellington, Wednesday. ' ABOLITION OF NATIVE DEPARTMENT.

The following important motion has been tabled by Mr. Thompson (Marsden): — That in the opinion of this House it is desirable that the Government give immediate effect to the proposals indicated in the

Financial Statement to abolish both the

Public Works and Native Lands Departments, with the view of effecting further and necessary retrenchment." DEFENCE PROPOSALS.

Mr. Joyce has been considering the question of improving the efficiency of the volunteer corps at the four centres of population, namely: Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. He asks the Defence Minister whether he will favour-

ably consider the proposal for tho Naval and Artillery Garrison Corps, at the four centres of the colony where fortifications are established, to bo recruited up to a total of 250 men at each centre, granting the authorised capitation to be paid for that strength, and granting an extra capitation of £1 per man, to be paid to such individual members of those corps who qualify, and pass such practical examinations as may be considered necessary in heavy gun drill, guard boat duty, and submarine mining drill, and will the necessary naval instructors be provided ; and further, whether at such four centres the Government will grant the authorised capitation to the extent of 100 men per rifle corps, instead of 63 as at present? SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTRY. A return of land disposed of under the various systems for tho six months ending 31st March last, shows in Auckland on the cash system :—ll7 selectors, 2672 acres ; on deferred payment, 15 selectors, 1373 acres ; on perpetual lease, 13 selectors, 1268 acres; village settlements (cash), 9 selectors, two acres; village homestead special settlements, 47 selectors, 2099 acres; homestead, 11 selectors, 1190 acres; pastoral runs, 11 selectors, 14,392 acres. AUCKLAND HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT BILL. „ This Bill, which is introduced by Mr. Peacock, is to enable the Auckland Harbour Board to lay out and construct roads on certain land to bo reclaimed from tho sea, in the harbour at Freeman's Bay, and to alienate portions of such land. Tho Roman Catholic Bishop may convey certain land, and the Board is empowered to convey certain land to the Bishop, on the surrender of riparian rights by the Bishop. The Act is retrospective as regards agreements or compensation for loss of water frontage. It authorises the Board to divert certain sums authorised by the Harbour Board ; Loan Act, namely, £26,000 to the completion of the Calliope Dock. WORKMEN'S WAGES. An amendment to the Workmen's Wages Act is being brought in by Mr. Guinness, which provides that the employer shall pay the wages within three days after the termination of the engagement, or within three days of discharge. Employers refusing or neglecting to do so, shall pay to the person discharged wages at tho same rate till the wages are paid. Not more than one month's wages shall be recoverable under this section. PETITIONS. By Mr. Hobbs, from Honi Mohi Tawhai, and others, of Hokinnga, re road through Maori blocks; from Eruera Patuoue and others, re disputed sale of land to Government ; by Sir George Grey, from James Brown, of Avondale, for grant of land ; by Mr. Monk, from village settlers of Swanson and Waitakerei, praying for alteration of tenure of their holdings ; by Mr. Joyce, from residents of Auckland, in favour of Shop Hours Bill. PUBLIC PETITIONS COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The committee report in tho caso of Joh'n Flett, of the Thames, that, if the allegations are correct, a law should bo passed to restore to the petitioner those water rights, of which,'by previous legislation, he seems to have been deprived.

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Legislative Council do not usually assert themselves till the end of the session, when the " massacre of the innocents" takes place, but to-day they were unusually lively. 'hey tackled the Midland Railway business, raised the school age to six years, and were only prevented from abolishing Education Boards by two votes. Mr. Tanner is going one better on the school ago, and has given notice to move that the school age be raised to seven years. THE POLITICAL SITUATION. The Free Trade secessionists from the Government party now number eighteen, and they expect to get Messrs. Grimmond and Duncan to vote with them on the tariff division. Every day is widening the breach between them and the Government, and, as a good deal of feeling is being imported into the debate, the breach is likely to prove permanent. Some of the Freetraders declare they will not return to the Government standard when the tariff trouble is over, as the Premier may throw them overboard on some future occasion ; but as the views of the Opposition are equally distasteful to them, they propose to form a Middle party, voting on each question according to its merits, irrespective of Government or Opposition. This section is expected to vote for all items in the tariff not of a Protective character. The Government are still maintaining their former position, namely, that the tariff must be got through in the interest of the country. They believe they have a safe (if narrow) majority through the conflict of parties, to accomplish this. After that the deluge, and, unless the Freetraders or a portion of them come back to their allegiance, there is every probability of a Ministerial crisis, and either resignation or dissolution. Matters cannot go on long as at present, for the Government must be assured that they have the confidence of a working majority. THE CHINESE QUESTION. Owing to the emasculated condition of the Chinese Immigration Bill as it now stands in the Legislative Council, it is scarcely worth fighting about. The debate is adjourned till to-morrow. Some predict it may be thrown out altogether. SIR GEORGE GREY AND MR. OLIVER.

An encounter took place to-day, I understand, between Sir George Grey and the Hon. Mr. Oliver over the Chinese question. They casually met, and Mr. Oliver, as he was going to Australia as the representative of Now Zealand 'at the Chineso Conference, was desirous of having a conversation with Sir George Grey, and getting a " lead." Sir George said that he could not give him a lead, as he did not believe in the Bill under the provisions of which he was acting, and the interests of which he was going to promote. A reference was made to the clause introduced by the AttorneyGeneral into the Bill, and Sir George pointed out that it failed to be effective in stopping the influx of Chinese or any other servile race, say . from India, or British Caffraria, or Zululand. Mr. Oliver somewhat warmly denied the accuracy of these representations, and said if it were really so, he would have had nothing to do with the Bill. Sir Geo. Grey, I understand, intends to cable to Sir Henry Parkes, expressing his sympathy with him in the course he has taken, and with the New South Wales people in the stand they have made on the Chinese question. THE OTAGO CENTRAL. It is understood the Waste Lands Committee have decided to report against Mr. Pyke's Otago Central Railway Bill. It is rumoured that the Minister of Lands, himself an Otago representative, was hostile to the scheme., THE NEW TARIFF. A return shows that the new tariff is estimated to yield, . an additional £207,000, after allowing for the loss of £500 on goods formerly dutiable but now free. The primage duty is estimated to yield £58,000. CONNECTION OF TARANAKI WITH ~ AUCKLAND. A movement is on foot to open up road communication between Taranaki and Auckland, and with that object in view Mr. Samuel asks the Government whether they will cause the bush to bo felled along the line of road best suited to connect)

Taranaki and Auckland, for a width of two chains, with the view to the burning of the fallen bush in the proper season, and the subsequent formation of a road for stock traffic, and -to open up Crown lands for settlement? THE TARIFF DEBATE, ' The tariff* debate in the evening led to a large attendance in the galleries. The debate in the earlier part of the evening was enlivened by the speeches of Messrs. Hutchison) W. P. Reeves, and Fergus. Mr. Reeves made the cleverest and most caustic speech he has' yet delivered during the present session. He twitted the Freetraders for their present attitude, and disposed of the charge of disloyalty on the part of the Premier, by stating that at the late general election no one mentioned Major Atkinson's name, save a well-known Auckland citizen, " The Tactician," who deemed it necessary to obtain a certificate of sanity. His closing remarks give a key to the closing action of at least a section of the Opposition. He said he would do his best to assist the Premier to carry the tariff, and would swallow it whole rather than see it imperilled. When it came to the test, "Under which king, Bezonian ? Speak or die," bin prompt reply would be "King Harry."' The Minister of Defence in good form, and made a rasping speech in reply to Mr. Hutchison, ana also on the conduct of some of his erstwhile political allies, the Freetraders. After that the debate languished, and a wearied House at last adjourned near midnight. MISCELLANEOUS.

A letter from the Agent-General, with copies of correspondence with Miss Ormerod, Professor Little, and Mr. R. H. Amed on the appearance of the Hessian fly in New Zealand, were laid upon the table of the House to-day. Correspondence between Ministers and Mr. Maguire (contractor for the Te Aro reclamation) ■with reference to the latter's railway line from Kaiwarra, has been laid upon the table at the instance of Mr. Joyce, but it did not disclose what it was intended to elicit, namely, some differences between the Minister of Public Works and the Minister for Education.

Mr. Cadman, after perusing the official reports on the agricultural leases at Ohinemuri, considers that they strengthen the claim of the settlers to get the freeholds. He is having the reports copied for the information of those concerned. Mr. Basley's appointment to the Shrievalty at Auckland, I understand, is not provisional. There were some objections to an officer in his position in the Supreme Court being Sheriff, but these have been waived in view of the counteracting advantages. Colonel Roberts has not yet made any move towards petitioning the House in his case.

Sir Geo. Grey has been invited to Masterton to open an Exhibition, and also to Greytown to give an address. From the latter town a deputation of Maori chiefs has waited upon Sir George, stating that they will co-operate with the Mayor and Council in giving him a cordial reception.