POLITICAL NEWS AND GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9084, 19 June 1888, Page 5

POLITICAL NEWS AND GOSSIP.

[by telegraph.—special correspondent.] Wellington, Monday. DEFENCE MATTERS.

In the report of General Schaw on colonial defences, ho recommended that the Government should apply to the Imperial authorities for the services of some artillery instructors from the Imporial School of Gunnery at Shoeburyness. Two of these instructors arrived by the Aorangi, under engagement for service in the Permanent Artillery, which has now been brought down to the strength which is absolutely necessary to keep the valuable pieces of artillery and their equipment in working order. Captain Barclay is still engaged on the military typographical map in connection with the defence of Wellington. It will compriso details concerning an area of nine square miles. Last session a number of members of the House who are volunteer officers met together with a view of suggesting amendments in the volunteer regulations to the Government defence authorities. Among those who took part were Major Hamlin, Major Joyce, Captains Feldwick, Ward, ivnd Lientenant Fitzherbert. Owing to representations made, the matter was held over to be dealt with by the Defence Minister and the Colonel Comniander-in-Chief. The Defence Minister has now appointed a Commission, consisting of LieutenantColonels Butt and Hume, and Captains Douglas, Coleman, and Falconer, to revise the volunteer regulations. They will enter upon their duty shortly ; and, as they are all officers acquainted with volunteer organisations, they should bo able to turn oat a useful and practical code of regulations.

THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. No decision has been come to in regard to this subject yet. The Government have not yot arrived at any determination as to the works to be gone on with, and those which will be hung up. It has been hoped that there would have been £400,000 or a little over of the North Island Trunk Railway loan ; but I am informed that when tho present contracts aro completed, tho land purchases settled, and tho liabilities and charges on the loan squared up, there will not be anything like £400,000 to the good. As showing how steadily tho present Minister of Public Works is carrying out his policy of putting an end to the practice of charging public buildings and such like works belonging to ordinary everyday Government, to loan, I may give a few significant figures. The Public Works fund liabilities under parts one, two, and three, were on tho 31st March, ISS7, £850,404. On tho 31st March, 1888, they wero only £471,(395, thus showing a diminution of no less a sum than £378,708. Considering that tho presont Government only took office in October, 1887, their figures show that they have carried out their expressed determination to bring the policy of carrying out ordinary public works by loan to an end. At no poriod sinco the inauguration of the borrowing policy have the liabilities of the Public Works fund been brought down to so low a figure. THE ELECTORAL BILL.

Mr. Scddon's Bill for suspending the new Representation Act is not likely to ever roach a stage on tho Order Paper to permit of its being dealt with, ae tho Government aro not likoly to give him tho chance of dopriving tho Premier of leverage which that Act gives him in view of a dissolution. The Electoral Bill, I understand, hae little prospect of passing into law owing to tho advanced stage of tho session, and the essential measures which have yet to precede it. Exclusive of some very important native policy bills, which aro likely to elicit warm and prolonged discussion, an electoral Bill will have to be passed this session, but failing a chance of getting through tho present electoral measure, a Bill of a few clauses will probably be brought in to meet the bare necessities of the case. THE MIDLAND RAILWAY. I understand that matters are going on smoothly, and that the Government are in hopes that the contract will be finally completed and signed in about a fortnight. The contract is in duplicate, the copy here being signed and forwarded home, and a copy at home will be signed and forwarded to tho Government. RETRENCHMENT. A meeting of members favourable to further retrenchment, and the reducing and cutting down of certuin items in the estimated, was held to-day. Ib was convened by Mr. Goldie, who presided, Sir G. Grey declining to do so. The following members were g resent:—Sir G. Grey, Messrs. Anderson, uxton, Fitchett, Fulton, Goldie, Grimmond, Guinness, Hodgkinson, Lawry, Loughrey, T. McKenzio, Marchant, Monk, O'Conor, Peacock, Smith, R. Thompson, Turnbull, and Withy. Mr. Taylor sent an apology. A desultory discussion ensued. It wan pointed out that nothing could be done with the officers whoso salaries were fixed by statute unlese the Government took tho initiative by legislation. The general feeling was in favour of attacking the ss.laries of the higher officials, who have been 'eft nnretrenched, or but slightly so as compared with their subordinates, but in this it is believed that they will be stopped, as the officials can uso the leverage of the Pension Act to prevent any reduction. This is how it worked in one case, which may bo given as an illustration of the difficulty of making retrenchment in the higher branches. Tho Government desired to reduce an £800 official to £600. He promptly stated that ho would retire on his pension of £600 a-year. Tho Government found that with his pension and paying his successor they would 1030 .lo'OO a-yenr, and begged him to ro-consider his decision. Ho did so, and decided to take again the £800 a-year, thus letting the Ministry and the country down easily. The members went through tho Estimates, selecting a number of items for attack, after which the meeting adjourned till tomorrow.

THE 'FRISCO SERVICE. Mr. Peacock is busily engaged in getting out the figures connected with the various mail services, and especially those relating to the 'Frisco service. He informs me that he believes they will be of great service in convincing the Southern members that the service is practically self-supporting. Until Mr. Bcetham'fi motion comes on all he can do is to act on the defensive and wait development. It is quite possible if a settled and serious attempt ie made to abolish the 'Frisco service the Northern men will go for the abolition of the direct steam service, which does not recoup the colony by postages. Tho Premier has already made a statement which may be either taken as a hint or as a threat, namely, that tho time may upoedily arrive when ib would be necessary to considor whether it was desirable to continue any such subsidies. A momber of bho Ministry informed me today that the question of the maintenance of the 'Frisco service, or the action to bo taken regarding it in the event of tho Southern combination being successful, has nob yet been considered by the Cabinet. THE TARIFF. It ie rumoured that an effort will be made to double tho duty on beer in order to avoid putting it on tee. A number of brewers from various parte of the colony have been sending telegrams to members asking them to oppose the proposal. The Blue Ribbon section and others contend that it should be done, ae the materials nsed in manufacturing beer aro much cheaper now than formerly, and therefore such an increase would be justifiable. There will probably be a stirring fight ovor the matter. It is found that the salt duty will press heavily on some local industries, and the Government will probably yield to the pressure for its abolition. The fruitgrowers are clamouring for still more protection, but ib is doubtful whether the Government will accede to it. THE PREMIER'S ILLNESS. Tho Premier was confined to bed yesterday, and to-day is unable to receive deputations or to oee any of the Ministers. At present his complaint appears to be a severe attack of influenza, bub ib is feared ib is developing into pleurisy. Several members are also ailing in the same way, owing to the bitterly cold weather. Ib is feared the Premier's illness may necessitate the postponement of the tariff discussion, as he alone has the full grasp of the quea- , Lion, and has made all the calculations.

THE KAWAKAWA RAILWAY. In connection with the Kawakawa Railway, a number of circulars have been sent by a Northern journal to the members of the House, relating to Mr. Hobbs' action in the matter of the Kawakawa Railway. On the cover was printed the injunction, "Pass it on." Some of the members who have read the circular regard the language as too scurrilous, and have "passed it on " again to those who forwarded it to them by posting it back. The members, like lawyers, stand by their order.

THE TARAWERA ERUPTION. To-day I made some enquiries as to when the long looked-for work of Professors Brown and Hutton on the Tarawera eruption would be forthcoming. From what I can learn, the whole of Professor Hutton's work is done, but that of Professor Brown is still incomplete. It soeme the remuneration has already been given by the late Government, so that the usual stimulus to promptitude is non-existent. THE "MOKAU" JONES CASE. To-day Mr. Hamlin wrote a letter to the Premier intimating his willingness bo formulate his charges in this affair when the Parliamentary committee was elected. The medical attendant of the Premuir would not permit the communication to be given to him in his present state, and. it was handed over to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir Fredk. Whitakor assured me today that he never uttered the language attributed to him to the Chief Judge of Cne Native Land Court at Otorohanga, and quoted by Mr. Hamlin as having been uttered by him in disapproval of the Chief Judge's action. FOUL BROODS. The Foul Brood and Contagious Disease Among Bees Bill, introduced by Mr. Lawry, has been temporarily shunted by the financial debate, but it will probably come on for its second reading shortly. Mr. Bruce, member for Rangitikei, is taking a warm interest in tho measure, and he has received letters from beekopers in his electorate approving of the main principle of the Bill. MANAIA (COROMANDEL). A deputation, consisting of Mr. Cadman and the native chief Taipari, of the Thames, waited upon Mr. Mitchelson with reference to the Manaia township. It appears that the Manaia natives are so impressed with the recent finds that they contemplate laying out a township there, and Taipari was authorised to offer the Native Minister two or three acres of land for public buildings or public uses. The natives were also prepared to meet the Government in the way of land for roads. Mr. Cadman suggested to the Native Minister the desirability of getting the natives to put their offer in writing, and to attach fche signatures of the Native owners of tho block. As to the land for roads, ho expressed the opinion that it would be well to consult tho local bodies as to tho linos of road that its might be desirablo to lay off.

THE REV. JOSEPH BERRY AND MR.

PYKE, M.H.R. A lively and characteristic controversy is at present going on between the Rov. Josoph Berry and Mr. Vincent Pyke, M.H.R. It arose oub of sonie remarks which the hon. member for Dunstan made on the Contagious Diseases Act Repoal Bill, and which tho rev. gentleman, in a sermon, said " if correctly reported he was not afraid to publicly characterise as discreditable to Christianity and to Christian civilisation, so disgraceful indeed that he was ashamed to read thoni. Mr. Pyko ie not the man to lie down quietly under such an imputation, and he at once wrote to Mr. Berry, calling attention to the published paragraph as reflecting very seriously upon his character, and it seemed to him to be of a very uncharitable and unchristian nature. Tho Rev. Mr. Berry replied explaining that he made no reference to Mr. Pyke's character, and had used the words "if correctly reported." Hβ goes on to say : " If I had been in Wellington at the fame, I should probably havo called more public and detailed attention to the manner in which the Bill was discussed, and the levity indulged in by our representatives when the matter was of such grave importance. I ehull be glad to talk the matter over with you any morning if you will call to see mo." Mr. Pyke, in his usual and characteristic style, now plunged boldly into tho controversy, bub still more in sorrow than in anger he thus pets out: — " Rev. and dear sir,—l have much pleasure in acknowledging your courteous reply to my somewhat abrupt letter (Proverbs xv., 41). Now that I know to what you refer, I can easily phow you that you were wrong in your strictures." At this stage Mr. Pyke imports Mrs. Steadman Aldis into the controversy, and shows that ho said nothing plainer in his speech on the Bill than was said by Mrs. Alois in her petition against the CD. Act, and he quotes part of his speech and a portion of that lady's petition to show " the marked exactitude of opinion between them." He goes on to say:—"l fail to perceive anything unchristian or disgraceful to civilisation in that which I have said, or _ Mrs. Aldis wrote, unless truth be unchristian and disgraceful." The correspondence closes at this stage by Mr. Pyke thanking Mr. Berry for his kindly invitation, of which he will avail himself "when the present tempestuous weather abates." This is a sly dig by Mr. Pyke at the Wellington weather. The meeting between the collegiate and the theologian, and the Dunstan philosopher, both of whom are well known in the colony, would be looked forward to with much interest. The Rev. Mr. Berry in extending a hospitable invitation to Mr. Pyke has evidently still in his -ecoilection that gentleman's averment in his speech on the Address-in-Renly, that he was " the oldest angel in the House," and consequently is not forgetful of the older injunction, or as Mr. Pyko would say (Hebrews xiii., 2). MISCELLANEOUS. Sydney Taiwhanga has laid an appeal in the Supreme Court against the decision of the R.M. in the case of O'Callaghan v. Taiwhanga, another phase of the boardinghouse embroglio. Captain Russell's arrival by the Aorangi has given the Freetraders another vote. He is now in better health. During the voyage ho delivered some excellent lectures on New Zealand to the passengers.