POLITICAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8582, 2 June 1891, Page 4

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[BSrXfXMSRIPH.— OWST COBRESFOXDEKT.J ; j : ' , . ,' WiiiLiKGTONi Monday, " | The great subject of speculation hero jusb now is the fate of the Ministry in the, coming 'session. The Hon. Mr.' Ballance has do misgivings ou tho subject. Some people bold that tb& Government will seek a dissolution if they cannot have their way with the Lords; oMiora say that nothing so fatal to the Government could happen. Ib 13 held on one eido that a dissolution would unseat many of the Govornmenteupporters.aud 1 on the other that tho Government is sure to I be embarrassed by some present members of 5 its following ; therefore it ■ is held that the Government i might weed their political garden of some objectionable political overgrowth. Bub the Government appear to me to be perfectly safe at present. An avowed opponent ''pricked a 1i.% of members to-day, and found 'much to his surprise ■ that the" Government would meet Parliament .with a majority of 13. There are four or live names in this list which are doubtful,* bub deducting these and making some allowance for possible accessions to the Government side of the House 7 they. would still, according jto presenb;apjj3arance3, have a : majority of nine or ten. Some of. your Auckland' members : arosuspected to be unsteady in their support of thd Govornment, and ib is said that the moment Sir G.'Grey appears in the House they will. go over to his side. But nobody .knows what Sir G. Greyi may do or propose. ;He may. be a good friend.to the Government, so that ■: nothing is to be gathered yet frdui his prospective action in the House. The Hon. Mr. Ballance is busy upon his Financial Statement. The whole history of the session will ttyn upon ques-tioris-bf finance. The /alteration ■of the incidence of taxation . presents , so many sides, to ; the taxpayers' view ithat political torpor is being quickened by its discussion.

Most people believe thabthe session will be stormy,: that class prejudices will find more :■ emphatic/ expression than on any former occasion, but these matters will not be allowed to,disturb the really Ministerial policy. Notwithstanding the multitude ;of possibilities that present themselves, there is still a question that theFe may be a defeat upon some unforeseen issue, which will drive the Ministry cither to reconstruction or to coalition, or the country. There is no recognizable ,party except the Government party. i: However much the cohesion of that party may be suspected, : the 'necessity of self-preservation should keep it together.! There are signs undoubtedly of waning popularity in some directions, but ib a is nob thought to be dangerous during tine next session. > . .- - ... Tho spirit of political warfare is beginning to manifest itself. There was, a day or two ago, Some talk of Ministers being met by a vote of want of 'confidence in the" first days of j the session. s That may ibe bo, but there is no great Vi'eighb attached to, the rumour «ib present, a It would no doubt test the past policy retrenchment; but if tho move wore defeated, ib Would give double strength to the Ministry. ■ ■■■■■■' Thero has" been Borne talk about Mr. R> Stout and Mr. H. Vogel going to England to argue the Edwards' case before the Privy Council. A member of the Cabinet told, me to-day that no Buch proposal had come before the Cabinet. .

The Speaker is. announced to arrive on Friday next. There are a few members ill Wellington awaiting the ■ assembling of Parliament. Taken as a whole, the political atmosphere is undisturbed, though by no ineana bright;. Nobody has any news to tell. The remnants of, the Opposition will come together for the first time in caucus after Parliament meets. There is very littlo vigour manifested in their movements at present.