PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8960, 18 August 1892, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

X. «■ —— . (4V TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Wednesday. AUCKLAND - WELLINGTON RAILWAY:*" The appointment a committee to consider the best method of securing railway communication between Auckland and Wellington seems ioubtful. The Auckland and Taranaki members met to-day to consider what action " they should tilkb in view of the favourable report of the Petitions Committed ou the subject ; and it was lesoltql, on the" motion of Mr. La wry, " this meeting is Of opinion that the Government should be respectfully informed tlVt- the Auckland and Taranaki members are sow resolved to use every legitimate means \o have the tepbrfc of the Public Petitions Committee on th& petition of Mr. E. W'ayniouth given effect to without delay." Sir George Grey Wai authorised to intercept Supply if the question of appointing a comiiittee were talked oat. When' the - report "of" the Petitions Committee recommending that a select comnSittee be appointed was received, Sir George Grey moved, "That the Government be requested to give effect forthwith to thi recommendation." A long discussion ensued, the question eventually being talked out. The rule of the House is that it will not come on again in that form, and that the report will now lie an the table. The next course will be for Sir Gfcorge Grey t« move ah amendment on tfe question of going into Committee of Supply.

THE TAX ON IMPROVEMENTS. Notice was given to-day bj Sir George Grey that when the Land and Income Assessment Bill is in committee h? will move Ih'at" the words "up "to "threi Thousand pounds" in the first section 1 of Schedule A be struck out. The effect of this will be that all improvements Will be exempted from taxation. Sir George Grey believes that the estimated surplus of the existing year shows that the £37,000 resulting from the tax on improvements may be relinquished without any difficulty. THE LAND BILL. \ The Waste Lands Committee sat igain on the Land Bill to-day, and agreed that the area of land to be set aside for special settlements in -one year should be limited to 250,000 acres, and that the tenure should be lease in perpetuity, settlers to be allowed to acquire more than one section, but not more than 320 acres; holders of occupation licenses paying a rental of five per cent, on the cash price to be permitted to acquire their freeholds after 10, and hot later than 20 years, from the time cf occupation, or they can exchange for a lease in perpetuity. SIR GEORGE GREY AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION.

This evening I asked Sir George Grey what he proposed to do regarding the correspondence between the Governor and Ministers. He replied, "Farther action appears to be necessary, bub as to what form it may assume, or who will carry on the matter, it seems difficult to say. This is a very difficult question, because ib really is not a party matter. From its impdrtance it is que which requires most careful consideration, and a decision which all time would recognise as a just and propter one, and which would stand out as a landmark for the future. As I have only just seen the correspondence I am not yet in a position to express a decided opinion upon the course that should be pursued."