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New Zealand Mail, Issue 743, 28 May 1886, Page 16

It is understood that his Excellency the Governor received a telegram on Tuesday night from Lord Granville, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, conveying the intimation that Her Majesty the Queen has resolved to confer the honour of knighthood on Mr Stout, as Prime Minister of New Zealand. We learn that the honour has been accepted by the Premier, who will therefore shortly become Sir Robert Stout, K.C.M.G. We cordially congratulate Mr Stout upon the high honor conferred on him by his Sovereign, and we are certain that the news will be received with general satisfaction. At the same time we agree with those —and they are many in number—who regret that the long and valuable services of Major Atkinson and Mr Bryce, able in politics and in the field of battle, have not been' similarly recognised. We hope this may even yet be done, A rumour is prevalent in the lobbies that a motion of want -of - confidence is impending. One version named Major Atkinson as the mover, another indicated Mr Fulton, the member for Taieri. The report further pointed to the retrenchment question as the ground upon which the anticipated motion would be based. It was said that the motion would censure the Government for not proposing considerable reductions in the expenditure, and would call on Ministers to take back their Estimates and reduce them by LIOO,OOO or L 150,000. Such were the rumours flying about last night, but no definite information is yet available as to whether the step is really contemplated. Our contemporary, the Post, has made two distinct statements in the last five days as to the results of the last financial year, and unfortunately they are in direct contradiction one to the other. On Saturday the Post stated that tc the general revenue yielded a gross surplus of L 5142 over the estimates.” Last evening it stated that “ the total deficiency was only L 1954.” There is something wrong here. Our contemporary’s “results” seem as unreliable as the Treasurer’s estimates. A surplus of L 5142 on Saturday becomes a deficiency of L 1954 on Wednesday. Are we to suppose that the Treasurer’s surplus of L 37,000 will turn i out in a few days to be a deficit ?

The Native Affairs Committee met on Wednesday, when the first question which arose was the election of a chairman. Mr Bradshaw was nominated by the Ministerial party, and Colonel Trimble by the Opposition. On a vote being

taken, Messrs Bryce, Dodson, Hobbs, Locke, Pearson, and Wakefield supported Colonel Trimble, and Messrs Ballance, Grace, Pratt, Te Ao, and Pere supported Mr Bradshaw. Colonel Trimble, (who formerly held this position) was therefore elected by 6 rotes to 5. The Sistimates, which were circulated on Wednesday, show, as a rule, very small difference from those of last year. Among the new items are subsidies to Hospitals and charitable aid, L 52,000 ; property tax triennial assessment, L10,900'; Mines Department, schools, lectures, etc., L4OOO ; Forests Department, conservator L6OO, ranger Ll5O, inspector, LIOO, printing book on native timber and illustrating it, etc., L 500; Agricultural Department, officer in charge, L3OO. The Colonial Exhibition vote is increased by L4OOO, and the bonuses to the Direct Mail service by a like sum. The subsidies for interprovincial mail services are reduced by L 1375. Against <e light dues remitted to mail steamers ” is set L 2639. For a new boiler to the Hinemoa L 3500 is set down, and the L2OOO for the Stella’s boiler again appears. For the San Francisco mail service L 23,334 is set down instead of L 32,150 as last.year, and L 292,750 for education capitation as against L 270,000. Owing to cost of census, the Registrar-General’s Department is put down for L 17,972 instead of L 8095 ; and against census and agricultural statistics is set L 13,000 instead of L3OOO. Mr Barron has given notice of his intention to move that a return be laid on the table showing the expenditure in the years 1860, 1865, 1870, 1875, 1880, and 1881, on account of (1) salaries and allowances to the Governors and maintenance of Government Houses ; (2) salaries of Cabinet Ministers ; (3) travelling and other expenses ing the Ministerial residences; (5) the Legislative Council ; (6) the House of Representatives ; (7) each department of the colonial Government of New Zealand.

Sir George Whitmore’s report on the New Zealand been presented to Parliament. With it is Major Boddam’s report on the progress made with the defences since he took charge of the works in June last/ and there is a separate report by Sir George Whitmore on the Oamaru encampment. From the first report it appears that there has been unaccountable delay in getting military stores ordered from England. Of all that have been sent for only 300,000 out of 2,000,000 rounds of Snider cartridges have reached the Colony yet. Fortunately, though there were grave defects in the first Auckland cartridges, those made now are equal to the Home ones. On March 31st, 1885, the Volunteer force, exclusive of cadets, consisted of 93 corps, of a total strength of 4977 of all ranks, and in 1886 there were 141 corps, of 8606 men. These have been organised into battalions and brigades ; the organization of the cavalry, however, is still incomplete. The report of inspections in all parts @f the Colony is very favorable. There is a recommendation to the Government to provide the means to improve the education and examination of the officers in military affairs. Of the officers and men of the paid forces also, Sir George speaks highly, and the report concludes by giving emphatic praise to Major Boddam and the officers of the Public Works Department who have assisted him. The Wellington and Wanganui Education Districts Bill, introduced by Mr J. G. Wilson, places the County of Horowhenua in the Wellington Education District, while County of Oroua remains in the Wanganui District. Mr Bradshaw’s Eight Hours Bill provides that after the Ist of January next eight hours shall, “unless where there is a contract in writing to the contrary,” constitute a day’s work, and forty-eight hours a week’s work. At a meeting of members of branches of the Legislature favourable to the use of the Bible in State Schools, it was resolved that Dr Menzies should introduce the question shortly in the Legislative Council, and that the question should be ke/ ; t before the public as much as possible. Only about a dozen members were present.