NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 7222, 18 July 1884, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

SUMMARY i'OR THE MONTH

(for transmission hy the. I*.Sl.fi. /J 0 -’* AmIndia, from Auddand, via Han trancixcoj.

JUNE - JULY.

Tlio South Sea political bubble, which wan on tho point of dissolutioa when wo made up our last budget, burst, as was expected, a jew days after tho departure of tho last mail. On June 20 tho premier brought down a short financial Statement, and asked tho House for two months’ Supply. _ Members _ of tho Opposition immediately assailed tlio Statement as containing miscalculations and misstatements of various kinds; and a lot of tirno was wasted in bringing out for an airing grievances of all sorts, which were hung out by members, who knew their time was short, ns ensigns to tho peoplo whoso suffrages they were again about to seek. Whereby tho time of tho House was taken up for tho next day or two in tho discussion of gum, railway sleepers, ferrets, and sludge and other channels by which members eagerly seized tho opportunity of addressing their constituents through the pages of Hansard. Tho Public [Revenues Hill was, however, eventually passed through both Houses, and on luesday, tho 24th ultimo, Parliament was prorogued hy special commission, tho proclamation of tho dissolution appear ing three days afterwards. Writs were issued almost immediately, and wo are now on tho ovo of tho general elections, which take place on Tuesday, the 22nd instant. Concerning the probable position of paities in the now House it is extremely difficult, under tho existing aspect of aflairs, to make any reliable forecast. It is tolerably generally believed that the present Government will, on the assembling of Parliament, find themselves in a minority ; but what course of action will bo pursued by them under such circumstances is not at all certain. Tho appearance of Sir Julius Vogel, who, as we indicated last month, has once more appeared on the political scene, has entirely altered ihe aspect of aflairs oppositional; and ho appears to bo_ looked to by a great number of candidates for election all over the colony _ as the lodestar of their political existence. Having hunted assiduously for a constituency where he would be dead certain of election, he finally set his affections upon Christchurch North, where lie is to bo opposed by Mr Crowes, who will pro bably run him hard. His presence in Parliament, it returned, atithelhead of a strong party, will revolutionise tho existing state of things considerably. A possible coalition between him and Major Atkinson is hinted at by some sections of the Press ; but there are those who wish to seo Major Atkinson sustain his high political reputation, who speak of the leadership of the Opposition as his proper place, in the event of a change of Government. Sir George Grey and Mr Montgomery have sunk into comparative insignificance, and it is unlikely that under any circumstances either of these gentlemen will bo recognised in tho now House as a loader of any important party. In tho present uncertainty, however, that necessarily obtains before a general election, it is hardly worth while to discuss at any length probabilities which may turn out to have been impossibilities, and wo will dismiss our political phantoms with a hope that the ninth Parliament of New Zealand, however constituted, will bo more creditable to the country than was, as a whole, tho eighth. The honor of representing Wellington city in the new Parliament is being contested in only two of the electoral districts. Dr Newman, who was so recently returned by a large majority for Thorndon, has received a well deserved recognition of the creditable manner in which he entered upon parliamentary duties, by an unopposed return for that constituency. For Wellington South tho candidates are Mr W. Hutchison (the retiring member) and Mr George Fisher (the mayor). The late member for the constituency has obtained a good deal of support, though a great deal of liberality in the way_ of promises ; but the general opinion is that Mr Fisher, who has certainly deserved well of the city for services in his civic capacity will be returned at tho head of the poll. With regard to tho Te Aro constituency, it is difficult to foretell tho result of the polling. There are five candidates, not one of whom has expressed very pronounced political opinions. Mr Johnston, the retiring member, who is again a candidate, will very probably be thrown out; and it is quite on the cards that Mr Fraser, a respectable bookseller in the city, but who has not hitherto been known in any way in connection with politics, may be the successful candidate. He announces himself as a working man s representative, and has secured the temperance vote. Tho forthcoming elections occupy the whole attention of everyone at present, and little else is thought of or talked about. Local news is scarce, and little has happened lately to stir up any interest or excitement. In tho mercantile community an event has occurred which had cast iis shadows before—namely, tho failure ot Mr W. Waring Taylor, whoso assets and liabilities wore £78,209 13s 7d and £91,143 14s 3d respectively. The circumstances attending aro not altogether of a creditable nature, and perhaps tho less said about the affair tho bettor.

In tho fashionable world there has been little or nothing going on, the absence of the Governor in Victoria contributing in some degree to the social dullness of the city. The Birthday ball, which came off at Government House on the Ist instant, was largely attended and much enjoyed. The levee held on the previous Saturday was not so well attended as on previous occasions. Public amusements have been few and far between. An exhibition hold under the auspices of Lire Pine Arts Association takes a prominent place in this connection as showing the satisfactory _ progress made in this direction in this city and other parts of the colony. The first Steeplechase Meeting ever hold hero came off at the Island Bay Park last Saturday, and may be considered to have been altogether a success. Company difficulties are rather rife at present in the city. During the last month two companies have held somewhat stormy meetings, and one, the Koranui Coal Company, has been wound up. A 'matter for congratulation to the citizens is the approaching completion of the per-

mment Wainuiomata Waterworks s djemo. This is expected to _be finished in two or throe days’ time, when Wellington will ho one of tho best supplied cities in the Southern Hemisphere.