POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6382, 27 July 1882, Page 3

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

[By Tkxegbaph.]

(ITIOII OUR OWN CORRESrONDKNT.)

Wklliscton, July 2Gth.

Affairs political have been very dull to-day. Government again put Supply at the head of the order paper, so as to afford the Opposition every opportunity of joining issue if they were disposed, but they would not venture. Mr Moss duly moved his protest against further borrowing this session, but it was rejected by a large majority. . The Opposition seem more utterly and hopelessly demoralised than ever. The result of their all night battle on Monday, when Mr Smith was put forward as a catspaw, has damaged them severely. Their shallow pretence of not being as a party connected with Mr Smith's motion, was the more injurious to their reputation inasmuch as several members of " the party " had been openly boasting a week beforehand of what they were going to do and how they had organised the device, and you will remember that I notified you long ago of what wns intended, and my forecast was exactly borne out. Poor Smith has been going about'with even a more depressed and satupon" mien than is his wonted aspect, and evidently mutters constantly to himself (after the manner of Bunthorne), " Crushed again." t\>r a time before his motion came on, he stalked about with the air of a leader, but it is whispered that as the time drew nigh he became horribly nervous lest he should defeat the Government, and be sent for to construct a new Ministry. This, however, did not come off, and I sco little prospect of anybody being called on to undertake such a duty this session. I should mention that it was the Greyite party who backod up Mr Hurst, for tho Montgomery ites were dreadfully uneasy when they found Ministers meant to make a stand and beat them hollow, -vnd were desperately anxious to step out of the trap 'into which they had blundered ; but the Cirey party were delighted to embarrass them, as well as' obstruct the Government, thus killing two bird's with one stone, and so they strenuously "egged on" Mr Smith, and chuckled over the dismay of tho Montgomery section. It really looks, however, as if both Opposition parties were played out now. It is hard to see how they can recover themselves after the blow dealt them yesterday morning, and unless some unexpected contingencyshould intervene, I suspect the coup de. grace has been dealt to their campaign of this session. The Estimates are going through swimmingly to-night, and the greater portion are finished. In comparing them with the previous year there is one feature which should not be overlooked, namely, that the increased expenditure shown in some departments is more apparent than real; inasmuch as last year 10 ■u&r cent, was deducted from salaries, &c. for fihe fiis* quarter, while this year no such de■duction U proposed. Therefore, to make a fair .comparison that deduction must be reckoned. I'or instance, jn the Colonial Secretary's Department the apparent increase is £45(50, but allowing for last year's 10 per cent, reduction the net increase is only £3248. In the Treasury there is apparently an increase of £183, but £203 was deducted last year under the 10 per cent, system, so ren-Uy there is a decrease of £20 In the Justice Department there is a saving of £1580, although the apparent increase is £911, because last year's 10 per cent, deduction amounted to £1685. In the Post-office and Telegraph Department the apparent increase is £0000, but £3180 must similarly be deducted, the difference being the actual increase. In the Customs the ostensible augmentation of £4292 has in like manner to be reduced by £4292. So in the Stamp Office the increase by £IU3S has to be diminished by £500; and following the same rule in the Native Department it will be found that the expenditure is decreased by £5817 this year. This is an important consideration which should not be lost .sight of. °rhe Select Committee to whom was re- *«■«■£» Mr Feldwick's Chattels Securities Act Amendment Bill (of which I tele■axaobed $ summary), have reported that ?lmv roco«u>end it to be passed with these viz.: (1) Clause 8 to read thus-'-' fewr^ bill of sale shall be deemed to be giyen on, and shall only take effect from, the fjay on which such Mil is actually executed"; (2) clause 4 amended in conformity with stave alteration ; i 3) clauses 7, 8, 9 (which provida tflat bdls of «ale under £50 or unregistered shall be void, and registered bills of sale void against a prior iud<mient) struck out; (4) exception to apply inly to., money advanced or paid on gooua sold or supplied contemporaneously with bills of sale; (5) written consent of grantee required before removal of any .chattels seized under bill of sale until five days have elapsed since the seizure. It will be seen that these alterations are very important m their bearing on meroantile interests. The Waste Lands Committee have reported on a large batch of military and waste land claims to the effect that as such claims have been dealt with by the Royal Commission, the Committee decline to reopen the question. A good deal of comment has been excited by t&s announcement that Mr Seed, secretary and iinsMtftor of Customs, is about to retire on Ins nensiofl. (which is understood to be something Sike £CQQ* year), and to assume the position of -.manager .of the Wellington Trust, Loan, and investment Company, of which his father-in-flow in one of the .doctors. Mr Seed has been 3JL years in the Civil Service, and by the Superannuation Act of J. 858 he is entitled to retire on a pe^ion after 30 years' service, without it 9 bejajj necessary that he should attain any particular age or need any medical certificate of unfitness to perform official duties. The Civil Service Act of 18(50 ((clause 34) provides that the Governor-in-Cotmcil may nevertheless require any officer who would otherwise retire as aforesaid, notwithstanding his age, to continue to perform his duties; and it is argued that this applies to the present case, as if Mr Seed in fit to be manager of an important finance company ho must be equally fit * ■> continue his official duties, and theref|" fc . n - the intention of the Act is being abused. But t° this *t 's reJ°ined that clause 34 ef fhe Act of 18(56 only applies to retirements suuier the same Act, which fixes GO (?) years as the retiring age; and that as clause :^{) expressly wwerves the- rights of persons entitled under tho- former Act, Seeds case .clearly comes under this saving clause. It is likely something will fee heard of the matter Jn Parliament, as there ia H strong feeling .inscmequarters that while admitting Mr Seed s 'Jiio-h desserts as an excellent officer efifl faithful ■.public servant, it could never have bs£» intended that a man in the full power of. all his faculties should (.'fi^ra on a pension of £000 or so to enter on a responsible appointment with & salary of £500. Wlis£ accentuates the feeling in thin case is that the fete Mr Woodward retired from the office of Public Trustee under almost precisely similar circtunstanti? to take some other appointment while retsa»;ng Ms pension. I doubt, however, whether the i New Zealand taxpayers can do more than grin; and bear it

The Parliamentary correspondent of the 3,'uapeka Times telegraphs :—" A meeting of tlus ptago members (convened by MrPjrke, as chairman of the Otago Central Railway Comm ) ttes ; lv -as held this afternoon. Present: Messrs B»m.'"i Pc Lautmir, Bathgate, Driver, Ma'candrew, .7. 0. Brow", Capt Mackenzie, .1. M'Kenzie, Jovcfl,- Fwli, leldwick M. W. Greisn, Danief, and J. Green,—Mr Pyko boing in the chair. It >vas considered that Otago had not a fair proportion allocated to her out of the proposed uew Joan; that, in proportion to the contributions of Otago to the general revenue, one - tbir4 of the loan would only be a moderate allo.catioja; and the meeting recommended tbo (completion of the following branch Tnes of •railway during the present year—viz., Catlin'a 23nsh line ; extension of Waipahi line from Heriotbiirn to Aaaila Ure.ek ; construction of iUe Kelso-Gore line 5 the completion of the Shag Valley line to Duufcaek ; also the construction of the Seaward Bush Aflfit the Kivers-(flale-Switaars line; and the more ra^ii progresjiion of the construction of the Otago Central, fine ■; also, the survey of Waitaki-Livingatone eattsssion. It wiw further resolved that a de-: put&tioa of the Gtago *nd Southland members ■wait upwj the Minister of Public Works to urge the consideration of the foregoing resolu- ' tion."