POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE,

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8557, 27 July 1889, Page 2

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE,

(From Our Special Cobbespondent.) Wellington, July 26. THE EXHIBITION BILL. The Dunedin Exhibition Public Street Closing and Licensing Bill was considered in committee in the Legislative Council this afternoon. Several technical amendments were made, and on the motion of the Hon. George M'Lemn, the local option clause was struck out, and in lieu thereof the following words were substituted— "and such license may be transferred in the same manner as apublican'3licensegranted under " The,-Licensing Act 1881." The following new clause was added to the bill: —"No person shall be disqualified to be elected or to act as a member of a licensing committee by reason only of his being a shareholder in or otherwise connected with the management of the New Zealaurt Exhibition Company (Limited)." The bill was then reported with amendments, and set down for its-third reading on Thursday next.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, July 26. THE CHRISTIE PETITION. It is said that a wrong course has been adopted with Christie's petition against Judge Ward. It has been dealt with as an ordinary petition, whereas the precedent is said to be that all petitions regarding a judge should be dealt with exceptionally ; they should come through the Government and should not be laid upon the table, r unless the Goverment is of opinion that they disclose facts which prima facie would justify and render necessary the removal of the judge. Tbis, however, is disputed by other authorities, who assert that no precedent has been violated. Tha point seems a moot one. THE SECRET BALLOT. The resnlt of Mr Ballance's ballot on the question of repealing the reduction of members is that 49 have voted for and eight against the proposal. This is, of course, entirely inconclusive, as most of the members opposed to the movement had not taken the trouble to vote. The little plot to swamp the ballot by putting in a number of bogus papers failed, as the scheme leaked out, and it was found possible to separate the bogus papers from genuine ones.