PARLIAMENTARY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 916, 8 October 1879, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[By Telegraph.]'

[from our own correspondent.]

Wellington, This Day. The Opposition dinner on Monday night was not a great success. Only 33 sat down, aud several outsiders were included in.the number. The Government caucus yesterday was attended by the usual 42, and also Pyke, thus making 43, so that the two parties are 1 now equally divided ; but when the Thames return a Greyite member, the Liberal party will be in a majority of one. The caucus passed a resolution to staud together and try conclusions with any Ministry that Mr Hall might form, and they elected a committee representing different provincial districts, to look after the interests of the party. Mr Ballance is on the committee. It is understood that Macandrew will load. Before undertaking to form a Ministry Mr Hall asked the Governor to call Mr Whitaker, senior, to the Legislative Council, which His Excellency at once agreed to, and Mr Whitaker is coming down from Auckland to represent the Government in the Upper House as Attorney- General. The new Ministry, besides Hall and Whitaker, will consist of Atkinson as Treasurer ; • Bryce, Native Minister ; Rolleston and Olliver, portfolios not settled; Tomoana will be the native member in the Cabinet. The remaining seat is supposed to rest between Saunders and Johnston. As Wakefield would certainly oppose any Ministry he was not a member of, and as it was found impossible to include him in the number allowed by the Civil List Act, it is said that Hall will propose to amend the Act, so as to allow of the appointment of two Parliamentary Under Secretaries outside the Cabinet, Wakefield to be one of them. All the new Ministers are now here, and will be sworn in to-day.