PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7655, 13 June 1896, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

TEE COLONIAL BANK BUSINESS.

TROUBLE IN STORE FOR SOMEONE.

MR WARD'S RETIREMENT FROM

THE MINISTRY.

MR SEDDON TO BE TREASURER.

[From bun Parliamentary Reporter.] Wellington, last night. • . Mr Jelliooe, who has been retained by •' certain Dunedin shareholders, says it is most ' probable thab proceedings {will be instituted -against those responsible for the Colonial ~ Bank's management. A large number of members on the Government side of the House, who are in sympathy with such an action, are determined that if Mr Ward has to retire from ■ office no stone -shall be left unturned to bring about the resignation of certain prominent officials in the Bank of New Zealand, who were formerly high in the service of the Colonial Bank. The caucus of Ministerialists has been summoned for 3 p.m. on Monday. There seems to be practical unanimity among the party that Mr Ward cannot again meet the House as a Minister, A suggestion will probably be submitted to the caucus that Mr Seddon shall become Treasurer and that the Attorney-Generalship be at once filled up. The amount expended by Ministers in travelling expenses during the' year ending 31at March last is already being anxiously inquired about. Mr W. Hutchison is anxious for a Select Committee of inquiry into the working of the co-operative system. He is moving to set up a committee. To-day.— Both the Wellington papers give currency to a statement: that a Wellington lawyer has been approached by tho Bhareholderß of the Colonial Bank with a view to take proceedings based on the revelations at Dunedin. Mr Jellicoe, who is the lawyer ' mentioned, has not been actually retained, it ia understood, is pending the necessary expenses being raised. • Afc Monday's Ministerial caucus the Premier will put forward the programme of Bills which he wishes pushed forward, and their importance in sequence. The Treasurer has been telegraphed for at the wish of his colleagues, and will arrive here to-morrow. THE WCREASED TARIFF TAXATION. The abstract of the public accounts published in this week's Gazetteßhowsin Customs an increase of £79,000, of which £45,000 is not due to the new tariff, which is responsible for £34,000. It is noteworthy that when the Customs tariff was under consideration last session the Treasurer's approximation of the increase from the proposed alterations was only £3500.