Political Intelligence,

Southland Times, Issue 8056, 10 July 1885, Page 3

Political Intelligence,

J fßv Teleqbaph.]

fBY Teleqbaph.] (fbom oua own cobbe&posdent.) Wellington, 9»h July. - Tho crisis has been tided over, and the Government, whose seats appeared t© bo in great jeopardy last night and tbis afternoon by^ the signal defeat they sustained in Committee of Ways and Means on the Customs Tariff, have a new lease of office. Everybody is pleased, except perhaps, the Ministers, who, of course, greatly regret that their Tariff proposals have been so harshly handled. Daring the day there was very considerable excitement when it became koown that some 40 supporters of the Government had met and decided to offer tbe Government tbe option of either abandoning their Tariff and modifying their Local Bodies' Finanoe and Powers Bill in the direction of limiting the subsidies to five years, and withdrawing the power of local bodies to borrow upon these subsidies, or else go out of office. Eveyone was on the tiptoe of expectation, and while many predicted that the Ministry would resign rather than submit to such dictation, even from their friends, others held that Ministers would consent to tbe conditions imposed. The latter were right. A meeting of Government supporters was called by the Premier at 3.30 p.m., and at that meeting it was resolved to withdraw the whole of the proposed customs duties, except the duty en wines and Bpirits, whicU had previously been agreed to. It was also decided to accept the suggestion of the deputation with regard to the Local Bodies Bill, and, to fix no definite period for tho payment of subsidies. When tbe House met at 7.30 this evening the Premier made a statement in accordance with tbe decision arrived at by the Ministerial meeting, and so the difficulty is for the present over. On Tuesday next tbe Tariff Bill will be brought do_/n, when doubtless there will be more talk over it, but it will, of course, be carried. The House is once more calm, and it .3 probable that some useful work will be done before another rupture takes place. «_____«______« ___ • _____

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