PARLIAMENTARY HEWS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 4066, 13 June 1882, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY HEWS.

POLITICAL GOSSIP. [telegraphed by special correspondent.] MAJOR ATKINSON. ! Monday, June 12. — Major Atkinson has not recovered from his cold yet, but it is expected he will be able to deliver the Financial Statement this week. DEPUTY LEADER OF THE HOUSE. Mr. Rolleston acts as the leader of the House during Major Atkinson's absence. Nothing of importance has transpired since the meeting of tho Houso on Friday. The usual caucuses have assembled to organise for local purposes and to secure as large a share of the forthcoming loan as possible. RAILWAY QUESTION. The Wellington Press is in favour of the railway via Wogt Taupo and Pahnerston, and at the same time urges the completion of the line from Palmerston to Napier. The seat of Government will again come forward. CHANGE IN SEAT OF GOVERNMENT. A considerable section of the House is in favor of the Assembly meeting at Christchurch and leaving Wellington. That will astonish the Wellingtonians. THE VACANT PORTFOLIO. There is a good deal of nibbling at the vacant portfolio, and many would-be leaders are in a great state of natural perturbation. It will be a race between Otago and Canterbury ; all the other districts are - oi' t of the running. lam inclined to think the chances are in favour ef a doubtful supporter, for a firm supporter has ro chance in such a contest. He can always be depended on, while a doubtful man who gives frequert evidence of his instability is a catch. I think the portfolio will be kept open till the end of the session, as a means of rewarding some desirable convert, unless some terrible crisis arises, when the fate of the Ministry may tremble in the balance. Under such circumstances the portfolio may go to save the ship. THE OPPOSITION. The leadership of the Opposition is in commission. Mr. Macandrew and Mr. Montgomery act alternately. They are looked on as political twins, toiling hopelessly in the race for the leadership, in the rear of Sir Geo. Grey, who takes the wind out of their sails, without an effort, whenever he thinks fit. MINISTERS KEPT IN POWER BY SIR GEORGE GREY. 1 I think it is very probable that Sir Goo. i Grey will keep the Ministry in office all l this session, and in return they ought to pass the best of his advanced bills. [from a correspondent]. [ POSTPONEMENT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. , An official statement has been made to the effect that the Colonial Treasurer's " health is steadily recovering, but that he has not yet regained the use of his voice ; 1 so that unless marked imp.-ovement takes place before to-morrow evening, further [ postponement of the Financial Statement is inevitable. THE LOAN. A rumor is being circulated that the Government will this session propose a | four million loan, but I have the best reason to believe it unfounded. The ' course pursued will be that an early scsi sion will be called in 1883, and the proposal of a five million loan, the expenditure of which is to extend over five years, and not more than one million to be expended in any one year. WAITERS AT BELLAMY'S. A correspondent of the Post, dealing with the discussion on the Eight Hours Bill in Parliament, points out that owing to the utter want of consideration on the part of members, the staff of waiters in Bellamy's average working time 12 and 17 ' hours alternately on week days, and about i 14 hours on Sundays ; and by no means I easy work either. He adds, " I have nothing to say against the hours on week clays, although they are very severe, but I cannot think for the life of me why a staff of fourteen hands should be kept on until 11 o'clock on Sunday nights, merely to satisfy ' the fancy of two or three gourmands — 1 surely for once in the week they ought to ; be satisfied with easier fare. From my . own observation I can add that two of the so-called ' waiters' are mere children, whose stunted growth and wornout appearance are pitiable in the extreme. These two • have been employed for the last three or ; four sessions, and each session makes it , clearer that they are being slowly killed." PUBLIC OFFENCES DISQUALIFICATION ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The Public Offenders Disqualification ' Act Amendment Bill, introduced by Mr. Levestam, provides that persona who have ; been convicted of felonies, not being capital crimes, and have suffered punishment, shall be restored to full civil rights at the expiration of their sentences. \ BANKRUPTCY COMMITTEE. The Bankruptcy Committee has had under consideration the recommendation , of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce j that bills of sale given within six months of filing be void, is against tho Public Trustee ; also, a recommendation of the [ Christchurch Chamber, that except in cases I of misfortune, no discharge be granted until . ten shillings in the £is paid. Both recommendations were approved of, and will be 1 embodied in an amended bill. ] PETITIONS TO TnE QUEEN. Mr. Weston has given notice of a ques- ! tion as to the course pursued when a British ; subject, being a resident of New Zealand, . petitions the Queen, through the Governor. [ The question involved is a most important , one, and was based on a statement to the . effect that a petition made by a settler in Taranaki was made known to Ministers ! before it could have arrived at its destina- , tion. I have spoken to the petitioner, who . states that after forwarding his petition to ; Sir Arthur Gordon, he was spoken to on ' tho subject by Sir William Fox, and twit- , ted by him with the fact that his action j would prove inoperative. The question [ arises by what right Sir William Fox knew of the existence of the petition, and why Ministers were afforded and availed themselves of a knowledge of the petition. I huvo been shewn the draft of the petition, which, whatever its merits may otherwise be, is respectfully worded ami in proper form. '. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. : The Financial Statement is in type, and , finally corrected, but it is doubtful whether : Major Atkinson will bo well enough to deliver it. It is rumoured that if not, t another Minister, probably Mr. Bryce, will read it for him.