PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 4067, 14 June 1882, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

POLITICAL GOSSIP. [TELEQUAPnED BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. TcEsmv, June 13. — Mr. Rolleston stated to-day, in the House, that Major Atkinson could not make the Financial Statement to-nia;l\t, as his medical attendant had absolutely forbidden him to go out at night, ami it was not probable that the Statement could be delivered before Friday evening. GOVERNOR'S LEAVE OF ABSENCE. He also announced that the Governor had obtained six months' leave of absence to visit England on private business, aod that he would leave on the first con%-cnient opportunity. AUCKLAND-TARAXAKI RAILWAY. A deputation waited on the Government to-day with respect to the line of railway from Auckland to Taranaki. The Premier siid this line was one that was recognised as a portion of the main line, and that it would be proceeded with as soon as the surveys were sufficiently advanced to determine the route. I anticipate more will be heard about this before the bill to authorise the Government to borrow goes through, as there is a party in and outside the' House secretly negotiating agaiust the Waitara route, and in favor of the Cambridge and Palmerston route. HANSARD. A long debate took place with respect to Hansard. The Reporting Debates Committee recommended that a daily issue in sheets, without correction by the members, and a permanent issue of the bound copies corrected. The house declined te authorise this, and also rejected a four-weekly issue, in sheets. Mr. Macandrew moved, "That Ilanm rd be issued at one penny a copy," but 5.30 p.m. had arrived before this question could be put, and the matter for the time being collapsed. It is not probable that any alteration svill be made. WAITING FOR THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. All political work is hung up, in consequence of the Financial Statement being kept back ; and, the views of the Government on finance not being known, the Opposition are held back from criticising the Government's action. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. It is anticipated that the Public Works Statement will not be made for a month. If this is correct it will give the Government ample time to negotiate the public works, and by making concessions here and there, so balance affairs as to make their position pretty safe. This will involve, no doubt, the authorisation of works of doubtful utility, which, if they stood on their own merits, would not receive the support of a majority ; but, to receive a share of expenditure adequate to their claims, members within provincial districts will occasionally be found supporting works that do not occupy a high position in their minds. It will be for the Opposition to review those proceedings, but I fear that the Opposition, as an Opposition, will melt away when subjected to the trying ordeal o£ public expenditure derived from loan. [FROM A COURESrOXDEXT]. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT.. Not-n HhaUiudlng that this forenoon it was definitely decided that even if Major Atkinson were too unwell to deliver the Financial Statement, it would be read for him by another Minister, about four this afternoon the Ministers resolved to postpone it until Friday, with the probability of another postponement. The secret of the whole thing, I believe, is a dissension in the Cabinet as to what course to pursue as to the loan. HANSARD. A long debate took place on the question that Hansard be published daily. The only remarks worth recording were made by Mr. De Lautour, who said, "we are handing down to posterity, not what we did speak, but what twenty-four hours afterwards we wished we hod spoken," and he concluded, "our present sysiem is practically a premium for bad reporting." In this he hit the nail on the head. Hansard reporters arc competent to and do take down words of speakers exactly as spoken, but members subsequently distort and in some instances absolutely re-write their speeches. On reading the proofs I have myself seen Hansard proofs in which the words altered exceeded those left, and the meaning entirely reversed notwithstanding that the original report was absolutely correct, and verified as such by independent reporters. THE ANTICIPATED LOAN. A deputation waited on the Government today and elicited from Major Atkinson the important statement that whatever the amount of the proposed loan, it would be placed on the London money market on the distinct pledge that it would bo applied to certain specified public works, and to no other. The credit of the Colony would be pledged to the specified application of the loan ; and also not to borrow further for a term of years.