PARLIAMENTARY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9123, 2 July 1891, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

POLITICAL GOSSIP IN "WELLINGTON. BEST SPEECH THIS SESSION. Thursday, July 2. — The Minister for Lands opened the debate on tbe Financial Statement yesterdaj' afternoon. His speech was a masterly reply to tho accusations which had boen brought against him by the gentleman who had held tho same portfolio in the previous Ministry. It was a telling spoech— tho best delivered this session. He continued after tho dinner adjournment, and seemed reluctant to leave off, refuting tho charges one after tho other with documentary evidence The other speeches of the ovoning appeared tamo after Mr MoKonzio had sat down, although Mr Harkness, addressing a thin House, made a good, logical speech in favor of tho Opposition. PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS. The Promior says that all vouchers • coming into the Troasury are paid within seven days. Any delays in tho payment of Census enumerators' charges are duo to tho enumerators' own fault in not complying with tho law. LADIES' PARLIAMENTARY RESTAURANT. A new dining-room has been attached to the House, connected in some way with Bellamy's, where a member can pay his lady fnonds the compliment of inviting them to dine dim lg the adjournment. The consequence is that this session there has been a groat demand for seats in tho ladies' gallery, more than could be accommodated, ho each seat has every night to be balloted for, and the box daily is filled to overflowing with the names of members written upon slips of paper. This shows that it is not the interest the ladies take in politics, but tho good dinner they oxpoct to get.