PARLIAMENTARY

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 9476, 23 August 1892, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

POLITICAL GOSSIP IN WELLINGTON.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL QUESTION.

Tuesday, August 23.— The question of the Ministers noting in an inconsistent manner in not resigning when tho Governor refused to accept their advice in not making the appointments to the Legislative Council, is likely to bo discussed in the House to-day. In order to bring the

question to an issue as soon as possible tho Government are to placo tho motion for Committee of Supply on tho Paper as the first order of tho day for Tuesday next. The debate is expected to bo somewhat protracted, lasting two or tlneo days at least. Many members are '•cramming" hard with constitutional law and practico and precedents, and a specially note worthy discussion may be looked for. Among (ho principal speakers will bo, Mr Rolleston, Sir John Hall, Captain Russell, Messrs Scobie Mackenzie, G Hutchison, Fish, Fisher, Allen, and T. Mackenzio on the Opposition side. The Opposition had no present intention of proposing any specific motion as an amendment to supply, STOCK BILL. Tho Government suffered a reverse on Friday over the Stock Bill being refused leavo to introduce in clauso 48, a tax of 2d per head on cattle, including the sheep t x already in existence, from which n revenue of £16,000 a year is obtained. As tho Government can't afford to dispense with this, they intond to bring the clause forward when tho bill is in committee. It may not then include tho cattle tax, since that was proposed at the request of stock owners, and not at tho instance of flic Government themselves, who do not want it for revenue purposes. TAX ON IMPROVEMENTS The Government will not accept the amendment which is to be proposed by Sir George Grey exempting imprDvomen's from taxation. WEST COAST SETTLEMENT RESERVES BILL. Tho West Coast Settlements Reserves Bill has passed through the Select Committee, to which it wus referred. A great dea 1 of European and nativo evidenco ivas taken, and many amendments wero made but wo understand tho ccnoral features of tho bill are not materially altered Both partios, European lessees and natives, have expressed their satisfaction w th tho bill in its presuut form. LABOUR MEASURES. Mr T. McKenz'e is of opinion that, if tho Government go on a-> they aro now going, a man won't bo able to employ a lad without first obtaining a doctor's ceitilicatc, nor a farmer's wifo to make a pat of butler without (ho approval of an in-pector ; and one-half of tho nmlo population will bo inspectors. But obsorvo how admir.tbly all this harmonises with tho wlule pclicy of tho Government —tho object of the said whole policy being an "etirnal lease" of tho Troaeu-y bonches ; and what 60 likely to securo that as tl<o " vote and interest" of men placed in nice billets under the Government regime . £i i