POLITICAL ITEMS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 1628, 9 December 1879, Page 2

POLITICAL ITEMS.

, (B* TKLEGBArH.) (FHOSI OUB BFEOIAL COIIBK3PONDENT.) ■ Wellington, Dec. 8. Thogood progress made with the Property Assessment Bill on Friday night, whon tho first nineteen c'huscb wcro passod after a moat reasonable and orderly discussion, nSbrds a prospect of the session coming quietly to a clo-c. . . The news of tho istuo of tho loan has given general satisfaction. It is attributed mainly to tho change of Ministry. Information received from London shows that the Bank of Englind would not have undertaken to placo the loan while Bir George Groy remained m ofiicr, his attack nn property and cipitnl having; shaken public oonfidenco m the colony. It is understood that the prospects of obtaining tho fivonnilli"Dß will not uiako any difloronco m- tho public works proposals of Iho Government, but that thoy will i exercise rigid economy and caution, with Ihe objcot of keeping as muoh . of the mpnoy m hand as possible. . A lying statement having nppcarod m tho Opposition papers, that Sir Jems Julyan had resigned the Crown Agonoy. m couaoqupneo or- a difference with out Government about tho loan, Mr Hal gave it official contradiction m - the Houso this ovening. Sir Jervis Julyan rotirod on a pension (orao time ago, but .still remains m most satisfactory relations with tho Government. Tho raising of the exemption from proporty toe from £300 to £503 has given a good deal of dissatisfaction, and notice has been givon of a motion to recommit tho Bill, to resort to tho original amount. Tho Opposition aim at altering tho Bill, so as to mako the property tax very much tho some thing as the land- tax, instead of being as Iho Government intended it to be, a tax fulling fairly upon all. ' ■ ' The report of the Committoo on tho £300 paid by tho Into Government to. Mr Bros, ahows that the monoy was given to Mr Rods merely as a gift, and Hint Messrs Siorwright and Stoat leceivod £70 for act : ng as^.tuo medium of the payment. Tlio caso nas boon referred by the Treasury to the Piibljo. Aocounts Committee, and action will probably, bo taken to .recover tho money, which' ivras paid to Mr Bees" m two tjums of £150 at' the beginning of last session, but for which ho does not appear to have rendered any service whatever. \