POLITICAL PARS.

Observer, Volume X, Issue 629, 17 January 1891, Page 7

POLITICAL PARS.

Sib Fbedebice: Whitakeb will shortly retire from political life. Sm. Wm. Fitzhbkbebt has resigned the SpeakersMp of the Legislative Council. O'Eorke or Atkinson will succeed him. Mb Justice Conolly and the Chief Justice are to try the eleotion petition brought by Colonel Fraser against the return of Mr Alien for Te Aroha seafe. A petition, bearing ovev 4000 signatures, wasyester-' day forwarded from Auckland by Mr R. J. Duncan, praying His Excellency to make no further appointments to the Legislative Council. The ' Old New Zealand ' politicians are getting played out — Grey, Whifcaker, O'Rorke, Pyke and others who have been over twenty years in politics are now out of the running. A few weeks ago, Mitchelson stated in one of his election addresses that the Native Land Courts were nearly self-supporting, on account of the large sums collected as fees, &c, &. return just issued shows that during- 1890 these Courts cost .£19,037 3s Id, while the total receipts were ,£9,886 9a 9d. A trifling loss of .£IO,OOO a year, on a system which is worse than useless, being vicious and demoralising. Ifc is time these Courts were swept out of existence.