POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6593, 18 September 1899, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

— 0— A TFhOM OTTR CORRESPONDENT.] .. ' WELLINGTON, Sept. 15. THAMES VALLEY LAND COMPANY. Mr Duthie put a question to the Premier this afternoon regarding complaints against the Assets Board said to have been made by the chairman of the 1 Thames Valley Land Company at its meeting in London. Tbe Premier, in reply, said that the Assets Board held half the total number of shares in the company, but had no representation on the Board. Its liability amounted to £100,000, and every call meant £6000. As do profits were made, the Assets Board proposed to relieve the company of the? management of assets in this colony, which would save the cost of a Board in London, about £3000 a year. It also made an alternative proposal, namely, that the land should be divided up, and the Assets Board take its share, thus relieving itself of further liability to calls, and giving it an opportunity to dispose of the land. The cJompany did not take verykindly to those proposals, and the Assets Board had to intimate very politely that there were two eourres open", one to to Parliament for legislation, and the other: to throw the company into liquidation. The result was that the company had practically agreed to the terms submitted, and- to hand the management of the property over to the Assets Board. . THE PROGRESSIVE PLATFORM. Referring to the debate -in the Council in \ connection with the Factories Act Amendment Bill, the " New Zealand Times " says -j that the -display of strong antagonism made i by Messrs M'Lean, Macgregar amd Botnar is the very thing, on the eve of a general election, to consolidate the Liberal jyid Labour elements, and the gemtleme'n named may, therefore, be viewed as the best friends - of the present Administration. By way of indicating the nature -and scope of the probable deflnamds to be made dn tlie -next 1 Parliament .by tha party of progress, the "Times" quotes tlie programme adopted by the Christchurch branch, of the Liberal and Labour Federation, and thinks that the in- ■ dications are that tlio old Liberal and -Labour partnership will b_ revived, and will powerfully influence the coming elections. WRIGG AMENITIES. After the House met on Friday, im--1 proinptu consultations were observed to take place' between the Premier and the leader of the Opposition, while the member for Patea also had a tete-a-tete with Mr Seddon. These asides were explained by the Premier announcing that this was his " last day " in respect to his promise to bring on the Wrigg case debate within three weeks. Copies of the printed evidence were, however, not available for members, and a postponement was advisable. Before Captain Russell could make a statement, Mr Pirani chipped in, wanting to know this, that and the other, and objecting to the Premier's "private caucus." The Premier administered a telling snub to the Left Wing leader, declining to recognise the right of the " corner "to fix the order of business. From remarks made by Mr Seddon, the discussion is likely to prove an interesting event, as Mr Wrigg will probably be represented by counsel at the Bar of the House. A motion will ttlso be moved, referring the report brought up some weeks ago back to the committee which conducted the investigation. TIT FOR TAT. An amusing, if somewhat childish, display of tit for tat followed the arranging of the Wrigg case debate. The formality of granting unopposed returns was entered on, and the first motion taken happened to bo in the name of Mr Morrison. Mr ihrani, between whom and the member for Caversham no love is lost, and in whom the Premier's snub was evidently rankling, immediately jumped up and objected to the return being granted, a course which is very rarely taken by private members. Now, a single objection is, under the Standing Orders, fatal to a return, and the member for Caversham had perforc. to forego the - information sought. He soon had his i*evenge, however. The next return was in the name of a militant Oppositionist, and Mr Morrison promptly entered his dissent. He repeated the performance with the next motion, and then got another chance. One of Mr Pirani's own motions came on, and this the member for Caversham had the satisfaction of promptly killing. Mr M'Nab -put an end to the farce by stating that, under the circumstances, he would oppose-all the returns on the Order Paper. The Premier accepted tho situation, and no more returns will, presumably, be obtained tins session.