JOTTINGS FROM THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1164, 22 July 1885, Page 5

JOTTINGS FROM THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.

In the Legislative Council on Friday, Dr Menzios agked the Colonial Secretary what amount of agricultural and dairy produce had been expoiied during the last throe months to Rio Janeiro. Mr Buckley repliod that the total value amounted to £2133.— The Chiistchurch Loan Validation Bill was read a third time and passed.— ln the House of Representatives, replying to questions, Sir Julius Yogel said that it would not be de9irablo to permit the uso of private stills in the Colony for the manufacture of spirits of wine, similar to the concession made to wine manufacturers in Victoria. Mr Richardson said that it was not correct that tho agents of the Government Insurance Association were provided with freo passes on the New Zealand railways. Mr Stout said he would take the necessary steps to procure from the Secretary of State for the Colonies a copy of the correspondence in 1862 to claims of Maoris in tho Middle Island. — Sir George Grey Introduced a bill to provide for the election of Justices of the Peace. — Sir Juliu3 Yogel moved : " That the Government be requested to negotiate for a fresh mail service between Auckland and San Francisco for five years, at a cost not exceeding £30,000 per annum." In "order to produce a return showing the cO3tof the direct mail service and the San Francisco service, the motion was postponed for a week. — Mr Moss moved for a return of telegraph and post-office clerks who had been more than five years in tho service, and whose salaries are under £130 per year, with the salaries of each respectively. Agreed to. — Mr Ballance moved the second reading of the Land Bill and explained, that it was a consolidated measure. After along debate, the second reading was agreed to without a division. — Mr Stout moved the second reading of the Stamp Act Amendment Bill, and briefly explained its provisions. Tho motion was agreed to. — Mr Stout moved the second reading of the Deceased Persona Estates Act Amendment Bill, which was also agreed to. — The debate on the second reading of tho Counties Act Amendment Bill was resumed, and the sec&nd reading carried on the voices. The " Daily Times " Wellington correspondent, telegraphing on Sunday, says : — All day long there have been rumors of dissension in the Cabinet. It may be that this is only a l'ovival of the old rumors, but from what I can gather things are tending towai'ds » change. Ido not think that any differences there may be are on any special measure. I fancy that Messrs Stout and Ballance have got the idea that Sir Julius is slowly— perhaps I might say rapidly —becoming a source of weakness rather than of strength, and that the time is coming when they can afford to throw him over. Their notion is that Messrs Montgomery, M. J. S. Mackenzie, Barron, Pyke, and a number of others who have been driven away from them migb.fr be again incorporated with the parhy. I think too, that it Sir Julius Yogel gets his petition money he would himself gladly retire from New Zealand politics, for he can hardly help recognising that he baa failed in the main points of which he had raised the expectations of the country. Messrs Stout and Ballance would then try and stand by themselves (they believe they can), and if they failed they would let Majo" Atkinson have his trial, believing that at present 'io could not stand for a weok, when with M asrs Macandrew and Montgomery they, uomtl come in again. A quango of» some radical kind is now considered almost certain before the end of the session, but Mr Stjout will corfcainly try to keep office;