PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 9147, 25 June 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

[By Electeic Teeegeaph.J

(Fkom otjb Own Cobbespondent.) Wellington, June 24.

There was alittle bitof Parliamentary " clawing " this afternoon over the way in which the Civil Service Beport became public, but the Government got well out of it. The' Premier explained that it was prese&ted itq.the Governor at 4 o'clock jn the afternoon. About b" o'clock the " representatives •of two papers,, who (had learned that the report was ready, applied to him (Mr Hall) for copies. He, considering it public property when once laid before the Governor, said " Yes, you can have it, but so can any other newspaper representatives who may apply for it." Having obtained the copies, they were put upon the wires before the telegraph office closed, but unfortunately the Lyttelton Times representative, who is a very watchful man generally, appeared to have been thrown off the scent and did not apply, consequently his paper was without it A good deal of anger has been the result. In the course of the debate which arose, Mr Seddon referred to the swamp, and clinched his statements by mentioning the name of Mr Orombie Browne as his authority. This elicited from' the Premier the remark that probably before the session closed he would have something to say to the House about Mr Crombie Browne. — Mr Hatnlin has reached the neighbour hood of the swamp very much knocked up by his coach travel, but he has telegraphed nothing about tho swamp. So far the existence of it was again emphatically denied by Ministers. VVlien leaveof absence was aked for Mr Hamlin, one member added, " Why should not the Opposition have a Royal Commission of its own.?" The evidence of the Civil Service Commission comprises over 2000 pages of foolscap, and cost about £500 for the shorthand writing charges alone. It will soon be ready to lay on the,table. As I said, the Southern members are taking the part of Mr Conyers, and several influential members state openly in the lobbies that there is nothing in the charges against Conyers, and yet, strange to say, the damnging admission came from Conyers himself. Altogether, between friends and enemies, the Government will have a very rough time of it. One of the Maori members intends to introduce a bill to allow the Native race to have seven representatives in the House instead of four. They base their action on the ground that the , Maoris are not represented according to population, and it is intended to include all those noiv livingin isolation, such as the Kingites and those at Parihaka. . The .Opposition members, who feel annoyed at the course taken by Bir .George Grey regarding this debate, do not like to show tuere is dissatisfaction in the camp, but they sometimes refer to it inadvertently, and describe the conduct as unfortunate. There is nothing more about the Middle Party rumour. It evidently does not go down sufficiently. Last night tho House adjourned early, and generally the evening was considered wasted. Some disappointed friends of Ministers and party are circulating rumours that ttiere will be a reconstruction of the Ministry, but they are without foundation.