POLITICAL NOTES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11596, 28 June 1905, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES.

(From Mir Parliamentary Special) (By Telegraph). ADDRESS-TN-E KPLY.

WELLINGTON, June ' 27

The addrcss-ir.-rcply will lie moved this ! evening by ?.Ir Flat man and seconded by Mr Hogg" Before the House adjourned this afternoon Hie Premie. 1 expressed the i hope thnt the dob'ate would be concluded iv time to -enable him to bring down an Imprest Supply Bill on Friday. The b oad smile that went round the Opposite benches at this announcement recalled I the rumours that have been in circulation regarding a iio-confidcnce motion being tnblrcl at an early sta£<? of the session While the general opinion in the lobbies is' that the Premier's optimism w.as assumed, there is very little doubt that the r>ddrcss-iu-reply debate will have to b 1 intpnuptprl by the Impio3t S«ipply B 11 if civil rorvauts arc to be paid thi.ii- salaricp on the Ay.-c date. TUB SPEAKEHSHIP. The contest for the Spcaßbi-shin of thr Legislative Council should prove decidedly interesting. It is understood that th< Hon. T. Kelly will receive the Government support, but the ex-Speakers, Sir IT. JMiller, the Hon. G. McLean, and the Hon. ,T. C. Bowen, will in all probability, be condidatcs for the position, and as all of theni have had a long connection with tlie Council and have a certain claim on the position a closo contest is anticipated CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. The Hon. W. C. F. Carncross will prohably be a candidate for the chairmanship of committees, a position now held by the Hon. A. H. J. Beeves. THE OPPOSITION VIEW. Those members of the OiDposition who ( have arrived in Wellington will hold a conference to-morrow morning, and arrange for a course of procedure during the session. In conversation with a newspaper representative the leader of the Opposition expressed the opinion that the time had come for the Opposition parly to take up i a. strong- position, both in the House and in the country, and that certain reforms wore- required in connection with Parliamentary procedure, and that it was the duty oi the Opposition to endeavour to bring those reforms about. Judging from the Governor's speech, said Mr MaFssy, it I is the intention of the Government to give Parliament the opportunity of considering some important proposals. "Whether they will be persevered with and become law remains to be goen. The legislative programme foreshadowed in the speech is ' sufficiently to occupy the attention ; of Parliament for six months, if all the matters mentioned are to receive the consideration to which they are entitled. Personally, concluded Mr Massey, I think we shall find at the end of the session that a large proportion of the matters referred to have not been dealt with. CHINESE LABOUE IN THE TRANSVAAL. Last session iho House passed a resolution expressing regret at the introduction of Chinese labour into the Transvaal. In tlie receipt of the despatch forwarding the- resolution the Secretary of State for th 6 Colonies remaiks: "His Majesty's Government .have never questioned the right of the Legislature of New Zealand to express their views with regard to the subject of the resolution, but they adlioro to their opinion that in the exceptional condition of things existing at the time when the Transvaal labour importation ordinance was passed the question of the introduction of Chinese labour war one of such extreme urgency that it was impossible to await tlie establishment of responsible Government, and that no» referendum could have been taken without the rprovision" of electoral: machinery and* the definition of electoral qualifications", which , would have involved long delay. The action taken by His Majesty's Government -was that which they believed to be in. accordance -with the views of the gfcat majority of the white population ot the Transvaal, and was in harmony with their policy of treating the Transvaal as a selfgoverning colony in so far as its internal affairs are concerned, where no Imperial interest is involved." Tlie despatch was laid before Parliament yesterday. OUR DEFENCES. In a despatch to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated April 21, 1905, the Governor says: "My Government desires to communicate -with you concerning the disposal to tie New Zealand Government of discarded 15-pounder B.L. Mark IV. guns. It is computed that fourteen guns I of the above-mentioned description will be required to complete the rearmament of field batteries in New Zealand. As these guns are being replaced in England by others of an entirely different pattern,, j my Ministers think that they would probably be practically useless to tho Home Government, and suggest that the latter might possibly see fit to let the colony have them at a reduced price, or even at a nominal charge." FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOE MAORI LANDOWNEES. Mr Hone Heke is urging- the Government to bring- down a Bill this session enabling a fund to be created for the purpose of giving? Maori landowners financial assistance by way of loans similar to those given to European settlers under the Advances to Settlers' Act, co as to assist the Maoris in the improvement of their lands, and. to enable them to more promptly meet their liabilities. PEOHIBITED PERSONS IN PUBLIC POSITIONS. Mr Hawkins intends to ask the Colonial Secretary whether he considers that a man who has had several prohibition orders , issued against Mm, and who is prohibited to-day, is a. fitting person to hold 1 the position of Beturning Officer, Registrar of E'ectors, and Justice of the Peace; and whether it is the Ministers' intention to remove all 1 incompetent men from the positions of Keg-istrars of Electors and Returning Officers in the colony. OPPOSITION "CAUCUS. WELLINGTON, June 28. Tlie Opposition met in caucus this morning, but nothing has been made known of the result of their deliberations. ' It is understood that no want of confidence motion will be proposed on th& Address-in-Reply/ GOVERNMENT WHIP. ' Mr Flatman has agreed to act as Government Whip for the session, with Mr Kidd.