POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3158, 20 September 1892, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(lit TKLKGRArH—STKUIAI, COKKKSI'ONDEST). Wellington, Last Night. THE ELECTORAL BILL.

A L.UUiK number of aoiendnieo's hiv • been made in the E'ectoral Bill by the Statutes Revision Committee of the Legislative Council. They provide for the uniform closing of the poll at 7 p.m. instead of 0 p.m. in all country elect .r it *s, and at 7 p.m. only in towns of inure than 4000 inhabitants, as was proposed in the Bill when it left the Lower House. The interpretation of shearers " Ins been extended to " all men employed by sheep-owners during shearing time." A new clause (271) has been aided, repealing a portion of the Representation Act Amendment Act, ISS'J, and directing the Representation Commissioners, within three months of the passing of the present Electoral Bi'l, to divide tho four existing city constituencies into three single electorates each. The machinery which already exi-ts ill the na<e of seamen's electoral rights has been extended to women, and instead of one months' residence being required in the case of transfers as inserted by the House, the committee ijropnse to require three months. The Government will almost certainly refuse to agree t > the electoral right being extended to women, an 1 they are also likely to resist the proposal to alter the four cities to single electorates. ORDER OF BUSINESS. The Premier will probably make a statement to the House to-morrow as to what Bills Minister.') intend proceeding with this session. The ".slaughter" will be unusually large, as there are übmit 100 Bills in various stages yet on the Order Paper, and the session has already lasted nearly thirteen weeks. A report was current today that an effort will be made to close the session in a fortnight, in consequenco of the unsatisfactory state of the Premier's health, but Mr Bdlanoe himself stated only yesterday that the necessary business could not possibly be put through in le.-s than a month or thereabouts. One thing is pretty certaiu, that if the Govorninent persist ill going on with the Government Railways Bill, it will 1)! blocked at every stigo, so strong is the feeling against the measure. It is said, however, that Mr Seddon will be content with merely taking the second reading of the Bill thiu session, in order to atlirin its principle. THE COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS. According to Lobby gossip, the reason why Ministers have been delaying their most important measures this session is that they are waiting for L-rd Ripon's reply to their despatch on the proposed Legislative Council appointments. The idea in some quarters appears to be that if the reply is favourable the Government would at once make a laree number of appointments to the Council, but that if it was unfavourable Ministers would resign and allow Mr R illmton to try his hand at Cabinet-making. The inference is that the Rolloston Ministry could not possibly stand under existing circumstances, and that a dissolution must follow. The Press, referring to these reports, says that is is contended try members of the Government party that Ministers are very anxious to dissolve as soon as possible, because they find that their influence is waning day by day, and they think that, should the dissolution be put off for another twelve months they would most certainly be defeated at the election.