IN THE LOBBY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 971, 16 June 1883, Page 2

IN THE LOBBY.

1 +i law —r[FROM,>pU^.iPARLIAMEN COBEESPON--v-v''iSi • - Wbelewoton, To-day. Members continue to arrive in driblet. The following put in an appearance yesterday &sMeb*rs Fulfdri, Bathgate, Cogan, Williams, McKenzie, and Leveatam It has been arranged.jhat.Mr Monileave to introduce a BIT to repeal the Property Tax Assessriieht Act-arid the Property lax shall not be taken until the n xt day “after- the Public orks Estimates shall have been distributed amongst the members. ~v A number of uninteresting papers were presented to Parliament yesterday. The member for Dunedin East (Mr M. W. Green), is now known as the “ Moral Member. ”

On Tuesday next Mr-Ivess will ask thp Minister of" Justice whetherit t is . the intention of the Government to appoint an R.M. for the Ashburton and Wakanui districts, in accordance with a promise made to the Ashburton Borough and County Councils some months back. Mr Dwan is not satisfied with the decision of the Government in the Longhurst case, and the matter will shortly be brought beforb Parliament, a-- member having promised to move for a Select Committee to enquire into, the case. With reference to the'- proposed reform of the Legislative Council, alluded to in the speech from the throne, it is understood that the Government will, in the first instance, bring down a resolution affirming the desirableness of a change in the direction they suggested. If this is agreed to, then a Bill will beintroduced to ecable : , the -; Colonial,, Treasurer, to ,give effect to the views of the House. It is not likely, however, that this question will come on for;some little time, there being a large mass of necessary work to be dealt with first, irrespective of the two want-of-crinfidence .^notions',,of which Sir George Grey and Mr Montgomery have given notice. . The . principal feature >of yesterday’s proceedings in the House consisted of a slight set-to between the Colonial Treasurer and one. of. the .Opposition leaders, Sir George Grey. The Government had hinted that they meant, to treat the motions relative to the imposition of a Land Tax and the repeal of the Property Tax as a no-confidence motion, though they did not"say'/so in so.many words. Sir George, however, sniffed wfyat was in the political atmosphere, and at once asked for an explanation?" which Major' Atkinson gave without hesitation, pointing out in unmistakeable terms that Sir George Grey’s motion despooling a Land Tax must be discussed immediately after the Address in. Reply had been, carried; thatfwas, if'the 'addresses were carried without amendment. Thereupon thus quoth Sir George Sir, this same motion of mine stood oh the Order Paper last year, for I should think two months, without exciting any feeling of‘ this kind, and I will not be hurried iri 'bringing l it forward this time. If the hon. gentleman moves the House into supply, I will not bring it forward at oride; ‘ I will collect

my own facts, and take my own opportunity of doing so, as,l think proper.” This little speech, “ cooky ” as’it’was regarded, is a clever way of “ backing out ” of the threatened warfare. , , ir On Tuesday Mr Steward is co ask the Minister of Justice when, in accordance with a promise contained in a letter tq> the local Justices, arrangements will be perfected for ,a weekly sitting of the 8.. M Court at Waimate. Next week Mr Hu f chison is to ask the Government if any instructions are given to. the public vaccinators of the colony touching the nature of lymph used, and the conditions and restrictions under

which vaccinating, is fco beenforced, and if ■ ao, will the Government c mae theae instructions to receive public circulation.

Mr Bracken is to. move for a return showing the amounts paid per inch to the several newspapers throughoutLthe' colony which were successful in securing, the

Government advertising lor the current year; also the amounts per' inch tendered for by the non-succeasful newspapers. <■ 0n Wednesday - Mr vvilliams us to ask the Colonial Secretary if the Government intend to amend the Companies Act, so as to provide that all insurance companies carrying on business in this colony shall be compelled to regUter under that Act. Mr Macandrew is to move that the House shall during the remainder of the present session on ordinary sitting days meet at 11 o’clpok in the forenoon and shall not ait later'tbaft-half-past 5 'in the afternoon.

On Friday Mr Wynn-Williams is to move —“That" id "the*-opihiin of- this House it is detrimental to the public interest that R.M.’s should be appointed to carry out other'duties''than those pertaining to their office. A strange .rumor is in circulation, this morning to the effect that an arrangemefit" has been come to among the Opposition, by which Sir George Grey was to be appointed the' nominal > leader' of the Opposition during the present session, and Mr Montgomery had agreed to play second fiddle. Such an arrangement, I need scarcely say, is quite beyond the regions of p >ssibjlity, the different sections of the Opposition being as much at daggers drawn as ever.