POLITICAL NEWS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1701, 2 November 1887, Page 2

POLITICAL NEWS.

[rao&IOUR OWN COBBESPONDBNT.J Wellington, November 1. Wbllinoton, November 1. In the Honse to-day M-jor Steward gave notice of the following questions : —If the Minister of Poblio Works la aware that, now and for a long time past, commercial travellers and others visiting Walmate forward their luggage from Studholme Junotion to Wairaate by road instead of by rail, owing to carriers obarges being lower than railway freight, m oonsfquenoe of whloh an amount of revenue U lost to the railway which would more than pay the salary of the looal atationmaster. If so, does he, propose to alter the tariff on the branoh line bo as to Becure to the revenue the freight referred to. Whether, m view of recent alterations m the railway time table, he will arrange that express trains Bhall oall to take up and set down passengers at Walhou flag station. Wellington, November 2. The only subject of discussion to-day was the Financial Statement wh'ch was generally conceded to be clever but one that was capable of a lot of pulling to pieoea. The Opposition have not yet had » meeting to consider the line to be taken, but It is generally oonslderered that they will go m the direction of proposing an alteration of the tariff In the wt>y of pro* tection and objeot to retrenchment, at the present tima a* likely to intensify tbe depression. A meeting of the Opposition will probably be held either this afternoon or to-morrow morning.