PARLIAMENTARY NOTES,

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1870, 18 June 1888, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES,

(From ouk own^qbrespondpnt. ) Wellington. Jane 18. la regard to the charges made by Mr Hamlin on Friday with regard to tbe Chief Jndge of the Native Land Oonrt, I underatand that ha has decided not to accept the challenge- of the Premier to formulate thi ni aaleaa he first gets what ho reqairefl from Government, which la said to be the appointment of a Parliament Oommlttoo to enqalro into tho matters Correspondence on tho sabj c f * is now proceeding, and Mr Hamlln la sanguine of go'tlng a Committee. With reference to a statement made m a Taßmanlan newspaper with a view to warning people against eating Neif Zealand butter on the ground that oovre In this colony were diaoased, Sir £1 Atkinson has telegraphed to the Premier of Tasmania asking him to deny tbe statements and stating thit they are ! absolutoly untrue, j Oar old friends the Agnows 'are back again worrying the mombora. Tho yarn goes that they have been specially imported by Government to worry Mr Scoble MoKenze (who i 3 their bete noir) for his seaeeslop* It is a noteworthy fact that though np to the present the Hooso haa merely gut through the items of tho Tariff m alphabetical order they yield the bulk of the revenue and Include some, of the heaviest pietecUvo Items. Matters are very dull m the lobbies to? day, and even the tariff falls to elicit any conversation. The general opinion now seems to be that with the progress made In Committee on Friday the schedules to the bills will go throngh m one night now, unless some unexpected opposition arises to some of tto items. There will certainly be a big fight over the tea and salt duties, and the general opinion now Is that both will go, Otherwise with the exception of items withheld by Government for revision moat of the remainder are expected to pas*. It Is just possible, however, that the BUI may not be resumed to-morrow, on account of the illness of the Premier, who ia suffering from a severe at'ack of Influenza, and the general opinion ia that It Is unsafe for anyone else to tajje charge of the Bill In Committee. Several members are suffering from the effects of Wellington weather just now, arid come into the Chamber wrapped op as mnob es possible, while Mr Pearson is i reported to be m a dangerous state from dysentery. It is said to-day that ha fa hardly expeoted to pull round, but all hope for the best, Oapt. Russell, who wai expeoted on Frldny and on whose itflaende so muoh depended to tarn tbe tables m Committee over tbp Tarlflf Bill, arrived yesterday. E[e is looking* yery shaky after? Ills Illnaea, and Is muoh thinner than when he left. A oorapHmentary banaue|; was given to Mr BryQß qn Saturday evening at whloh there was a good attendance, 23 members of both houses being present, though It Is anticipated more would have taken putt, had it been known of earlier, Sir F. Whitaker was m the chair. The health of Mr Bryoe was toasted with enthusiasm, on the motion of Sir F. Wbltaker, and duly responded |o, otl^ec toasts given we've ihose'o* Sir 1 F.Whltfrker by Sir J. Hall, und Sir Q, MVO s ßorko by Mr . Wi P. Reevw