POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1837, 25 August 1913, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES.

'NEWS & PROSPECTS. THE WEEK'S PROGRAMME. Tho late sitting of tho House of Representatives on Friday night has been followed by a, very quiet weekend. During the greater part of this week tlio House will probably bo engaged oil Bills which already figure on tho Order Paper. A measure likely to be brought down within a day or two is a consolidation and amendment of the Land Settlement Finance Act. The Land Bill will not make its appearanoo until next week, and the Indußf trial Conciliation and Arbitration Act (Amendment Bill will' bo brought down either at the end of this week or early Host -week. Amendments are in prospcct to. tho graduated income tax proposals In the Land Tax and Income Tax Bill, \ which was introduced some time ago. Tho amendments, tho Prime Minister ' Hold a reporter yesterday, will provide h more equitable scale of assessment.. It had been found that the scale now in Togtio was absolutely wrong artuarially . end otherwise. STATEMENTS TO COME. ! Tho Public Works Statement, Mr. fttassey stated, was unlikely to be brought down for another six weeks or eo> but the Railways Statement was .nearly ready for presentation. , : ' —r ; ' i THE TARIFF. No definite information is yet obtainable as to when the promised Customs Tariff Bill will be introduced, but it is understood that it • will probably be laid before the House somewhere about ithe end of October. ■ . v. IMPREST SUPPLY BILL. _ 'An Imprest Supply Bill will be introduced towards the end of .'this week. The Legislative Council is to meet on Thursday in order to deal with the Bill. Supply must be obtained this week, as to-day week is September 1. PRIVATE MEMBERS'DAY. Probably before long the Govenrrnent Vill move to take over Wednesday, at present devoted to tho consideration of .private Bills, for Government business. This is done in the Houso every session, 'Hnder a standing custom, when business ,'begins to pile up.; It is'expected that one of the first Wednesdays taken away from private members wilt bo set aside ,for a discussion' upon" the report of the forestry Commission.

; THE OPPOSITION LEADERSHIP. i Profound silence is still being maintained by the Opposition regarding the •leadership, of their party. A member' of the Executive Committee, who was ■spoken to yesterday, said that nothing ■definite had yet been done, and another Oapositionist who was approached Suggested, , in a jocular way, that anytame desinng to .arrive at the truth of ilthe matter should steer between the two '-conflicting stories that aro afloat, one *to the effect that Sir Joseph Ward has declined the offer of the party, and the other that" he' lias accepted it. It appears to be the-general opinion that Sir Joseph AVard will ultimately acI'cept the position of leader, but that he "•may defer giving a definite decision for.

some little time—perhaps for two or 'three weeks. In the meantime it is stated that an effort will be made to reorganise the party, and to formulate a.definite programme. ..So far aa can be ascertained, Sir Joseph Ward has not manifested any eagerness to accept thp position, and his delay in coming to a decision is interpreted in some quarters as indicating that he has mado cer- , tain stipulations, which must be fulfilled beforo ho consents to take up the leadership. The actual number of mombers who 'attended the Liberal caucus at which , it was decided to ask Sir Joseph' Ward to take the leadership is stated to be' nineteen. As already reported, about 25 or 28 were accounted for. The idea that tho Opposition is , endeavouring to arrive at a definite party understanding, within its own ranks is . strengthened by oho attitude of the In'dependents. Any .of these memborß ,who have been spoken to on the leadership question have stated explicitly that 'they know nothing about the matter, ,'«nd "aro not concerned in it. / WANCANUI HARBOUR BILL. The Wanganui Harbour Board Empowering Bill, which,' in its original form, authorised itlie borrowing of a quarter of a million sterling for harbour •improvement,- will probably be reported from the Local Bills Committee. [The taking of evidenco upon-tho Bill has ■jbeen completed, but no further progress /can be made for a day or two, as the

/Committee does not meet again until ffThursday next. It is thought probable i.'that tho Committee may recommend V'that tho amount of the proposed loan Ibe reduced. The impression is general "that the Bill has good prospects of passing this session. Much of tho opposition offered in previous years to the 'proposal which it embodies has been withdrawn since the .boundaries of. the 'proposed rating area have been con'tracted. ° BRITISH PARLIAMENTARIANS. Tljo Hon. H. D. Bell, Minister for Infernal Affairs, did not leave for Auckland on Saturday, as he originally intended,' in connection with the'visit of the British Parliamentary party. It was reported in "Wellington on Friday that the Makura- would bo a day late in arriving in Auckland, and whon it 'was ascertained on. Saturday morning that the steamer was expected to ai;'irive at her duo time, it was too late ■for tho Minister to revert to his first ■ Arrangement, and to leave for Auckland 'by that day's express. Mr. 801 l will, •however, leave for Auckland' by today's express, in order to. meet the •party on their arrival to-morrow morning. ' . •