POLITICAL NEWS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3134, 14 July 1881, Page 3

POLITICAL NEWS.

(by tblegeaph.) (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Wellington, July 14,

The Crown lands of the colony return was laid before the House of Representatives yesterday, showing the area of Crown lands contained in the Counties of Tauranga, Whakatane and Cook, where the proportions of such area were purchased under the Native Lands Purchase Act, and the whole area of the said lands sold to the Government or by the Auckland Waste Lands Board, since the l9t January, 1872, at the order of Mr Macdonald. The area in the Tauranga County is 98,136 acres; proportion purchased under the Native Lands Purchase Act, 27,093 acres; sold by tbe Auckland Waste Lands Board Gince the date mentioned, 44,870 acres. In Whakatane County 384,150 acres, 168,620 acres, and 11,112 acres respectively. In Cook County in the same order tbe figures are 287,614 acres, 257,422 acres, and 15,014 acres.

Extreme apathy characterised the proceedings of the House yesterday, it having become known that the Premier would, as early in the evening aa possible, move the adjournment, in order that members might attend a ball at Government House. Assuming that but for the adjournment the House would have sat for hours longer, a calculation has been made, based on the amount of member's honorariums and the average duration of the sessions, shewing that, in honor-

arium alone, about £130 of public money was thrown away. This of course is a mere tithe of the loss to tbe country through adjournment on frivolous pretexts.

As exhibiting the absurdity of sending deputations on small matters to Wellington it may be stated that, at a meeting of of three of the Mangahna County Council, tbey elected two of their members to proceed to Wellington as a deputation to interview the Premier, at the same time voting £75 for expenses. The deputationists have been politely but firmly requested to return whence tbey came, and send their request in writing. The Law Practitioner's Bill—Sir George Grey's—for removing the restrictions relative to the admission of persons to practice the professioa of the law is very brief. It consists of one clause, excepting that which contains the short title. The following is the text of the second clause :—" Notwithstanding any law in force in the colony relative to the admission of persons to be barristers and solicitors of the Supreme Court of the colony, from and after the passing of this Act any person of the full age of twenty-one years, and of whose good fame and reputation, and of whose learning any one or more judges of the said Court shall be satisfied by examination in law when and in such manner as may from time to time be prescribed by the judges of the said Court, shall be entitled to be and be admitted and enrolled without fee as a barrister and solicitor of the said Court, and generally to the practice of law, and to all the rights and privileges thereof."

The Printing Debates Reportirig Committee reported yesterday to the House " that the chairman be instructed to report to the House that the printing of the Maori translation of the West Coast Commission reports will cost a considerable sum of money, and that the committee are not aware if these reports are complete, and do not feel justified, as it is so iargely a question of policy, in ordering the reports to be printed without the order of the House."