POLITICAL NEWS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3164, 19 August 1881, Page 2

POLITICAL NEWS.

[by telegbaph.]

(fhom our own corkespondeht.j Wellington, August 19. Before the House commenced the ordinary business last evening, Mr Pyke gave notice that he would move on Thursday, the 25th instant, " That this House, having sat for ten -weeks, and taking into consideration the circumstance that the business of the session has now commenced, is of opinion that it is desirable Parliament should be prorogued for a sufficient interval to allow of His Excellency the Governor paying his projected visit to the Western Pacific, and also to give the members of both Houses an opportunity of recruiting their wasted energies, so that they may be enabled to enter upon the discussion of public business in a healthful frame of mind and body." On the Land Act 1872 Amendment Bill beiug considered in committee, Mr Dβ Lautour will more the addition of $ie foV ,

lowing new clause :—" Deferred Payments. T-Ahy person who shall be in the occupation of an allotment of land which shall have beßn selected on deferred payment, thd area of which shall be less than 320 acres, shall be entitled to select a second allotment of such area as together with the allotment first selected to make up an area y)nofc exceeding 230 acres in the aggregate, ~> provided that such second allotment is in the same block or within two miles of the allotment first occupied, and provided also # that it shall not be necessary for such person who has fulfilled the conditions in the case of the first allotment to reside upon the second allotmene so selected." In committee on the Representation Bill Mr Sheehan will move the insertion of the following new clause :—" Every man of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, having a leasehold 03tate in his possession situate within any electoral district constituted under this Act, of the clear annual value of £10 held upon lease which at the time of registration shall have not less than three years to run, or having a leasehold so situate or of such value as aforesaid of which he has been in possession for three years or upwards at the time of such registraoion, shall be entitled to be registered, under the Begistration of Electors Act, 1879, and to vote afc the election of members of the House of and this clause shall be read as part of the Qualification of Electors Act, 1877." The Government intend to get through the business as quick as possible, in order that the Governor may leave for Fiji, and ifc has been definitely decided that His Excellency Sir Arthur Gordon in his position as High Commissioner of the Western Pacific Islands will embark at Auckland in H.H.B, Emerald, in which he ■will proceed to Fiji, The Emerald is expected to arrive at Auckland in the second •week in September, by which time it is anticipated the public business of the last session of the present Parliament will be sufficiently advanced to warrant the Governor's responsible ministers advising a prorogation. At an early hour this morning, after a * long debate, the Gold Duties Abolition Bill passed through committee, and was reported. Tho effect is to bring the reduction from two shillings to one shilling into effect on January 1, 1882, and the total abolition on January 1, 1883. A clause, however, has been added empowering local governing bodies to levy the tax up to two shillings per ounce,