POLITICAL NEWS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3718, 15 June 1883, Page 3

POLITICAL NEWS.

GOVERNMENT TREAT SIR G. GREY'S NOTICE OF MOTION AS ONE OF NO-CONFIDENCE. [BY TELEGRAMI.] [FROII OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.! Wellington, This day. Parliament met yesterday with all tho usual pomp and ceremony, though the weather was anything but propitious. The galleries were crowded, with ladies principal!}', tho weather in a measure beingresponsible for the sombreness of their costumes.. During the recess considerable alterations havo taken place, and many now conveniences introduced, including electric lighting. Both Chambers havo been neatly decorated and painted ; in fact, every oue's comfort has been studied all round, with the solitary exception of the reporters. Tho Governor's speech is extremely bald, unusually so, and has fallen flat in tho extreme. Ministers aro evidontly purposing to havo a short practical session, and will reserve their policy for another day. In well-informed circles tho Opposition is considered hopelessly disorganised. Ido not hold that view. The speech's baldness was shown more pronouncedly bare by tho very numerous notices given for a first day in a thin House, the attendance of members being limited in tho extreme, though both Sir George Grey and Mr Montgomery tabled motions, the one to impose a land tax and to abolish the Council, and tho other to repeal the property tax. These moves are only politic, so as to catch votes. I give you on the best authority that the Opposition programme is to force on a dissolution at the earliest possible moment as they believe, in the event of an appeal to the country, Sir G. Grey would return with a good working majority. The Ministerial side pooh-pooh this, just as they disbelieve that there is a tacit understanding between Sir G. Grey and Mr Montgomery, but which is nevertheless a fact.

To-day'sbusiness will beiuirely formal, as tho Address in Reply will not be moved till Tuesday.

The Government have resolved to treat Sir George Grey's notices of motion as a noconfidence motion, and will early next week proceed to debate them as such, knowing they aro sure of a majority thus early in the session.

Now Zealanders are promised two treats. Rignold opens in Dunedin on Bo xing night with " Youth," to be followed by the "Lights of London," whilo early in February AVybert Reeves, with a strong comedy company, commences his tour at Auckland.