The Daily Telegraph. THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3771, 16 August 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1883.

The session of Parliament is not likely to last very long now that the estimates are well through, and already a selection is being made of the innocents to bo slaughtered. As a matter of course tho Native Lands Act Amendment Bill and the Native Committees Bill will be passed without very much opposition, but tho Property Tax Bill, that adds another halfpenny to the tax, will be hotly opposed. The contributor to the Now Zealand Times of "Echoes of the House " expects that the measures of less importance which will go through are the Land Acts Amendment Bill, Destitute Persons Act Amendment Bill, Impounding Bill, Affirmations and Declarations Bill, Kawhia Township Sale Bill, Property Law Consolidation Bill, Adulteration Prevention Act Amendment Bill, Married Women's Property Bill, Local Courts Bill, Municipal Corporations Bill, Settled Land Bill, Electric Telegraph Act Amendment Bill, several local Bills, and possibly three or four other measures. The Wanganui Bridge Bill is certain to be contested and denounced as a favour to a supporter who defeated Mr Ballance in tho Wanganui contest. It will be defended _as a fair and necessary fulfilment of a provincial obligation. Mr Montgomery and Mr Fish are the men who chiefly object to this Bill as a local bribe, and the House has got so demoralised by wholesale charges of corruption, that this chance of making one more charge will be eagerly seized by a bitter few. Among , Government Bills which have least chance of passing this session are the Fisheries Bill, Auctioneers Bill, Savings Bank Bill, Fire and Marine Insurance Companies Bill, and Volunteer Act Amendment Bill. It is too early to say which will be absolutely abandoned, though another week will bring the crisis. There are about 35 other Bills brought in by private members, and if five of theso pass, it is certain the other thirty will not. It was predicted a fortnight ago that those Bills of this class which had not then passed the second reading might be regarded as dead. It will now be seen how moderate that judgment was, though it appeared harsh at the time, Two matters of importance remain to be brought forward. A motion has to be submitted affirming that the constitution of the Legislative Chamber ought to be elective; and probably two days will be needed to debate this large abstract question. The other important matter is Major Atkinson's promised Bill on Compulsory National Assurance: which measure he may or may not submit to a second reading this session, according to the progress of business.