POLITICAL ITEMS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1224, 14 August 1885, Page 3

POLITICAL ITEMS.

(Through onr Exchanges).

It is understood that the Hon, P. A. Buckley, Colonial Secretary, has received a letter from some of the members of the Pamellite party, requesting him to allow himself, to be nominated for an Irish constituency in, of course, the Home Rule interest, Mr Buckley has not arrived at'any decision in the matter, but expects to receive a farther communication in a few days. Ipfnf some time past Mr Buckley has been anxious to visit his native countiy for the Bse of seeing his parents, and it is now that be may do so at the end of the present year. .... A rumour is current, and is insisted upon with much circumstantiality, that a Ministerial crisis is imminent in spite of the apparent removal of the difficulty, It is very strongly asserted that Mr Stout will very shortly insist on tendering his resignation of the Premiership on some ground not yet disclosed. His doing so would, of course ipso facto, break up the Ministry, in which case probably an attempt would be made to induce Major Atkinson’s party to take office. If they consented, the rumour farther goes, they would be almost immediately turned out again on the first convenient pretext; while if they refused, then a complete reconstruction of the Ministry from the present party would take place. Sir Julius Vogel and Mr Larnach going out, and Messrs Macandrew and Montgomery, and perhaps one or two other new men, coming in with Messrs Stout and Ballanoe. In that case it is supposed the new Ministry would command an irresistibly strong following, while Major Atkinson’s party wo aid be reduced to utter powerlessness. Such, at all events, is tonight’s lobby rumour, which 1 give for what it may be worth. It is said that the Canterbury members demanded a vote of L 250,000 for the East and V est G last Railway, and that Government are willing to promise this conditionally on receiving a pledge of support during the rest of the session. All arrangements may, however, be summarily capsized in the event of the rumour previously alluded to proving correct. Strenuous efforts have been made to bring up the Opposition leaders to the pitch of undertaking adverse action. If this is definitely agreed on the Government would probably abide the resnlt of. a vote which would release Ministers from their present bonds without involving a break-up from within. Should the movement not come off then, it is believed Mr Stoat at any rate would insist on resigning on the ground of failure to carry out their measures. A report was circulated this evening that the Government would ask for a dissolution. Should this be so, I have reason to believa that it would not be refused.

Major Atkinson and Mr Ormond are understood to have settled any little differences they previously had, and are willing to help each other if any adverse action is determined upon, though it is unlikely that Major Atkinson would come to the front, anyway just yet. One of the main features of Major Steward's School Committee Election Bill has been destroyed by the Legislative Council. That Chamber to-day threw out the clauses for the abolition of the cumulative system of voting at such elections, and inserted a new clause providing that the minimum school age should be seven years. Further consideration of the Bill having been postponed for a week, 1 f .-ar it may meet the fate of many others, and succumb to the general slaughter of ihe innocents.

An Auckland member, who has been going into figures,. says that the deficit at the end of the next financial year will amount to L 400.000, anil that tbe sinking fund and all other little nest eggs will be gone to. Mr Pyke, without notice, asked if the Minister of Telegraphs will issue positive orders to the telegraph operators at Queenstown and Cromwell to wire information of floods in the Kawarau and Clutha, Rivers to all the townships lower down and instruct the operators at Clyde, Alexandra, Roxburgh, ami Balclutha to make such information public immediately on receipt thereof.

The Premier promised to oommuniede with the operators in the manner suggested. Under the Charitable Aid Bill Vincent. M miototo, and Lakes are to form separate districts, boroughs and county councils to be represented on the board. The reply of Sir Julius Vogel to Mr Ormond’s question re communications with Meiggs and Co. verified my statement that communications were going on, and also my surmise that the ex-Peruvian speculators wanted much larger terras than were contained in. the proposal first submitted to the House. You will see from the terms of the revised proposal that Meiggs and Co. opened their mouth so widely that it is astonishing that the Government did not at once instruct the delegates on their own responsibility that, notwithstanding any favor they were entitled to according to the first demand, the second was quite impossible. Canterbury members say that bad they been aware that this was the real state of affairs they would never have thought of fighting for the proposal. If the Government were asked their reasons for this reticence they Would doubtless say, in a burst of confidence, that they wished the Select Cornmittee to consider the second proposal, notwithstanding its impracticability, solely ont of compliment to Canterbury, But the apology would be a very weak one. After the Covemmeut have kept the House in a seething state for two weeks, the withholding of information tor even a day after its receipt was impolitic from a party point of view, and generally unworthy and unstatesmanlike.