POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1266, 4 June 1886, Page 3

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

At a meeting of the Otago representative?, held to consider che promo’ion of the Ooago Central Railway works, Mr Pyke, chairman. It was moved by Mr Macandrew and carried— “ That this meeting deeply regret the delay that has taken place in the construction of the Otago Central railway, and are of opinion that, in the public interest, a much larger amount than that is now proposed, viz , L 200.000, should be applied to the work. At the same time, seeing that there may he difficulties in the way of extending the amount in the meantime, it is resolved that a deputation he appointed to ■wait on the Government with the view of receiving an assurance that the future con■tatruction of the lino shall he so regulated Wat contracts for its constnicion, as far at ''least as T deri Lake, shall he entered into and finished wi r hin 18 months of the date of negotiating the loan ; th» deputation to consist of Messrs Pyke, Barron, Fergus, Gore, and the mover.” It was proposed by Mr Richardson and agreed to—‘‘That this meeting are of opinion that the present unfinished railways should be carried to a reproductive point prior to the commencement of any new railways. The probabilities of an npoodlion vote to the Financial Statement and the Estimates appear to lie evaporating, and at the present time there dues uot seem to be much prospect of an amendment. I am told, however, that there is still a certainty of a sharp debate on the Budget. It is mom' likely that, when members are warms ! up, someone will make an endeavour to ascertain the feeling of the House. The suppose I surplus of L3G,000 will be strongly questioned ; while the fact that L70i),000 is left to be scrambled for. and is practically at the disposal of >he Government, will bo cue of the points of the Opposit on attack. Instructions have been given to the Constabulary guard at the Assembly entrance to salnte all the members of the House, and gome amusing mistakes have been made in consequence. All sorts and conditions of men have participated in the honors, and the well dressed messengers are repeal lly being honored with salutes. Some of the members profess to be annoyed at the nature of the order, and say that it comes badly from a Democratic Government. The Tasmanian Parliament last session enacted bodily the False Act, which Mr Downie Stewart introduced and carried through both Houses in 1834 The object of the measure was to make it a penal otfence for any person to insert, in a newspap-r a false notice of any binh, death, or marriage. Such a law did not exist anywhere prior to Mr Stewart’s action.

Sir George Grey will, when the Counties Bdl is in Committee, move in the direction of reducing the number of votes that may b“ cast by each person from five to two. He proposes to allow one to owners of property worth less than LlflO' l , and two to holders of property over that amount. His other amendments will provide that the Chairman of County Councils s’-all be elected to that position by the ratepavers, and that the Councils shall be the Waste Land Boards.

The Special Committee appointed to enquire into the rabbit nuisance are taking voluminous evidence, the tendency of which is to «how thit tho Act has never been enforced, and that it will now bn impossible to exterminate the nuisance, although much may lie done to diminish it. M r Campbell was examined, and Captain Bailie gives evidence to mor'cw.