PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 4184, 25 July 1876, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

[Bx Teleqhaph.]

ABOUT THE LOBBIES. (From our Special Corr p *pon<.te t.) Wellington, July 24. Caucusing has been the order of the afternoon, the committee rooms being given up to them;

The' Argus,' in reporting the principal meeting thus, is mainly correct:—"The Otago members met to-day, and agreed to a final form of separation proposals, to be laid before the Canterbury members, which were afterwards submitted to Canterbury for consideration. Thirteen from that Province attended. With regard to the debt, it was proposed to apportion it between, the two Islands in the proportion of L 190,000 for the North Island to LGIO.OQO for the South. The Canterbury members objected to this division as being unfair to the South, and stated that they did not set their way to financial separation, though inclined to insular. On a vote nine voted against the Otago proposals, one for them, and three expressed no opinion. At the same time a feeling was expressed in far >r of throwing out the Ministry in the financial policy and plauing in office a Government which would be prepared during the recess to consider the possibility of insular separation. The facts are, there is a general division in the camp. Firstly, Mr Whitaker

finding it hopeless to carry his resolutions dm -publicly announced his intention of withdrawing them in favor of a separation resolution, to which he has given in his adhesion. When the details ef the Otago proposals were explained at the Canterbury meeting they found little favor, the mode of dealing with the land fund being stroagly objected, to. Mr Wason was the only Canterbury member who voted in favor of them. He expressly declared himself >'n falser of two Provincial Governments. Messrs Stevens, Fieher, and Brown were the nou-contents. Since the abandonment of Mr Whitaker's resolutions the Auckland members themselves are not the same happy band, many of their number, particularly those from the country, openly declaring against separation. The Opposition leaders admit that the prospect of carrying Separation resolutions is anything but hopeful now. On a careful study of the situation we give them 37 or 38 decided votes. Seventeen is all Otago will furnish to the Opposition, an d the delay may reduce that number by one or two." : The financial tables were circulated today, and the Government are now determined to force on the discussion on the policy. If the Opposition wish for delay till Friday the Government are prepared to consent to an adjournment till then, but with the plain understanding tlat the Counties Bill will be gone on with.