PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1396, 6 August 1878, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

[By Telegraph.] [prom the correspondent op the press.] Wellington, August 5. lobby rumours. A rumour has lately been whispered in tho lobby that Messrs Barff and Dignan are to be called at the end of the session to the Legislative Council. As far as the former is concerned, the affair is no doubt a thorough joke, originating probably with Dr. Po lea. But with regard to the latter, the report is gencrady believed. legislative council. I have reasons to believe that there is some likelihood of a thorough alteration tak ng place in the constitution of our Upper Hon-c, and if so this will, no doubt, put an effectual stopper on Mr Dignan’s election. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Until the Financial Statement has been made the real interest of the session will not have commenced. Mr Ba lance has hardly had fair play in only being appointed Colonial Treasurer at the eleventh hour, and then at the shortest notice being required to prepare so important a piece of work as the Financial Statement, when he had only bean a few days in his office. _ It is nii'lerBtood, however, that the new ( clonal Treasurer has been able to grapple successfully with this heavy task, and that the statement will be at once lucid, comprehensive, and extensive. TV ith regard to this I may state that as the Statement is not on to-morrow’s order paper, it can only be delivered by permission of the House, and that it seems probable that Mr Ballance will content himself wilh giving notice. RAILWAY TARIFF. Mr Wakefield to-morrow is to ask the Minister of Public Works whether unequal rates of freight on grain, or goods going to Lyttelton, and goods in other directions arc still maintained, and, if so, how long they are to bo continued. TO-DAY’S BUSINESS. The orders of the day include the second reading of the Electoral and Bribery Bills, and Mr Fox is to ask the Native Minister whether, now that peaceful relations have been at last cstablished, and the native race is no longer estranged, the Government intend to take any further steps to make the Queen’s Writ run on the West Coast, and to vindicate the power of the law in the case of the Maori who assaulted a woman at Opunake about a year ago. business in the council. The Legislative Council order paper contains a notice of moUon from Mr Johnston to the effect that the Governor be requested to present the Council with the Ministerial recommendation to appoint the new members to the Council. Mr Lahman moves for a return of all moneys expended on the Brunner Kailway. Colonel Whitmore will move for h;ave to introduce a Bill to Kegnlate the Incorporation of Literary Institutions, and to provide for Public Libraries. The orders of the day include the further consideration of tho Brands Registration, Cruelty to Animals, Saving Bank Profits Bills, in committee, and the second reading of the Fencing Bill. constitution of the legislative COUNCIL. Wellington, August 6. Mr Curtis to-day will give notice of motion that “ In the opinion of this House the constitution of the Legislative Council should be altered in the following manner—(l) That section 33 of the Constitution, giving power to the Government to call persons to the Upper House be repealed. (2) That the _ number of members of Council ba definitely fixul at one-half the number of members of Lower House. (3) That whenever any vacancies occur in the Council, they shall be filled up by persons proposed and elected by ballot in the House of Representatives. (4) That in tho case of any Bill being rejected by the Council during two consecutive sessions, that the members of the Council and the members of the Lower House shall sit together upon the Bill, and that the question shill bo finally decided by a majority of two-thirds of the whole. (5) That an analogous course be adopted in the case of any Bill that, originating in the Council, has during two consecutive sessions been rejected by the Hon-e of Representatives. (6) That tho present Government be instructed to draw up and introduce a Bill embodying these resolutions.” FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Contrary to expectation, the flaaiicial statement w.ll, according to the Government organ, be delivered to-night. THE DEFENCE OF THE COLONY. In the correspondence laid on the table in reference to the defence of the colony, the first letter is from the Colonial Secretary to tho Governor, and is dated May 1 st. In it Ministers announce their intention of applying to the Imperial Govei’ument for twenty-four converted 64- pounders, and 150 rounds of ammunition per gun. On the 2nd May the Native Minister writes to the Colonial Secretary, stating that the following important message had been received from the War Department—“Be colonial defences, a committee of experienced officers have carefully considered the question of colonial defences with regard to New Zealand. They report as follows : —Tho defence of New Zealand by sea is impracticable. fßatt ries should be erected at Auckland on the headlands of Judges’ Bay; at Wellington between Barrett's Reef and Dorset Point; at Lyttelton between tho port and the Heads; and in Otago at Harrington Point. Armament required will bo eleven 7-ton guns, and eleven new or converted 64-pouudcrs—-total cost £144,000, including the guns. The Secretary for War asks if the colony will undertake the expenditure, and says that full details are on route by the mail.” To this Mr Sheehan adds that tho Government suggested that if the Cabinet approved of the proposals, Colonel Scratchley might bo got over from Victoria to report. In letter No. 3, Colonel Whitmore replies to Mr -heehan that the Mini-ters at Wellington had already drawn up a memeramlum to his Excellency suggesting that twenty-four 61-pounders should be sent out; that they did not consider the armament of eleven 7 ton-guns, and eleven 64-pounders, as very ra iteri llyd ff went; and that they would h ave the decision with the Premier and Native Minister Letter No. 4 is from the Co'onial Secretary to the Agent-General, and end s s a copy of the memorandum that had previously been sent to the Governor. It adds that tho intention of the Government, when tho memorandum was prepared, was to instruct tho Agent General to forward the twenty-four guns as follows ; To Auckland, 6 ; Wellington, 10; Lyttelton, 4; and Port Chalmers, 4 ; but that a telegram had been received from his Excellency, which might alter

the plans of the Government. This telegram, however, is not printed with the rest of the co •pc-jpondcncc. Then follow i a short telegram tt-.un the Premier to the Governor for transmission t > the Se rotary of Btata, which promises that New Zetland will be responsible for toe ex -cnsei of the armament, and that its people will always do their duty to their Queen and country ; but Mo. 8, from C flonel Whitmore to Sir J Vogel is the mo“t important letter. This states that the Government had do ddad to adopt th defensive armament ro omtnended by the Committee of imperial ;dicers, to the f fleet that eleven 7 ton guns and eleven 61 pounders should bo sent out and adds that if there was no difficulty in obtaining on reasonable terms two more 61-pounders, these should aim be immediately shipped to make the number up to twentyfour. The last clause of this letter is important, it says the exact distribution of the gnus is not yet known, but the same proportion will he given t o each of the chief ports leaving a surplus to Wellington lor supplying the other ports should it. bo necessary. It is added that an Artillery Manual is now being printed at the Government printing office as a means of instruction in the use of these new guns, which are now on their way out from England.