PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1707, 9 August 1879, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

[By Telegrafh.J WELLINGTON, August 9. It was nearly midnight yesterday when the Premier had to make the financial statement, for which the House had been several times adjourned. It did not take five minutes, and did not give the House a particle of information, and was not worth waiting an hour for. Major Atkinson tried to elicit some information from the Colonial Treasurer by askiDg cjuestions, which put the Premier in much the same position that the Tichborno claimant occupied when tho defending counsel asked him a few questions about the " asses'bridge." The Colonial Treasurer knew nothing about his own figures, and could not tell how they came there. When asked how a sum of .£317,831, remitted to England to meet engagements, was also represented as available for meeting liabilities in the colony, the Colonial Treasurer could tell him nothing about it, but sat still as if he had no right to be asked such a veiy necessary question. The usual fight came off over the honorarium, but a new scene was introduced in the voting. Last year Sir George Grey made a speech on the honorarium, which left both parties under the impression that he had spoken on their Bide, and then slipped out of the door to avoid voting on tho question. This year he tried the same arrangement, but Mr Rolleston kept his eye on him, and had him brought up to the sticking point by the Speaker. The House roared with laughter as the Premier came in, and being asked by the Speaker if he heard the question put, he replied " No, sir, I was thinking of other things," and went to his seat. Mr Bolleston asserted that tho Premier was in the House when the question was put for the last t hue from the chair. Major Atkinson asked the Speaker if " thinking of other things" was all the excuse required to set aside the standing orders, as under similar circumstances most persons would bo "thinking of other things." Eventually the Premier gave his vote for the largest honorarium proposed. Many members have left, and there was a thin House this afternoon, and nothing very interesting occurred. The vote for school buildings was increased to Mr Stevens is now criticising tho much puzzled Colonial Treasurer. Mr Quick, solicitor, having written some clever letters against Greyism, was taken to task by Mr Crook, chairman of the Arcade meeting, and the following are extracts from his letter:—"ln reply, to-night, my first accusation was that ;ir Geo. Grey kept back our constitution for years, and if Mr Crook will drop in at my office and let me know when he is coming, I will show him Sir Geo. Grey's despatch to Earl Grey, in which ho (Sir G. Grey), thanks the Home Government for having, with a generous confidence in his prudence and judgment for which he should always feel grateful, acceded to his views and recommended Parliament to pass an Act suspending the constitution for five years. He alleged that it was inexpedient that the people should represented, and why? Because there had been a Maori rebellion. The same despatch also contains suggestions as to what should be the executive of the colony, Sir Geo. Grey himself and a civil secretary and two or three nominees to be appointed by the Crown, and holding permanent appointments. The despatch is crowded with evidence of the autocratic spirit of the great Proconsul. Sir George Grey's treatment, when Governor, of his responsible advisers, is not only a matter of notoriety, but I have my information first-hand from those who were personally concerned. I don't refer to the leader of the Opposition. I can show Mr Crook the estimates for the expenditure of thousands of pounds in this district not one farthing of which has ever been spent, and I will defy him to find tho estimates for the expenditure in Auckland and Otago of sums spent without authority, on certain jobs which I'll name." The people at the Hutt, who elected Mr Jackson, are so incensed at his voting with Sir George Grey that they have promised every support to Mr Quick, who is going to stand against Mr Jackson. The Greyites here are in sore distress for a second Grey candidate. The new committee on the Thames railway map reported that—" In the opinion [of this committee there are no grounds for stating that any evidence has been suppressed by the committee previously appointed." They also recommend that the evidence and documents be printed. Mr Hobbs will be candidate for Franklyn.

It is understood that Mr Lemon has recommended to the Press Telegram Committee that evening papers should continue to receive the present number of words in the morning and at night; receiving between half-past'.one and halfpast two only 100 words from any place, sucn message to take precedence, but only to be news arising within those hours; also, that papers should receive telegrams up to midnight at £d per word, and after twelve at double rates.