PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2023, 18 August 1880, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

fraOH OTTB OWN COBBEBPONDENT.J WELLINGTON, August 17. # The "New Zealand Times " to-day says it is authorised to state that there is no truth whatever in the bundle of canards to industriously propagated. These canards were that the Local Public Works Bill and Bating Amendment Bill would be dropped, _ that subsidies to local bodies would be continued for six months longer out of the land fund, •o far as it would go, and that Parliament would be prorogued at the earliest possible date, perhaps next week. The " Times " declares that such wholesale slaughter as that indicated meant nothing more nor less than a flagrant dereliction of duty on the part of the Government, and the shameful abandonment of measures indispensable to the proper ■administration of public affairs. The "Times" admits that the question of the expediency of continuing the subsidies to looal governing bodies under certain circumstances that might arise had been under consideration, and that it is possible the prorogation may take place by Friday week. Notwithstanding this disclaimer, I have every reason to believe that mj telegram of last night is strictly accurate. I hear that the West Coast Settlements Bill is to bo strenuously resisted by the Opposition, but I do not attach much weight to this, as the session is too far gone for a good party fight to be practicable.