PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2256, 25 June 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

f ßy Telegraph.] [feom the own ooeeespondent of the "PRESS "1 WELLINGTON, June 24. I believe that one important feature in the new local Public Works Bill, to be introduced by Major Atkinson on Tuesday or Wednesday week, will be the alteration of the constitution of the Board as provided in last year's Bill, which constitution was reoeived with so muoh disfavor in certain quarters. I refer to its composition of Government officials and one Minister. It was objected that this would render it wholly a centralist Board, a simple committee of-civil servants, and probably the mere instrument of any Ministry which might be unscrupulous or arbitrary. I hear that the Government are endeavoring to devise such modifications in this respect as shall meet the popular views, and do away with the objection raised to the previously proposed system. The following are full particulars given in the return laid on the table of the Legislative Conncil comprising the abstract salaries, travelling expenses, and other expenses paid to or on behalf of Sir J. Vogel by the New Zealand Government from taking office on June 29th, 1869, to May 31st, 1880, the date of the latest account received from England :—Salary as member of the Executive June 29th, 1869, to September 19th, 1872, and from October 12th, 1872, to September Bth, 1876, £9161 lis 3d; as AgentGeneral, September 19th, 1876, to May 31st, 1880, £5758 6s 7d ; travelling allowance and expenses intercolonial conference, 1869-70, £454 8s ; expenses of mission to England, 1871-72, £2496 8s ; travelling allowance and expenses Australian conference 1872-3, £445 ; expenses of mission to England 1874 75, £lOls ; special allowance for mission to England, 1875-76, £2891 8s ; expenses of removal to England as Agent-General, 1876 77, £7OO 5 honorarium voted for services in England, 1877-78, £3000; travelling expenses in colony, £IOB2 Os 6d ; travelling expenses as agentgeneral, £lB9 3s 9d ; total, £27,193 16s Id.

There is a keen desire in both Houses to get hold of Sir J. Vogel's letter, which was so insolent as to be returned to him unanswered, but it is not yet known whether ministers have, or at least will admit having a copy, and will produce it.

I understand that the Government will not introduce the Bepresentation Bill until after the Budget and Local Government proposals are brought down. The long delayed returns from Auckland, which have hitherto hindered the completion of the Bill, were received today, and are now in process of compilation into the shape required for the calculations on which the allocation of seats will be based. I hear that the present plan is to retain the number of members proposed in last year's Bill, viz., 90. The chief alterations are that Weatland shows such marked decrease in population as will probably reduoe its share of representation according to population by about ono member, while Nelson, although there is a slight increase, still continues over represented to the extent of about three members. On the other hand Taranaki has a material increase more than 50 per cent.— that being chiefly in the Egmont district. This may bring Taranaki to the standard of which it fell considerably short in last year's Bill. Auckland, Canterbury, and Otago have increased about 20 per cent, and Wellington nearly 25 per cent. ;jMarlborough and Hawke's Bay show a small increase, the average thus being pretty evenly maintained, excepting in the case quoted. I understand that redistribution will be founded on this basis, but there are important changes likely to be made from last year's scheme in the abandonment of the one double-seated constituency still left, namely, Wanganui, and its division into two single constituencies. It will be remembered that the retention of Wanganui as a double seat, while all others were single, including some with larger population, elicited much adverse criticism, which will be escaped by this judicious change. The next Ministerial measure to be put through is the Regulation of Elections Bill, of which Mr Walter Johnston has charge. This is expected to fill up next week, with the help of private Bills and other business, leaving the ground clear for finance and local government at the end of the week.

It is said that tho Government are not unwilling to agree to an adjournment for a visit to the Dunedin Exhibition, but that there was a large amount of opposition to the proposal in unexpected quarters, so I believe the idea is now finally abandoned.

The Poatmaster-Goneral has laid on the table tho balance of tho Post office account to December 31st, 1880. The figures have mostly been anticipated by the " Gazette " returns. The Savings Bank balanoe on December 31st was £903,765; the investments amounted to £837,617, the nominal value being £847,805, and the interest and dividends accrued but ,not received at the end of the year amounted to £6666.

The average annual rainfall at Bydney for the last forty years is 50in ; the lowest amount in any one year was 23in in '49 and in 5 62 ; the highest, 88in in '69 ; and the mean of the last five years is 25ir.