PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2269, 12 July 1881, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

[By TELEGRAPH.] [FEO.M THE OWN CORRESPONDENT OF Tl! H WELLINGTON, July 11. I hear that the Representation Bill ia almost ready for distribution, but the Government are exceedingly anxious to get the Licensing, Regulation of Elections, and Corrupt Practices Bills, cleared off before introducing what is sure to prove an opple of discord. It ia therefore hardly to be expected much within a fortnight, unless any circumstances should arise rendering it desirable to circulate it earlier. The now clauses which Mr Johnston is to move bo added to the Corrupt Practices Prevention Bill, and which are copied from the Bill now being steered through the English House of Commons by Sir William Haroourt, are quite draconian and appalling in their stringency. Indeed so very wide is the definition of “corrupt practices,” so elaborate the moans provided for bringing offenders to justice, and so severe the penalties, that an experienced politician assured mo only to-day that if these were in force at the present time fully half the members of our Lower House would be liable to sentences of two years’ imprisonment with hard labor, and fines of £SOO superadded. The Estimates are expected to be down in a day or two. It was supposed they would not bo completed until Messrs Batkin and Seed presented their final report, but it is possible that the Government may have obtained sufficient information beforehand to guide them in framing the estimates on the reduced scale. Major Atkinson will probably make a Ministerial statement as to the views of the Government on tho question of local government, at half-past seven to-morrow evening. Tho Native Minister has received a telegram, reporting a slight dispute between the authorities and some Parihaka Natives. The latter persisted, in spite of repeated cautions, in erecting a fence on some land which was not reserved to them, and to which they had not tho shadow of a title. Finding warning useless, Colonel Roberts ordered the constabulary to remove the fence. This was done and nothing more bss been hoard of it. The whole affair is very trivial, but I mention it in case exaggerated reports should find currency, as is extremely probable, in view of past exnerience.