POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2591, 27 July 1882, Page 3

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

[By TsLBauAXTC.

WELLINGTON, July 2«.

The Select OammMtee to whom was referred Mr Feldwiok'e Cho-ttal Securities Act Amendment Bill (of whioh /telegraphed a snmm ary have reported that they recommend it to be passed with amendments suggested, viz., (1) Clause Bto read thus—" Every bill of sale shall be deemed to be gives on and shall only take effect from the day on which suoh bill is actually exeouted ;" (2) Olause 4 amended in conformity with above alteration; (3) Clauses 7,8, 9 (whioh provide that bills of sale under £SO or unregittered shall be void, and registered bills of sale void against a prior judgment), to be struck out; (4) Exception to apply only to money advanoed or paid on goods sold or suDplied contemporaneously with the bill of sale; (5) The written oonssnt of the grantee to be required before the removal of alien chattels seized under the bill of sale until five days havo elapsed since the seizure. It will be eeen that thoso alterations are very important in thoir bearing on mercantile interests. The Waste Lands Committee havo reported on a large batch of military and waste land olaims to the effect that as suoh claims have been dealt with by a Boyal Commission the oommittee decline to reopen the cases. Affairs political have been very dull to-day. The Government again put supply at the head of the Order Paper, so as to afford the Opposition every opportunity of joining issue if they were disposed, but they would not venture. Mr Moss duly moved his protest against further borrowing this session, but it was rejected by a large majority. The Opposition seem more utterly and hopelessly demoralised than ever. The result of their all-night battle on Monday, when Mr Smith was put forward as a " cat's paw," has damaged them severely. Their shallow pretence of not being as a party connected with Smith's motion was the more injurious to their reputation, inasmuch as several members "of the party " had been openly boasting a week beforehand of what they were going to do, and how they had organised the device, and you will remember that I notift-d you long ago of what was intended, and my forecast was exactly borne out. Poor Mr Smith has been going about with even a more depressed and " sat upon " mien then is his wonted aspect, and evidently mutters constantly to himself (after the manner of Bunlhorne) "crushed again." For a time before his motion oame on he stalked about with the air of t» loader, but it is whispered that, as the time drew nigh, he became horridly nervous lest he should defeat the Government and be sent for to oonstruot a new Ministry. This, however, did not come off, ani I see little prospect of anybody being called onto undertake inch a duty this session. I should mention that it was the Greyite party who backed up Smith, for the Montgomeryites were dreadfully uneasy when they found Ministers meant to make a stand and beat them hollow, and were desperately anxious to step out of tho trap into which they had blundered, but the Grey party were delighted to embarrass them as well as obstruct the Government, thus killing two birds with one stone, and S 3 they strenuously egged on Mr Smith and chuckled over the dismay of the Montgomery section. It really looks, however, as if both Opposition parties were played ont now. It is hard to see how they can reoover themselves after the blow dealt them yesterday morning, and unless some unexpected contingency should intervene I suspect the coup de grace has been dealt to their campaign of this session. The Estimates are going through swimmingly to-night, and the greater portion ore finished. Ib comparing them with the previous year there is one feature whioh should not be overlooked, namely, that tho increased expenditure shown in some Departments is more apparent than real, inasmuch as last year ten per cent, was deducted from salaries, &c, for the first quarter, while this year no suoh deduction is proposed, therefore to make a fair comparison that deduction must be reckoned. For instanoe, in the Colonial Secretary's Department the apparent increase is £4566, but allowing for last year's ten per cent, reduction the nett increase is only £3248. In the Treasury Department there is apparently an inorease of £lB3, but £203 was deduoted last year und.r the ten per oent. system, so really there is a decrease of £2O. In the Justioe Department thore is a saving of £1586, although the apparent inorease is £99, because last year's 10 per cent, reduction amounted to £1685. In the Post Offije and Teloeraph the appttreut increase is £6OOO, but £3IBO must similarly be deduoted, the difference being the actual inorease. In the Customs a vote haß in like manner to be reduoed by £4292, and the Stamp Office increase of £1938 has to be diminished by £SOO. Following the same rule in the Native Department, it will be found that the expenditure is decreased by £5817 this year. This is an important consideration, whioh should not be lost sight of.