POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2599, 5 August 1882, Page 4

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

WELLINGTON, August 4 Among the notices of questions are two by Mr Pjke, who ia to ask the Colonial Treasurer—(l) Whether it is intended to bring down any measures dealing with local government and local finance during tho_ present Session, and if so whether he will intimate when these may be expected ; (2) whether fthe Government will place the county of Taranaki on the sama footing as other counties in relation to the land fund ; or whether be will place other counties on the some Storing as the oonnty of Taranaki. Mr Dodson has given notice of a motion for an inquiry into the working of the Vaccination Act during the recess, with a view to it* subsequent repeal. Last night, or rather this morning, was very nearly witnessing a Ministerial crisis, followed by a Maori member being sent for to form a new Ministry. A very sharp debate took place after midnight on Toraoana’e Native Committees Empowering Bill. That measure had been allowed to pass the second time almost unopposed, but the Government came to the conclusion to make q stand against the committal, so Mr Bryce moved that it be c.immitted that day six months. The motion for the committal now was negatived by a majority of eight. Some teen whipping-np took place. Mr DeLautonr, who had paired against the Government, but being inadvertently locked in, of course Toted with Ministers. Then the motion to wait six months was put, end another division took place shortly before two this morning, but on that occasion eovarr-1 Ministerialists, supposing the matter settled, had gone away and were looked out, BO the result waa a tie. The Speaker then gave his casting vote against the Government, bs that course would have the effect of bringing the motion on again later. The House then adjourned, amid a good deal of angry recrimination.

Mr Bracken’s vocal performance of last night is still the joke of the day. I find the proceeding is not quite without precedent, for in 1867, when Governor Sir George Grey was shout to leave the colony at the close of his Governorship, an address was presented to him by the House of Representatives. The address w: s prepared by the Government, and formed the subject of a sharp debate. Mr Travers ridiculed its extraordinary phraseology, especially the conclusion, which ran thus :—“ In contemplation of the termination of yonr Excellency’* relation with this colony,” <ssr. Mr Travers suggested that this should be sung to the air of the “ Groves of Blarney,” laying strong accent on the penultimate syllable of “contemplation,” and “termination,” and “relation,” and on the last last syllable of “ colony.” He proceeded to Bing it accordingly, and completely “fetched” the House, as Mr Bracken did last night, Mr Bolleston stated in the House to-day that the Government considered it very important not to lose tha coming spring and summer without resuming nominated immigration, so he had instructed the officers to receive nominations by persons in the colony of friend* at home, and he hoped to send home a large batch of nominations to the Agent-General by tbe outgoing English mail. It is not intended, however, to attempt more than tha limited system of immigration.

I understand that the direct ateam service proposals will not be brought down till the Loan Bills and some other important meaBares hare been disposed of. Mr Jag. Mills, manager of the Union Steamship Company, is here, and ia understood to be in communication with the Government on the subject. Some astonishment was created when the Order Paper was circulated to-day the discovery that the Loan Bills, inetead of standing first on the Order Paper for the night, were moved down to No. 22 and 23, a crowd of Consolidation Bills heading the paper. Shis change of plan is supposed to have been duo to the indications of a Btrongly divided opinion on the question of farther borrowing 'which might endanger passing of the Bills, unless some arrangement could be made. It is now intended to Salts the Loan Bills first on Monday. Should they by any chance be rejected, Ministers twill certainly claim an appeal to the country, m the question is such an important one, The view held, I believe, by the Government is, that should fresh borrowing not be authorised this session there must earlr be a complete stoppage of public works, to the manifest disadvantage of the colour, while also various necessary links would bo left not filled up, whereas by moderate borrowing now,snd judicious expenditure these missing links might be filled up, and the former expenditure, now remaining almost totally unremunerative, might bo rendered profitable. From what I can gather the Government will carry the Bill if they make it a party question, but this they seem unwilling to do if it can be avoided, as they bold that the question is one which should bo settled irrespective of party considerations. Thera was some talk of an Opposition caucus thin morning, but nothing came of it. There was a long, bitter, and utterly useless wrangle this afternoon over the waste lands committee’s report on the Elective Land Beard Bill and the disposal of the Pastoral Lands Bill. Sir George Grey attacked the report and the committee, and it was only after aa hour and a half had been totally wasted in idle squabbling that the House, at 4 p.m., ordered the report to lie on the table and began its regular programme. Subsequently the committal of the Consolidation Bills commenced, and no fewer than eleven were dealt with up to the supper adjournment, when the House was still in committee on the Public Works Consolidated Bill, most members persisting in treating it as a new measure and talking accordingly. Captain Mackenzie, speaking to the clause relating to the taking of railways, &0., through Srivate lands, complained of the reckless amage done by the contractors and their men, and mentioned that on being advised by the engineer-in chief to go to law with the peccant contractor, he (Captain Mackenzie) replied, “Do you think lama b— fool f” He was severely called to order by the chairman for unparliamentary language, and promptly apologised on the ground of Ms excitable temper. If all these consolidation Bills are cleared off the paper some goodwill have been do_e this session, at any rate.