POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2607, 15 August 1882, Page 3

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

[VBOM THE “PBBSS.”] WELLINGTON, August 14. At a cabinet meeting held to-day it was decided to go on with the Now Zealand Three Million Loan Bill to-night, and then to take the Thorndon Beclamation Bill, which is one of those affecting the WellingtonManawatu railway, and therefore forms part of the Government Public Works policy. It was also arranged to take Consolidation Bills, if there was time, after these. A ridiculous story, and an improbable one, was circulated by the “New Zealand Times” this morning, that Sir G. Grey will at once give notice of a direct motion of want of confidence, for which he expects to secure the support of forty-seven members, as against forty-seven who would support the Government, in which case the Speaker, according to constitutional usage, would record bis casting vote for Ministers, who would nevertheless resign. This is an eminently absurd and unlikely “ yarn," and the Opposition members, including some of Sir G. Grey’s staunchest supporters, profess total ignorance of any such step being in contemplation. It certainly does bear a painful resemblance to be a wicked hoax at “ somebody’s ” expanse, but I do the “ New Zealand Times ” the justice to admit that the rumor referred to “ was ” in circulation in the House, bat the improbability is self evident, because Sir G. Grey is the glast man to make such a fool of himself as would be implied by his adopting the course indicated. He has been chuckling heartily over the poor figure cut by Mr Montgomery, and by the allied Opposition party under the feeble leadership of that worthy gentleman, and the Knight of Kawau is not at all likely to take a step which he is too shrewd not to see must inevitably place himself iu a still more humiliating position. So you may take it for granted that whatever device the astute Knight may be planning, it is not such a weak and transparent attempt as this would be.

In the House to-night Major Atkinson made a statement as to the intention of the Government relative to the session work. As this will be given in your parliamentary report I need not duplicate it. I hear there is some difference of opinion among the Ministerial party as to whether the Local Government Bills should be gone on with this session or not. I fancy the weight of opinion is in favor of deferring them till next session.

The discussion to-night on the Ner Zealand Loan Bill was very mild. Mr Holmes occupied nine-tenths of the whole time, speaking for an hour and a half strongly against it. The division took place at half-past nine ; the voting being for the Bill, 44; against it, 33 ; or with the pairs, 50 against 39. Sir George Grey did not vote or pair. Capital progress is being made to-night with business, and it really begins to look as if the session would be got through by the beginning of next month. There is, however, still a possibility of another sharp little fight on Sir George Grey’s threatened motion relative to the incidence of taxation. It is understood he intends to press this, and that he is sanguine of leading a large following into the lobby on his side of the question. He will not shake the Government, but may perhaps cause some delay of business.