POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2612, 21 August 1882, Page 4

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

[By TSLBSSAPH.]

[FBOIiI THE "P8858."3 "WELLINGTON, August 20,

The week's work in Parliament has been of a most unsal isfaotory oharaoter. Not only was Thursday (tyhiob, under existing arrangements, would be the last but two of private members' days) totally wasted, but the same may bo said of last night's sitting, which -was wasted until rearly three o'clock this morning, but resul ed in nothing of any practical value, for of course nobody anticipates that anything will come of the Committee on Mr Hursthouse's motion for taxing lands to make up the railway defioiency._ The only actual outcome of the week's sitting that I can see looming ahead is a prolongation of the session by at least a week or two, unless, indeed, a positively appalling Herodian "maas&ore of innocents" is resorted to. Even with the Loan Bills hardly any satisfactory progroas hss been made. It is true the North Island Bill has been got through Committee), bat now there is a great outcry among the Auckland members of the Opposition that Major Atkinßon'u proviso against borrowing until the rout® of the North Island trunk railway has been approved and surveyed has " killed the Bill." I notice that ths Auckland papers strongly back np this view, the foroa of whish most people here find some difficulty in reoogniaing. I do know this, that the objeot the Government had in view in moving the proviso which has raised such a pother was to give the best possible security that the money, when raised, should really be dero'.ed to its proper objeot, and to that alone, no matter who might be in power. The loan oould not possibly be floated before thebe- ? inning of next year, and if raised not a arching cf the money oould be spent until it bad been appropriated by Parliament. The question of appropriating it would have to oome up nexc session in any oase first, as muoh if it were raised as if it were not. The Government hope and fully believe they will ba Ojblo so to advance preparations during the recess as to be in a position to come down Bflxt session with a complete scheme for the authorisation of Fa-liament, The momy then can be raised at onoe, and will be available just as soon as if the obnoxious proviso had not been inserted while it is hardly necessary to point out the danger attending a large ■urn lying idle, pending appropriation, &3. Suoh at least I understand to be the views of the Ministers and those who voted for the proviso, and I believe that these opinions are ■till unchanged, so that any attempt to get the Bill recommitted to omit the proviso will probably be vain. On the other hand, the Three Million Loan Bill has made 'no material progress, its ohief debatable ground, the schedules, not being even reaohed yet, and it is rumored it will be steadily •tonowalled until the committee on Mr Hursthouse's motion have reported, so next \veek may see some more trouble. There are to bo three sittings to-morrow, vh , morning and afternoon for private business, and in the evening for Government business. At present there seems every likelihood of prorogation being unavoidably deferred until the middle or the latter part of next month, unless quite a new leaf ia speedily turned over.