POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2633, 14 September 1882, Page 3

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

[By Thxhqbaph.J

[JFBOM THB " PBBB8."]

WELLINGTON, Se>_ Member 13.

To the list of passed Acts telegrapted by me last night from the offioial rcoords add the following four, whioh have also finally passed all stages—Land Aot Amendment, Property Tax, Bangipo Murimotu Agreement Validation, and Auckland Museum Endowment. These make up a total of 107 public Acts passed during the session, or 112 in all. After the Legislative Council rose last evening it was discovered that in the hurry of pushing through the remnant of business the Publio Beserves Sales Bill had been accidentally overlooked. Accordingly this had to be committed and passed to-day, whioh was done without amendment. The Counoil also agreed to the amendments made by the Administrator of the Government (1) in the Municipal Corporations Aot Amendment Bill (which provided for the exercise of votes in Harbor Board elections, notwithstanding the amalgamation of wards or municipalities possessing suoh votes), and (2) in the Boad Boards Bill (the effect being to oonfine the penalty for unlawful expenditure of Boad Board funds to personal liability to refund the amount with costs, instoad of £IOO fine being imposed as well). These were also accepted by the other House. Sir George Whitmore having expressed his hope that next session the Government would take oare to ensure the due circulation among Legislative Councillors of the Bills with whioh they would be called on to deal, the Premier promised that in future he would tako care to have every Bill introduced in the Lower House distributed in the Legislative Counoil, and would also have a note appended to each day's Order Paper sotting forth what Bills had been so introduced in the other branch of the Legislature. This announcement was received with marked demonstrations of satisfaction. The Counoil then adjourned till 3 p.m. on Friday, as did also the Lower House after a brief morning's sitting. Tbe prorogation will take plaoe on Friday afternoon at three o'olook. It is understood that the ceremony will be performed by Commission. Unless Sir Jag. Prendergast intimates any speoial desire to prorogue in person, his power will be delegated to three Commissioners, two of whom will be Sir Win. Fitzherbert and the Premier, and the third probably either Sir Geo. Whitmore, Mr Bandell Johnston, or Dr. Grace.

It is not at present thought that any of the 112 Aoti whioh have been passed this session will need to be reserved for the signification of her Majesty's pleasure thereon, as was the case with the Chinese and Divoroe Bills last year. The Aliens Aot of this session does, it is true, make a special exception of persons of the Chinese race in the reduotion of fees for naturalisation. These fees are to remain as heretofore as regards Chinese, while materially reduced in respsot to all other aliens seeking to beoome naturalised British subjects. But as no further charge or disability is thus imposed on Chinese, but they are merely not given an advantage acoorded to others, it is held by legel authorities that there is nothing in such a purely negative proceeding whioh could possibly affeot Imperial treaties or interests. So this Act is unlikely to be reserved, and no other Aot appears to be open to any doubt at all. The Statute Book this year will be one of the biggest of all the volumes of New Zealand Statutes, if not the very biggest, whioh is by no means unlike'y, as there are so many bulky Consolidation Aots. It is believed that the vacant seat in the Cabinet will be filled up very shortly, it being understood that there is strong feeling among Ministers in favor of this being done as soon as possible, as the enormous mass of legislation produced this session will involve a very large amount of work in all the departments! To give the numerous new systems a fair sta t all sorts of forms and " Gazette" Notices and Orders in Counoil, &i., will be needed at an early date, and the Government have all their work out out for them between this time and Christmas. It is intended to give effect as speedily as possible to the leasing provisions of the new Land Aot. It is oaloulated that there are some millions of acres whioh oan be dealt with under these clauses, and no time will be lost in offering a considerable area for application. Mr Bolleiton is very sanguine as to the valuable results which will accrue from the measure, and although disappointed at the limitations imposed by the Council, he neverthelei seems convinced he can make the Aot an instrument of immense usefulness in settling the land with the right olass of colonists. Mr Bryce will go north at the earliest date practicable, as it is greatly desired to initiate steps towards facilitating the construction of the North Island Trunk Bailway from Aramutu southwards.