PARLIAMENTARY.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 2, 11 June 1887, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

PARLIAMENT PROROGUED AT LAST, (Special to the Stand,-rd.) Wellington. Last Night. Die curtain was rung down on on a very poor comedy at five this afternoon. The proceedings right up to the end were of a piece all through. The last discussion was on the enormous Bill of £5OOO, which Ministers ran up last year for travelling expanses at a time when the country was in a desperate con* dition and suffering from a big deficit, Ministers at the same time proposing to take a few pounds from poor cl arks. There was a very hot deb rte upon the subject until the Government got so cut up that they put up a man to talk it out, so as to prevent any more being said against them. It Was asserted that the larger part of the amount was incurred when they were travelling on their own private business. Stout's only defence was that the expense was not worse than in the time of Grey and Sheehan. The critics of the Ministry took care to put all the figures in Hansard, because the Ministry have been trying to keep the figures from being printed. No business of importance was done, and all that the House has been struggling over for the last fortnight was thrown out by the Council, including the Local Bodies Finance Bills, and two Bills to relieve lessees of Native Lands in both Islands. The session closes, leaving the Govern, ment in a position beneath contempt, and showing that they have gone too low to have any shame. Even the Post admits that it is estimated that one third of the present members will not come back. The Local Bills' Committee fixed a meet, ing for taking the evidence of Messrs Rees and McDonald with regard to the Gisborne Harbor question, when some very important evidence would have been given, but the House sat early that day, so the Committee could not sit. By this unfortunate accident, therefore, evidence on only one side has been taken this Session. Mr Allan McDonald retnrns to Gisborne to-morrow. It is understood he has obtained some very important information with regard to Native land ibatters. The Evening Press publishes a most amusing political skit in the form of a French Bill of Fare of the dinner which Ministers gave to their supporters the other day. A most painful feeling has been caused in both Houses by the suicide of Mr F. Whitaker as he was well-known and greatly respected as a former member of the House. It is generally believed that Stout will oppose Ormond at Napier, as his prospects of re-election at Dunedin are very low. He will almost certainly be defeated at Napier.