THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Kumara Times, Issue 954, 21 October 1879, Page 2

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

W KLLINGTON ; ()ctober 20., ; The committee of management oli.be Opposiliou state, in reference to the rumours circulated in the papers regarding a coalition that they are entirely without foundation. The say n.o member of their party ever contemplated such a movement, nor will any one of them agree to a coalition. It is reported this morning that the Government has made overtures to the Opposition to form a Ministry, this way ;—Whitaker to be Premier, and he and Macandrew to choose from the. respective parties an alternate member for the Ministry ; but that the proposal was rejected. It is understood that the Govern-' ment remain firm in their determina* tion to keep back the No-cimfidence motion, until such time as their measures of reform have been passed or negatived, perfectly regardless whether the Opposition grant supplies or not.

October 20.

At a meeting of the Government party yesterday, thirty-eight attended, and three were represented. The political position was fully discussed, and several courses of action were considered. Eventually it was unanimously resolved that t’*e Government should insist on their measures of Electoral Reform being passed, and have recourse to all constitutional expedients for that purpose. The meeting was characterised by great determination and unanimity.

[new ZEALAND PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Auckland, October. 20,

A fire took place early this morning • in Masefield’s buildings, Albert street, in a shop occupied by Branston and Foster, gasfitters. Foster, one of the partner’s, slept on the premises,; and states that he was awakened by hearing scunds of falling plaster, and on getting up he saw that the drawing room was - on fire, and gave the alarm. The fire subsided in half-an-hour, the damage being considerable; the roof of Masefield’s . office was destroyed, and the contents of the shop of Reynolds, lapidary, was injured. The firm had insurances on the workshop and pattern , loft—about LIOO in the New Zealand Insurance Company. The origin of the fire is unknown, but Foster thinks it originated in connection with the gas fittings. Branchman Boreham was very severely cut by falling slates, and fainted from . loss of blood.

Wellington, October 20,

The cable repairing steamer Agnes left at 6 o’clock this evening for the purpose of repairing the Cook Strait cable. Dr Lemon, manager of the Telegraph Department, left in the steamer to superintend the operations. ; During an excursion trip of the steamer Hnir to Picton, on Saturday morning, and while going into Tory Channel she struck twice on the rocks, through as the captain states, her* being driven off her Course by the strong current. On reaching Picton she was making a little water, but was allowed to return here, and at is intended to place her on the slip for the purpose of ascertaining the extent of the injuries. The Parihaka meeting' has terminated for this month. Several hundreds of Natives passed through the town on the way home. Te Whiti de-. livered his usual speech on Friday last, i but it was simply a repetition of his former speeches, the only noticeable change in his views being that he was not so sanguine as hitherto of the triumphant return of the prisoners from Wellington. The great sickness which has prevailed prevailed has had the efleeb of driving away all the Natives who did not live there, their faith in the prophet not being sufficient to rely upon him as the healer of his people’s afflictions. Te Whiti’s claim to divine authority has received a decided check by the recent outbreak of disease, the more devoted of his followers being now constrained to admit the Prophet can’t heal diseases in the manner they had expected. Te Whiti may now be considered (for the time being) deserted by his people, as it is a generally ex- , pressed determination by the Natives that they will not return to Parihaka so Jong as sickness prevails there. Dunedin, October 20. It is understood that Drs Grant and Wallenburg have this day entered an. action for libel against Messrs Wilson and Ash, of the Mount Ida Chronicle, for £2500, for comments that appeared in that journal connected with tho death of the man Schultz,had been 'under their treatment. Nominations for the Dunedin Jockey Club Spring Meeting are as follows : St. Andrew’s Handicap; Chancellor, York, Titania, Hornby, Atlantic, Hat-

Ted, Lara, Rangatira, Laertes, CamSoukar. Spring Handicap : Play Boy, York, Titauia, Doily Yardeti, Railgrttira, Dina Tertr, Unknown * Nottingham, and Vampire. Hurdle Race : Romance, Kildare, Lone Hand (Ray’s), Shillelagh, (late Loyalty), Mile, Eversley, Unknown, Scamp and Te Whiti. Presidents handicap s Chancellor, Dolly Yarden, Titanift, Hornby, Atlantic, Obron, Rangatii'a* Unknown, Laertes, Lima, Lara, Tera, Vampire t and Sonknr. Grand Stand Handicap ! Play Boy, York, Titania, Oberon, Haired, Rangfttira, Unknown, Missinuham, Laertes, Luna, Cam hallo, Lara, Tera, Yisinpirej and Soukar. Christchurch, October 20. It is stated that Mr Whitefoord, R.M., of Kairpoi, is to be removed to Poverty Bay, while Mr Bes Wick RiMi, oi Lyttelton will lake his place* The vacancy is to be tilled up by an old resident in that town. The drainage Board have determined io deposit £OO,OOO of the newly raised loan at the Bank of New Zealand, for six months.