POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Kumara Times, Issue 2568, 15 September 1884, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

In reference to the vacant Auckland portfolio, a Minister of Mines, and the gold duty, the Wellington correspondent of the Dunedin Herald telegraphed on Tuesday last:—"lt has been decided that the filling in of the remaining Auckland portfolio will be left until the last available moment. Mr Cadman is still the most likely man to whom it will be offered.—The proposed addition of a portfolio of Mines to the present seats in the Executive will be moved in the House at the earliest opportunity—that is when the probabilities of carrying the proposal will be pretty safe. The Otago members representing mining constituencies will support the proposal, and so will the whole of the remaining representatives of goldfields.—There is scarcely any doubt but that the gold duty of 2s will be repealed this session."

The parliamentary correspondent of the West Coast Times has telegraphed : " The positions of parties are about equal and a great deal will depend upon the financial statement, which is to be made on Tuesday night next, as to whether Government are to last the session or not. It is now known beyond doubt that if the Government are defeated on their policy, a dissolution follows. There is a considerable amount of jealousy amongst goldfields members. The member for Kumara has received from the Premier an unqualified denial of the rumour circulated that he, the member for Kumara, ever advocated the reduction of the duty upon gold to only one shilling. The great card of Sir Julius Vogel this session is said to be the conversion of stock, so as to enable him to effect an annual saving of interest and dispense with the sinking fund at present paid ; thus giving him funds to operate without increasing the taxation.

The composition of the present Government illustrates the religious equality and toleration existing in the politics of the country. The Hon. Mr Stout is the President and the Hon. Mr Ballance is the Vice-President of the New Zealand Freethought Association, Sir Julius Vogel is a Jew, the Hon. J. A. Tole and the Hon. P. Buckley are Roman Catholics, the Hon. E. Richardson is a member of the Church of England, and the Hon. W. Reynolds is a Presbyterian.