PARLIAMENTARY.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 434, 9 August 1877, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

(From our Exchanges- J

On July 31st Mr. Macandrew gave notice for the appointment of a Select committee to make: inquires relative to the formation of a number of branch railway lines in Ofagb amongst others, the one up the valley of the Waitaki, one from. Palmersfon to Nascby, one from Waikawa to Wyudham on the Ma)aura, one from Invercargill tc; Seaward Bush, and one to join the main trunk line of the Taieri, going inland by way of West Taieri to the - Cromwell, and Wakatipu. '■ ': ' Messrs. 1 .Reeves and Roberts, the deputation from Dunediri, met fifteen Otago memebrs on Monday afternoon to ascertain the amount of support the Strathraieri line would receive. Mud-to ask t'hem ; to back u]) the efforts of the deputation with.,the Government. ■ At first-': a diffj;-: enee of. opinion, existed as to-the rival: routes, which, before the meeting closed, settled down to. support; the ; iStrathtaieri,., not as an alternative line, but with the! view of also asking for a. railway, up the: Waitaki Valley, to open up the' Mackenzie country. The. general. desire is "to open'up the- interior by arterial lines ofrailway. Great cordiality finally pre-, vailed,'though at first the Oamaru members exhibited jealous--feelings. Mr. Macandrew, as chairman, urged unity of action in- ; railway matters; which was. agreed to, Dr. Hodgkinson alone' 1 dis-: s.enting. ' "" .

>3ji reply toMr." de Lautonr, : Mrr-Reid said the Government had never .used any threat, direct or indirect,- to thV County Council at Waikouaiti, to force them to gazette the .main arterial road as a: county road.". '."." ,

Sir George Grey .save; notice .that he would introduce a bill limiting the dura-tion-ofJParliament to three,years. The report'of,,Mr.: Stafford's appointment to. the Agent-Generalship is unconfirmed.

Prom. Auckjanclthe Hon. W. Fox has received two petitions in favor of his Local Option Bjll—one 137 ft, Jong,- bearing signature's ; the second 433 ft. long, with 4400 signatures. - ;

Messrs. Gisborne,. Sir George Grey, Sheehan, Montgomery, Bunny,- Travers, Macandre^-Stout, and other leading members have agre.ed.on a common platform, whichJs to. the ifpllQwing effect: - Ist. Thajt the waste lands of die Colon-v should be developed -by. the' State funds'; 2nd. That Customs.; taxation on necessities -of. ordinary, consumption should be ; relieved ; 3rd. That property should not : be improved by expenditure out- of borrowed moUey, but by local taxation; ; 4th'-. That hospitals should be supported 'by' contributions from State aided by local endowments;: sth. That separation ibe abandoned. They have communicated these to Sir W.Pitzherbert, and asked him to lead a party formed on this basis. He has not yet replied, but will certainly accept if the support is sufficient to ensure success'.

Parties have not yet consolidated. The Opposition compact will not move unless certain of success, and no caucuses have now been held for some time. , A ,middle party has sprung up, and is making overtures to the Opposition. The Government are numerically weak, and in debate they appear to feel their position shakey. The Hon. D.-Reid is losing heart, and, it is believed, regrets desertiDg his party for office.