PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 154, 30 June 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

[From our own correspondent.] Wellington, June 27. Dullness characterises the work of the session, and up to the present time there has heen an absence of interest and excitement quite foreign to New Zealand politics, owing, no doubt, to the want of a common platform on which to attack the policy of the Government, which is not likely to create any great amount of discussion until after the delivery of the financial statement, when they will make known not only their finance but also their views regarding local self-govern-ment. This is a subject which is occupying the atteution of many thinking men ori both sides of the House, though no prominent member of the Opposition has given expression to his views excepting Sir George Grey ia his speech on the address iv reply, when he referred in general terms to tbo want of the country in this respect, and declared that unless the Government brought in a measure to provide for tho requirements of the pcnplo in this respFc.' v be would, and he has sinco given £oi'„ee to ask leave to introduce his Bill, and the House is, of course, anxious to ss-e what is will propo^o. The difficulty, of couree, is the providing of funds to take the place of the subsidies without iuerev-ing thr taxation either local or general. The only apparent plan is to devote the balance of the land fund to this purpose, stipulating that the money shall not be spent except on new worka such as will promote settlement and the sale of Crown lands. Of cours°, a difficulty will arise as to how this moi.ey shall b 8 apportioned, beouse admittedly the pound for pound principle on which the subsidies were paid is ur ju3t, or rather did not help tbose districts which most required assistance, and it is to be hoped that should the land fund be devoted to the purposes mentioned it will be apportioned on smie principle which will enable those districts that have been neglected under the Public Works policy to progress with some degree of speed iv regard to the main objects for which the policy w.s introduced, and so nU .y the feeling ot injustice under which a considerable portion of the coloDy i 3 suffering. I anticipate a long, heavy, and useless deb.'AtG on tho financial proposals, which will he made by the Government iv a few days. There will, it is understood, be no departure from the policy of last year, but. that further reductions will be made in the Civil Service; not in salaries, but numbers will be reduces) nnd offices amalgamated, while the public works v.ill go ou only where there is a pros pect of au immediate return for the monej spent, so tbat I fear you in Nelson will not benefit much by any proposals likely to be made. Mr Collins is at work regarding th( Rai Valley road, and I hear that tbe Nelson members are going to interview the Government regarding tbe wants of that part of the colony generally. Mr Hursthouse, membei for Motueka, has a somewhat important notice on tbe Order Paper for Wedne-day, Which proposes to tax the districts through which railways are made, or are being made, to make up the difference between receipts and interest on cost of construction, and working expenses. This is all very well from a Motueka point of view, but will hardly be thought so by the people of the Waimea and other districts, though there is much justice in the complaint that all parts of the colony are now paying alike for beuc-fi:s received only by certain districts. I imagine that he hardly expects to carry the motion, bu' wisheß to poiut out that the policy of 1870 has not been an unmixed blesssing. There is much speculation aa to who is to be the new Minister of Public Works, and opinions are divided, for as yet the Government havi given no indications to their most intimate frien ! s, many of whom think that the claims cf the brilliant member for Gereldine cannot be over looked, and, were it not for the absurd jealousy of Otago, there ia little doubt that he would be the roan. It is much to be regretted that the Government do not at once and for ever put an end to the praciico of taking into a Ministry a man because he represents a certain district, anr not because of any special aptitude he may have for office, for why should the whole colony be depiived of the services of Mr Sr and so, who may in every respect be fit for the post, simply because he does not happen to represent an Otago or Canterbury constituency? Such, however, is the case, and for tbat reason the chances are that th. portfolio will be given to some Otago member. By this I do not wish to imply that there are not plenty of men from Otago able and willing to take the position, but probably none with such strong claims as the member for Geraldine. There is v chance of the Opposition trying to get rid of the new Representation Bill, and going tt the country with the cry that the Government would not pass it. The Bill will, it is understood, be down in a few days, aDd wil be much the same ns last, year. The new Regulation of Elections Bill provides for all elections being held on the same day, extending the hours ior polling, and abolishing tinopen nomination and substituting n system by which a candidate can either nominate himself or bs nominated by the electors, such nomination to be forwarded in writing to the Returning Officer, and each candidate to deposit £10, which sum will be forfeited unless he poll one-fifth of the votes of the winning cannMate. There was a proposition on foot to adjourn the House to enable members to go to Dunedin to inspect an Indus trial Exhibition being held there, but it has fallen through owing to the opposition of some members from both aides. The Government have, however, promised to place tha Hinemoa at the disposal of member* should a sufficient number wish to go. It if considered a pity that members from the north should not see the progress of indus trial pursuits in the south, as little or no time would be lost — one or two sitting days at tht mo3t, and many think this would be amplycompeusated for by the kuowledge gained Looking at Wellington from a mercantile point of view it is dull, and there is a want of life and activity where a few years ago there were signs of both. Socially this bids fair to be a lively session. Balls and dinner parties arethe rule, not the exception, and this, combined with (up to Saturday night) fine weather, makes the life of visitors in Wellington very enjoyable. The bothering prolixity of legal documents was amusingly illustrated in a case before the Supreme Court (says a Southland con tempory.) One of the bills of indictments presented contained no fewer than four counts, or three alternative charges arising out of the main one — that of forgery and uttering a cheque. The accused, an intelligent-looking fellow, listened attentively, a look of surprise spread over his face, and on being called on to plead, he replied, "Why, I forged only ono cheque." The learned Judge explained to him that he was not charged with anything more, and so the prisoner pled guilty, though he seemed only half-satisfied with the position, evidently not understanding how four charges could arise out of one ffence.