POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1294, 31 May 1880, Page 2

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

(FROM THE DAILY TIM PS CORRESPONDENT. Wellington, May 29.

Many conflicting rumors are afloat as to the prospective movements of both sides ; but the real truth is that as yet chaos has not eyen begun to evolve order. The question of the Opposition's understanding is still quite open, but the general opinion is that Sir George Grey's resumption of the lead is inevitable, as neither Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Montgomery, nor Mr. Ballance could command the confidence or reliable support of the party, whereas Sir George Grey would probably be popular as Opposition leader so long as there is no chance of his again attaining office. As a matter of fact, however, nothing is yet definitely known, settled, or even proposed. There is almost equal uncertainty as to the designs of the Government regarding the only questions which are deemed dangerous, namely, the Property Tax and the subsidies. Care is being taken, and will be taken, that nothing more transpires as to the actual financial position and prospects of the Colony until Major Atkinson brings down the Budget in the ordinary course of things. Last quarter's returns of revenue and expenditure would have been published in the Gazette long ere this, but now I lparn on authority that they will not be gazetted or made known in any way until they have been officially stated to the House by the Treasurer in the Financial Statement as part of the year's results. The Government are evidently determined to place the whole financial policy before the country at one fell swoop, so as to compel the battle to be fought on the entire question if at all, instead of risking defeat on separate details, Numerous efforts have already been made to get from Ministers some expression of opinion as to the statement telegraphed as having been made professedly on authority by the Hawked Bay Herald, "That the proposal of Government relative to a substitute for subsidies, referred to in the Governor's speech, will take the form suggested by Mr. Ballance —namely, making all native and Crown lands subject to rates," but -without effect. The invariable reply is that no such statement can possibly have been made on authority, as the intentions of Ministers on the subject have never been revealed to anybody outside the Cabinet, and it is not considered advisable to affirm or deny any assertion which may be made about the financial intentions of the Government, as- they will not be disclosed until an official Ministerial statement is made in the House, j

Some persons are inclined to think this implies the correctness of c the rumor. Others believe that Ministers are not unwilling that this shall be supposed for the time, in order to divert attention from their real plans. I know great pressure is being brought to bear on the Government to modify the property tax. in some way, op to substitute a less unpopular impost; but here again Ministers are quite impenetrable, and the secret of their intentions, whatever these may really be, is well kept. It is well known that rigorous reductions are being made in all departments, and an impression prevails that this is one of the surprises preparing for the House t—namely, an announcement that far larger savings will be shown than the public hav.e been led to believe possible. I know the departmental estimates have been returned to the heads of departments again with positive instructions that thpy must be down. The majority of officers have to come back every night »n4 jvopk till very late; indeed, nearly ajl the scope of windows

in the big building are to be seen lighted up nightly. It seems very ddubtful when the Civil Service Commission will be able.to report, Seeing-that they have applied .through the Government to the Imperial Government for information as to the Imperial Civil Service, and as that application was only made in March last, considerable time must elapse before the information is received. It is thought by some that Ministers will suggest a postponement till next session of the main question of Civil Service reform and reorganisation, contenting themselves this year with large retrenchment in the expenditure, probably to the extent of fully LIOO,OOO. - It is understood that the Government are anxious to have the report of the Railway Commission before the Public Works Statement is brought down, as the nature of the latter necessarily musjt materially depend on the former j but it is not known yet how soon the report is likely to be available.