Political Gossip.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 536, 22 June 1880, Page 3

Political Gossip.

From our Wellington Correspondent(By Telegraph.) The motion of no confidence has started a debate which is not yet terminated. The attack has been two-fold, gfr George Grey tried to upset, the Ministerial coach by using the unpopular Propeity Tax as a barricade; but ho failed eggregiously. He mustered in the division only 29 against a solid phalanx of 41 on the other side. That disposed of, the road seemed clear for business, and Major Atkinson asked the Honsc to go into Committee of Supply. Up rose Sir George again, and moved an amendment which the Premier accepted ns a direct challenge of want of confidence. Sir George accepted that interpretation of it, and proposed to assail the Government in a regular way that day week. But Mr Hall said that “ wasn’t good enough.” He insisted on taking his licking then and there, if licking he was to have. Sir George Tin clinnlil have it.

They fixed Friday for the fight. Friday proved a good night. The speaking was unusually lively. Mr BalUmcc came to the front with a really spirited and clever speech, his financial criticisms being smart, incisive, and generally successful. His version of the big deficit was that it is a very little one. It is a mere deficit on paper, a juggle of accounts. He says it is really not move than £9OOO, and that Major Atkinson’s deficit of £131,000 is Taranaki moonshine. Mr Reader Wood was in “ good form” on this occasion, hitting at both sides with amusing “ cusseduess.” This was his style: _X will be no party to turning out this Government. 1 don’t believe the late Native Minister will ever live the life of Sardanapalus again at the public expense. 1 don t think the Golonial Treasurer will ever put his hand into the Public Treasury to take therefrom three hundred' sovereigns to pay a pet lawyer for a retaining fee. I don’t think the Minister for Public Works will ever muddle away two and a quarter millioni of a loan without knowing it, and before the loan was raised. 1 don’t think the Treasurer will ever have a deficit in bis accounts of one million without knowing it; nor do I think the Ministry of Mr Hall will ever sanction the Colonial Treasurer taking £2OOO to carry him and his family Home at the public expense on his own private business.” Mr Pyke was more solemn than usual, but lie bad evidently got np his speech for the ladies’ amusement. The debate was adjourned, but no anxiety is felt as to the result. v

The secret service payment of £3OO, obtained by the East Coast lawyer, Mr Rees, ** on account of legal services to be rendered,” is causing some trouble to the Audit Office. The money was paid upon the instruction of the Native Minister in the late Government, but the sum was not recorded in any account officially authorised, and when the new Government came in they repudiated the payment. Still, the money had been paid, and now the unfortunate cashier through whose hands it passed is

called to account for it ns expenditure not officially authorised. Had the late Government not been upset just at that lime, they would doubtless have entered it in some convenient account, like other moneys employed in the native “ secret service.” The poor cleric cannot be reimbursed by a vote in Parliament. MR. BEES'' £3OO. The Audit Department has questioned the legality of the payment of £3OO to Mr. R°.es for services rendered as legal adviser to the natives on the West Coast in (he matter of the aggressive ploughing on the lands of settlers. The payment was made in a very circuitous manner through Messrs Seivoright and Stout. It appears that Mr. Bees cannot bo got at. The Audit can therefore only fall back on the Government cashier (Mr. Best), who paid the money on the authority of the late Government. There are three courses open —first, to vote the money; secondly, to recover it from the late Ministers; thirdly, to recover it from Mr. Best, the cashier. The probability is that the House will vote the money, and not bo nasty in the matter. — Tar. Herald.

CONFIDENTIAL LETTER-WRITING

The Native Minister has very properly refused to lay on the table of the bouse confidential telegrams which have passed between the Defence and Public Works Department and the Taranaki officials relative to the construction of that part of the road lying between" the Werekino and Waiwerenui Bivers Mr Bryce stated he would rather resign than do so, and the House supported him in bis determination. — Chronicle.

SIR JULIUS VOGEL’S RESIGNATION,

The present Government some time ago distinctly offered Sir Julius Vogel his choice of two alternatives—either to sever his official connection with certain undertakings of which he was a prominent promoter or else tojrcsign the Agency General, on which Sir Julius is said to have accepted the latter alternative, retaining his official position until the Government should have completed the arrangements consequent on his retirement. It is understood that in such case he would act as agent for this colony in floating and converting future loans, receiving a commission of onetwelfth per cent, (i.c., Is 8d per £100) on the transaction. Nothing, however, is yet finally settled. Assuming that Sir Julius Vogel retires from the Agency General, an excellent and timely opportunity is afforded of making sweeping reductions in that department. This colony no longer cither needs or can afford an ambassadorial establishment of such magnitude, the head receiving a Premier’s salary and his secretary £BOO a year. Now that Government immigration lias ceased, and the importation of railway material so greatl3 r diminished, a very modest agcnc}’ would suffice for all our real iequipments. — Post.

CUTTING DOWN EXPENSE. It is very easy to prate glibly about our enormous expenditure, our colossal and overgrown Civil Service, the appalling cost of our system of Govcrrnent generally. There do not.seem to be two opinions on that point, even among politicians, who on all other questions differ as widely as the poles. But when it comes to the reducing these abstract theories into definite practical shape, then indeed docs a change come o’er the spirit of our dream. For retrenchment must necessarily take one or all of these three forms—(l) Dispensing with officers altoghcr, _or (2) diminishing their salaries, or (3) limiting the provisions for the convenience of the public. The first of these is commonly disguised under the soothing euphemism—“amalgamation of offices,” like nauseous pill in sweatmcat. Strip it of its verbal mask, and the hard unpalatable feat remains that amalgamation of offices or departments can only effect a saving by enabling so many officers to be dispensed with. Unless this is what amalgamation really means it can be of no possible value in furthering retrenchment. That the system most urgently needs radical and exhaustive reform is unquestionable, and the necessity is both immediate and imperative. —Post.

CHEATING THE LENDERS. Sir George Grey once said :—“ Supposing an income tax was put on of 3d in the £, imposed on the same principle as in England—Why, these creditors to whom we owe some twenty-seven millions of money, or to whom we shall soon owe that amount, would contribute the sum of £337,500 a year to that income tax, and it would fall so lightly on them that they would not feel it at all.” Sir George’s arithmetic is evidently out here, as 3d in the £ on the income derived by debenture holders from interest on these loans—some £1,300,000 per annum—would only amount to £16,250, and the proposal to mulct them oven to that extent would involve such a flagrant breach of faith as we should not soon hear the last of. Let our readers for a moment imagine the effect of such a proposal on the price of our debentures on the London Stock Exchange. There is only one name for it, and this is—repudiation.—Otago Witness.