POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Patea Mail, 27 August 1881, Page 3

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

(BY TELEGRAPH ) FROM OUR PARLIAMENTARY COR RE SR ON DENT. MORE STONEWALLING. Representation Bill in Danger. A LONG STRUGGLE. THREAT OF NO-CONFIDENCE. Friday Night. Business to-day in the House was confined principally to answering questions. It has been, arranged that preparations for stonewalling the Representation Bill should commence to night. Mr Speight asked the Premier to say whether the leasehold clause inserted in the Bill the previous night would be reconsidered ; hinting that if retained he and others would block the passage of the measure. The Premier asked time to consult colleagues, and later on he announced that the clause would be abandoned. It was found, however, that nothing could be done in that direction till the bill had passed through committee and was recommitted ; and of course before it was recommitted the schedules would have to be passed, Mr Speight and others who arc opposed to the clause" thought that once the schedules were passed the Government might not care about excising that clause, or might not be able to do so, and they would not risk the only chance of blocking the measure, which had become more objectionable than ever. Arrangements were therefore made for stonewalling the business with delays. The obstructionists’ first consideration is to get over Saturday without tackling the Representation Bill, so as to start fresh on Monday. Speight proposes, therefore, to keep back the bill till after 12.30 to-night, when according to rules of House no new business can be taken. The programme is this. As soon as usual questions are disposed of, Speight to move the adjournment of the House, and then go into the whole question of pensions, taking as his text the Report of the Pensions Committee. He says he will

be able to keep on this for six or seven hours. Shepherd it is asserted will follow

with an interesting and instructive speech on the Works policy. This will, it is expected, end the first day’s proceedings, in what promises to be the most promising Stonewall tactics ever adopted in the New Zealand Legislature.

NO CONFIDENCE

Another debate on “no confidence ” is is threatened. Mr Ormond is said to be willing to try another tug of war, hoping the defection of Nelson members will put the Government, in a minority.