TELEGRAMS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 957, 2 July 1881, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(from our own correspondents). Wellington, June 30. Government received an unexpected defeat yesterday. Mr Hursthouse, the Government Whip, moved a resolution to the those districts through which railways had been constructed be rated to pay the difference between the working expenses including interest on costs, and the receipts. The Premier opposed the motion on account of the insuperable difficulties in the way of adjustment. Members on both sides agreed with the justness of the proposal, and to relieve Ministers from the difficulty they were placed in, Mr Shephard moved tho “ previous question.” On a division, Mr Shephard’s motion was negatived. Sir Georgfe Grey taunted the Government with frittering away the time of the House, and told them to leave their seats and make room for better men. ITie House divided on Mr Hursthouse’s niotion, Ayes 35, Noes 31, leaving Ministers in a minority of four. The House has been engaged this afternoon in discussing the Wellington Harbor Bill. Several Members left in the Hinemoa to visit the Otago Industrial Exhibition.

The Financial Statement will not be delivered till Tuesday next. On the following day the Treasurer will introduce several measures bearing on local finance. It is now asserted positively that Wakefield will be appointed Minister of Public Works. McDonald has succeeded in getting Government to promise to place £19,000 on the Estimates for public works in Cook County. He has also placed a motion on the Order Paper affirming the desirability of two sessions of the Supreme Court being held annually in i Gisborne. L July 1. Mr. McDonald asked the Government whether they will make arrangements that will cause a sitting of the Supreme Court to be held twice a year at Gisborne. He said the cost of the- Sessions would not be so much as that of sending prisoners and witnesses to Napier, and hoped the Government would accede to his request. The Premier replied that the matter was one of expense. From what information he could obtain from the department, the Supreme Court business at Gisborne was not sufficient to warrant sending a Judge there as ttesired. He would, however, make further enquiries, and if he found there was a necessity for sittings in Gisborne, the application would be granted. Mr. McDonald mentioned that at the last sittings of the Supreme Court at Napier, all the cases came from Gisborne, with the exception of one. The House then went into committee on the Regulation of Electors Bill which occupied all the evening in discussing one clause only. An amendment of importance carried was excising part of the clause which empowered the Government to proclaim polling booths outside of electoral districts. Political matters, generally, are quiescent; all parties are waiting for the enunciation of the Government policy on Tuesday next. The late defeats of the Government in the House, are making the Whips exceedingly active.