Parliamentary.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 966, 3 August 1881, Page 3

Parliamentary.

[from oub own correspondent]. Wellington, August 1. The House was for hours discussing the Chinese Game Fan Tan. Mr. McDonald strenuously opposed the clause in the Lotteries Bill legalising the Totalisator ; he divided the House on the question, but lost the resolution to strike out the clause by two votes. A caucus of Government supporters was held on Saturday but was very thinly attended. The Government purpose withdrawing the Local Government Bills, and showed a desire to bring the Session to a close as speedily as possible. A caucus of Otago Members was held today, when it was resolved that the Government should, in the Representation Bill, allot to each Provincial District, and leave to Members how the districts should be defined. The Property Tax Bill is causing some speculation ; it is thought the Government will find some difficulty in getting the Bill passed, as a large number of Members are in favor of its total repeal. Ormond is now looked on as the leader of the Opposition, and nothing definite as opposed to Government will be done until his return from Napier at the end of the week. August 2nd. The Estimates were laid on the table of the House this afternoon ; and when the Colonial Treasurer moves the House into Committee of Supply, a debate on the financial policy of the Government is expected to ensue ; if it does not, the Estimates will be gone on with. £2OOO is set down for the West Coast Commission Grants to Road Boards ; £23,250 being the ten per cent reduction on salaries, is set down as applying only to the three months ended June 30th last past.