PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP. (BY TELEGRAPH— SPECIAL REPORTER.) Wellington, June 11.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 207, 18 June 1887, Page 8

P ARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP. (BY TELEGRAPH— SPECIAL REPORTER.) Wellington, June 11.

Save Me From My Friends. The "Post," which has always been regarded as a local Ministerial organ, expresses the opinion that fully thirty new members will b8 elected to the next Parliament. It adds, "There is ample room for improvement *in the personnel of tho present House^ and it is to be hoped that ■ the electors -throughout the colony wiJl take the opportunity of the general election to in many ways improve their representatives. 'Tho career of the present Parliament has not been a very gloiious or eventful one. It began in confusion, and its firpfc few days witnessed three Ministries in pew or in most rapid succession before a fourth was formed which was to proceed with the public business. That Ministry has remained in office throughout the Parliament, but has so managed allaits as to alienate the support of many who desired to be its friends, and it has now to appeal to the country smarting under a series of defeats of the most humiliating kind. We have never before known a Ministry so slighted and snubbed as the present one hns been during the present session, and the general verdict undoubtedly is that they well deserved the treatment they experienced. The few additional months of inglorious power which they have managed to secure will, we should imagine, prove but poor compensation for the indignities to which they have been subjected. As to the Premier, it ib impossible to deny that he has, as a party leader, proved a failure, and by hid injudicious action greatly impaired the confidence so generally repo&ed in him when he took oflice. Had the Government abstained from attempting to enforce a policy of Protection on the House and the country, they would on their general administration ha\ c been able, we think, to have secured a favourable verdict from the people, and would probably have continued to command a majority throughout the session. It is. upon the rock of Protection that they have been wrecked, and they will find that it affords them no firm foothold when they-go to the country."

The Native Reserves Bill. The opposition of the native membeis to the South Island .Native Reserve's Bill having been overcome by a judicious compromise, arranged by Sir George Grey and other members, the bill passed through its? final stages in the Lower House and was sent to the Upper Chamber. The bill grants relief to lessees of the native reserve? of the West Coast of the South Island. Befoi c the bill passed, the West Coast members expressed their thanks to Sir Geo. Grey, Major Atkinson and the Government for their good offices in facilitating the compromise. The terms of compromise were that two native assessors (Hon. Mr Taioroa and Mr Pratt M.H.R. for the Southern Maori ElectoralDistrict)should beappointed to act with the assessor appointed by the fublic Trustee and the two to be appointed by the lessees and the sub lessees.

Sir George Grey's L'mUiition of Votes Bill. The Government yesterday afternoon gave Sir Geo. Grey an opportunity of bringing on his Limitation of Voted Bill, which had passed all but the final stage of the Lower House. The bill originally provided for " one man - one vote," but in committee it was amended by a provision that no man could vote in respect of more than two electorates. Sir George Grey now moved that the report of the committee be considered, while Mr Samuels objected and with the object of shelving the measure, moved that consideration of the amendments be deferred. Mr Seddon supported the bill, while Mi Wakefield proceeded to talk it out. The feeling of the House was against him, and giving way to cries of " vote, vote," he sat down. The amendments were agreed to on division by 40 to 17. The only Auckland member who voted against Sir George Grey was Mr Lake, and the only Minister Mr Larnach. Sir George Grey voted side by side with many of his old political allies and opponents. Messrs Samuel and Hatch at once defeated the motion for third reading by talking the bill out.

ffiinins Act. j 5 The Houso sat at 10.30 last night and by 41 .In 28 adopted the amendments made by i the Council in the Mining Act Amendment Act. An amendment was that no mining manager shall act as a share-broker.

Politics in Canterbury. A strong political association is being formed here for the purpose of influencing the elections as far as possible in Canterbury. The membership already includes some 30 notable good workers. The programme adopted is as follows :—(1): — (1) Further retrenchment ; (2) fair taxation ; (3) Encouragement of colonial industry ; and (4) ,{t united Canterbury. A fair amount of work has been done. The Association is distinctly opposed to the return to power of the Continuous Ministry, and strongly objects to so-called independent candidates. On the subject of independent candidates the " Timos " urges the electors to distrust all who come forward on that ticket. It says : "Of the various kinds of independent politicians the rarest species is the man who honestly can't make up his mind to work with any party. Of this kind Mr Montgomery is, we should think, the solitary example in New Zealand." A fairly numerous class is compared to the thirsty cabman, who adorns himself with the blue ribbon, in the hope that he may be tempted. efforts are being made to induce Mr John Holmes to stand again for Christchuroh South, but he has not consented to do so. It had for some time been understood that for various good reasons Mr Holmes desired to retire from political life at any rate for a time, but 'the electors ai*e so exceedingly desirous that he should again represent them that he may be induced to reconsider his determination. In any case Mr Holmes would be a decided advocate of further retrenchment.

West Coast Reserves. Mr Buckley moved the second reading of the West Coast Settlement Reserves Bill. Mr Taiaroa moved that it be read in three

Carriage of Timber from Haipara. The Minister for Public Works informs Mr Monk that he cannot reduce the railway charges on timber from Helensville to Auckland booms so that the total cost would not exceed Is 3d per 100 feet. The ground for declining Is that they are now losing. He also says that Mr Monk must ,be misinformed when he says that two systems of log measurement are in use on the Kaipara Railway, and declares that all way bills in the future will be made out on Hoppus's measurement,