POLITICAL GOSSIP. (From "AucklandStar" Correspondent.)

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 388, 27 July 1889, Page 4

POLITICAL GOSSIP. (From "Auckland Star" Corresponde nt.)

SUICIDAL POLICY. Wkllington, July 23. Whatkvjsk may be tho opinions regarding bho Representation Bill, there can be no doubt as to the harm that Sir H. Atkinson lias and is doing himself. Tho country members, while they want their advantages over tho towns increased, are willing to give the Piemicr their pupporb upon that question, but are at variance with him on general matters of policy. In the country party are found some of his bitteresbopponenfcs, while in the city ranks aio many members who have always been considered his staunuhest suppoi tors. These members ieel deeply what they consider the Premier's desertion, and if things go on as they are shaping, Sir Harry Atkinson may wake up some morning to find that on more points than tho Representation Bill those hon. gentlemen aro opposed to their leader, and that they aie quite prepared to icnounce their allegiance to him. W'lulo losing their bupnort he will not gain the adbciouce of those conntiy members at picaont found in tho ranks, of the Opposition, who will bo only too glad to hail hib down tall.

THIS REPRESENTATION BILL. The debate on this Bill \wib resumed las^ iiighb, bill, contrary to yoncral expecUv tion, ib closed at the usual hour, half-past ten. It avill be resumed this evening, when it coined up on the oider ot the clay. ]Nlr TaiiDer, a member of the country party, was the first to 'speak. He cltiiied thab there was any antagonism between town and country, ab leprcscntcd by the city members. Alter drawing a laughable picture of the difficulties of country candidates, he said it would take an allowance ol 50 per cent, to put the country and cities on an equality. Di. Newman blamed the Premier for distracting the attention ot the House from the Financial Statement, while he also staved oil the Public Works Statement till the last possible, stage of this session, so that it might be rushed through. Speaking of the Bill before the House, he &aid such a monstrous increase of the quota as was pi opo?ed would nob be tolerated el&ewheie. If the Bill was passed it would awaken the smouldenng embers ot antagonism between town and country, and a day of retribution would come to ;ho supporters of the measure. Mr J. McKonzie, who supported tho Bill, said it gav e no re al benelib to tho country, but would deprive those and city constituencies of representation tor the benefit ol large boroughs. Ho considered thab tho Bill needed some radical amendment in Committee.

LAM) SETTLEMENT. It often happen* that j^umdiggers an^ others when travelling about unsettle^ counti y, see a piece ot land they would like to make their home, but they are frequently prevented by the ciicuitous manner in which they have to obtain the land under the present system. This is greatly simplified, but befoie the land selected can be acquired, ib must be publicly notified as open to selection and purchase. Mr Monk is, this afternoon, to pieeenb a petition fiom the Wuitemata County Council, asking the JHouse to place facilities in the way of settlement by doing away with the usual formality of application, so that when a man finds a piece of Crown land that is attractive for settlement he shall be allowed at once to occupy it.

VALUATION OP EXPORTS. Sir J. Hall is to move for a leturn showing for the past ten years the prices at which the following articles have been valued iv thp annual statement of the valuation of exports from New Zealand, namely : — Wool, tallow, meat {frozen or othei wise), wheat, oats, barley, and timber.

ASSEMBLING OF NATIVES. In mm ing the second reading of the Nathe Meetings Bill in the Council' on Fiiday the Attorney-Geneial reioued to the danger thcie was in natives going about in laige paitie-s aimed. Sir (Jeoigo Whitmoie suppoitcd the f-econd leading, but suid ho would Ivy in committee to lemovo certain objectionable clause?. The Hon. Wahawaha eaid that if the (jovevnment had paid any attention to what he had told them last session, there would have been no disturbance about Te Kooti on the East Coast during the recess. He was in favour of the Bill as a whole, but thcie wtib one clause he objected to, which, in his opinion, treated ofl'endcis and innocent alike. He con&idercd that the Bill should be t-o clearly defined as to apply only to Te Kooti and his appeal, and not to natives living quietly in their own districts. Opposition to the measure was expressed by Mi Taiaroa, on the ground that it interiered with his subjects, who never created dislui bances. Tne ITon. Mr Wilson strongly opposed the Bill, saying that the disturbance lately cucaicd by Te Kooti was not of sufficient importance for the introduction ot such a measure. iradO'overnmonfcbecn firm in their action he held that there would have been no row. Dr. L'ollen and the lion W. McLean thought the Bill would bear good results, and snppoitcd the second leading, which was e\entuallv agreed to.

MEETING OF TOWN MEMBERS. OMTNOUS DEFECTION OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS. Ali a meeting of the town members this forenoon it was blafced thai Mr Humphreys, Sir George Croy, Me&bW Withy, Ballance, and Russ, A\ould speak Lo-night against the "Representation Bill, and also that eleven tormer adhcients of the Government had renounced their allegiance in consequence ot the introduction of this measure, and would ssuppovb a no confidence motion if tabled by Mr Ballance.

OTEKAIKE KUN TROUBLE. Replying bo Mr Duncan on Friday, the Minister of Lands paid the lease of runs2S and 28a, Otck.aike, Otago, to Messrs Camp bell and $ons, was completed on June 21st, and the license had been issued because the (.■Government had no power to interfere after the sale had taken place. Mr Duncan then moved the adjournment of the House, and more than two hours were spent in discussion over fcho matter, strong blame being cast upon the Government by Messrs Duncan, Cowan, J. McKonzie, Hutchisoni and other members for having allowed the runs to be leased for 21 years, instead of being reserved for settlement as small grazing runs, as petitioned tor by residents of tho district. The explanation of the Minister of Lands was that the night before the land was put up at auction the Cabinet decided to withdraw the Otekaike sections from the sale, until a report upon the land was received. Two cases had been under discussion, viz., runs 228 and 228 a, and 28 aod 2Sa. He 1 sent off a telegram to the auctioneers, trust- I ing to memory, and had no idea that the mistako had been mado until he received an urgent telegram from Dalgctty and Co., threatening a mandamus if runs 228 and 228 a were withdrawn.

The Hon. Mr Ballance, speaking in the course of the debate, said that the report of the Land Department waß full of blunders. He found fault with the land administration of the pro&ent Government. The object of the Minister of Lands was, he said, to sell all the land as quickly as possible, and there was a great want of sympathy botween the Department and everything pertaining to {settlement. The Premier, replying with seme warmth, said Mr Ballance had t^hen no proof ot his asseitions ; and he (the Premier) would believe in the accuracy of the returns until they were disproved. The official figures •showed that in no year since 1881 had there been ho much settlement as under Mr Richardson's regime. After a little more discussion the subject dropped.

WANTED A MAP. The city members think that the town party have not a complete understanding of what the Representation Bill means to thorn. Thoy wanted the Government, therefore, to have a map prepared bhownifi the portions of the colony affected by the Bill, the quota required from towns, and how the country electorates were afteetcd by the measure. Mr Moss asked for this, but tho Premier was brief with him. saying the Government had no intention of prepming such a map — for one tiling, not having the required inioimation.