PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Te Aroha News, Volume VIII, Issue 485, 2 July 1890, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Wellington, June 30. The retirement of Sir Harry Atkinson from the more active of tho duties pertaining to the office of Premier, and the assumption by the Hon. Mr Mitchelson of the leadership of the Ministerial party, have not given rise to much discussion in political circles, the course adopted by the Government having been fully canvassed beforehand, and consequently expected. The course adopted is very generally regarded as the best that could have been taken with a view to disarming Opposition, and I have only come across one member of the party who thinks they could have done better. This member thinks the Ministerial party have shown their hand unnecessarily by making the announcement as to .Sir Harry Atkinson’s intentions, and that, having decided upon the measure of responsibility and amount of work that would fall on the Premier,they should have allowed the business of the House to go on ne heretofore without making any announcement whatever, unless to the effect that .Sir Harry was still too unwell bo attend the House. lam inclined to believe, however, that the more candid and straightforward policy adopted will have the effect of strengthening rather than weakening the support accorded to the Ministry, and, as was remarked at a Ministerial caucus on Friday, it is just possible the members of the Government party will now feel bound to support Sir Harry even more loyally than heretofore. So far, at. all events, there has been no perceptible falling off in the Ministerial supporters, and there is a very stiong opinion prevalent that the Government will be able to weather the session. COLONIAL FEDERATION.

This important- subject, which was referred bo in the Governor’s speech, where reference was made to the appointment of delegates to attend the Confeience early next year, will form the subject of a series of resolutions to be tabled by the Colonial Secretary on Tuesday next, and subsequently will probably give rise bo a lively debate.

SOME INTERESTING QUESTIONS. Mr Goldio has prepared a formidable list of questions which he intends to invite Ministers to answer at an early date. In the first place he desires to know from the Minister ot Public Works how many of the ninety-eight officers formerly in tho Public Works Department whom the Minister said had been dismissed, have been transferred to other departments of the Government service. He also moves for a return showing the number of private schools in New Zealand at the end of last year, and the number of pupils in attendance thereat. Passing to another department, he proposes to ask for a return showing the nationality, religion and state ot education of 294 offenders under twenty years of age received into the prisons of the colony during 1889, and referred to in the Inspector of Prisons’ report. To complete the list ho asks for a return giving details of the amount of £4,351 3s 8d said to have been earned by prison labour during the year ended December last.