PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Te Aroha News, Volume VIII, Issue 489, 16 July 1890, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Wellington, this day. END OF THE DEBATE.

The debate on the Financial Statement, which has occupied almost the whole of the present session of Parliament so far, is now practically concluded, but bho state of things political at the seat of Government is as far off being satisfactory as ever. After two or three speakers have given vent to their eloquence on this much-threshed out subject, tho Hon. Mr Mitchelson will reply, and the motion bo go into Committee of Supply will no doubt be carried by a substantial Government majority. There is now a well-defined middle party in the House, consisting for the greater part of Auckland members, and the majority of v, hich party constitutes the Retrenchment Committee. It is tho party that turns the scale, that has in its keeping the retention in power or turning out of the present Government. This has already been apparent in the division taken on the amendment moved by Sir George Grey to the Address-in-Reply, in the division on Mr Ballance’s no-confidence motion, and on the division which took place in the setting up of the Committee for the investigation of the charges made against the Government in connection with the Bank of New Zealand. This party gives the Government a steady support in their attempt to gab through the House urgent legislation with the view of obtaining a dissolution as soon as possible, while avoiding the necessity for holding a second session during the present year. The out-and-out Opposition are decidedly in a minority, bub they are nevertheless convinced—or claim to be convinced—that they are carrying out the wishes of the country in calling upon the Government unceasingly to consent to a dissolution, and to allow the electors to say whether they really possess the confidence of the country. THE OPPOSITION POLICY.

While the Opposition generally get credit for obstruction in the prolongation of the Financial debate, it is nevertheless true that the talking was done by both sides of the House, and that the number of those who have spoken from the ranks of the Opposition has been almost equal to the number of Government supporters who have aired their eloquence. It would probably be pretty near the truth to say that the approaching elections have had a very marked effect on the conduct of the debate, and that a very largo number of debaters at all events were merely talking to their constituents. There has at the same time existed a very obvious determination on the part of the Opposition to make the Government feel that.they have by no means given up all hope of forcing an early dissolution, and an appeal to the country. This has been plainly intimated in the course of the Financial Debate, and the intention is to put this resolution into more practical effect directly the House goes into Committee of SupjhU - ' ■ ■ "