POLITICAL

Temuka Leader, Issue 2150, 15 January 1891, Page 3

POLITICAL

Auoklnnd, Jan. 13. A telogram has been received by the Government supporters here, saying that important business will be considered before the session opens, and asking them to leave on the 19fch. Wellington, J an. 13.

The Agent-General will represent New Zealand at the Postal Congress, which opens at Vienna in May next. A Cabinet meeting will be held each day this week, commencing to morrow, at which the question of the Legislative Council appointments will be decided; aloe the appointment of a successor to Sir William Fitzherbert as Speaker of the Legislative Council. It is understood that the Government nominee for the Speakership of the Lower House will also be discussed. Dunedin, Jan. 13.

An Opposition Whip has been issued requesting members of that party to meet in Wellington not later than the 22nd, the day before the opening of Parliament.

The Wellington correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, telegraphing on Tuesday night, says : —“ As to the Speakership of the Lower House I hear to-day, upon what professes to be good authority, that the Hon. W. Rolleston will consent to be nominated, and that a great effort will be made to put him in, I am also assured positively that Major Steward will be ‘ run ’ for the Speakership by the Opposition party, and that the voting is likely to be very asserted by one side, and denied by the other, that if Mr Eollestou stands he will be certain of election, because several even of the Opposition—or, at any rate, of the ‘ doubtful ’ section—would vote for him in preference to any other candidate, irrespective of all party questions. The Ministerial side hold Mr Eollestou to be safe. The Opposition side are confident of their ability to return Major Steward. One of local papers advocates Mr Hamlin’s claims very earnestly, but I cannot as yet discover that he has any backing in the House itself. He will probably have a hard fight to retain the Chairmanship of Committees, which Major Steward will, it is said, almost certainly secure if he lose the Speakership. It is considered quite on the cards, in view of the exceeding closeness of figures, that there may be a ‘ tie’ on the Speakership question. The election will be conducted by the Clerk of the House. I find, on consulting the best available authorities on procedure, that in such case the Clerk, or presiding chairman, would have the casting vote, and would con sequently choose the Speaker as between the two competitors.”