Parliamentary Gossip.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3609, 21 July 1880, Page 3

Parliamentary Gossip.

(FBOM OUE OWN COUREBPONDKNT.)

Wellington, July 17.

Your other member, Mr Sheehan, arrived yesterday, and was not long in getting into harness. He intends giving it pretty warm to some of those who during hi 3 absence said unkind things about him. The Government are friendly •with him, and are likely to give him opportunities to make his points. He Thames matters he has already seen about the £500 promised by him to the Borough when Native Minister, and there is a prospect of the Ministry granting it now in some measure to conciliate him. Fred Whitaker and he seem to hunt pretty well together, and the battle of one seems to be that of the other. It is stated that Sheeban's friendliness to the Government is that he may get some con: cessions in the way of bis friend s land claims, but I don't think Sheehan is so mercenary as all that. * Mr Brodie is as usual knocking about always with a mysterious look upon him. ,It is rather good sport to see him playing with your Mayor and Or Speight, both of whom are attending to Borough matters. Brodie manages in most cases to get at what they are driving at, but observes a strictly non-committal policy himself. There has been some fencing between your local men about the provisions of the Water Supply Bill which has just passed the Upper House, but it will likely get amended in the Lower. The Government are not particularly well pleased about the want of support to their Charitable Aid. measure, but seem determined to force it through. It will have its day, another experiment, but eventually the support of the poor and sick, like the gaols and asylums, will have to be made a charge upon the general revenue. . „ Your Mayor is working well, and for "one upon a first visit to lobbies is getting on creditably^ His private grievances, of course, are heard a good deal about, and it is likely he will get some compensation, probably in the way of getting licenses to one or more of the houses closed by your Incensing Bench. At any rate a great deal or attention is being given to the legislation on the subject of licenline. Mr Speight has somewhat offended His Worship by not helping him cm amore in this matter of the licensing bench. . '• , . „ .. Your petitions, and their peculiarity, people here say of the Thames, are being freely talked about, and strangers are at a loss to know what your magistrate is like, if he is really asbad as he is maae out to be, or is any [ dependance to be placed upon your solicitors. I fully believe the session will last 3 or 4 months longer, for really nothing has been done yet, and the longer it gets the more likely for the Government to get their, own way, for towards the end members will be so tired and anxious to get home that but little consideration will be given legislation, or at least a, great deal *H1 be taken for granted. '. There is little prospect of a change of Ministry, and although the Opposition are fighting the Government, it is more with the intention of hampering, than^a desire to replace them. In fact, the Government would like to leave if they could only'get a fair excuse, for all see there is no credit to be gained from the administration of the affairs of the colony for some years. Wait till another loan can be placed upon the market, and then a fight will be made to have the spending ° There is some tajk of your County Chairman giving a dinner to a select few of the members, Sheehan of course in the chair. There is no doubt a more friendly feeling will soon be established when t^e General John feels himself well at home in Wellington!.