AUSTRALIAN.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3937, 11 August 1881, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

Melbourne, This day

The Rev Charles Strong, of the Scots Church, has tendered, his resignation, and insists upon its acceptance. .

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

[By Telegraph.]

(fbom otjb special correspondent.)

Wellington, This day,

The House is in a very bad temper over the manner in which replies have been given respecting the arrival of the Wakatipu, and her being allowed to pratique. It was rumoured yesterday that the Premier, acting in the capacity of Minister of Public Works, and Mr Maxwell, the General Manager of Railways, had a dispute, with the result that Mr Maxwell sent in his resignation.

The report of the Committee of the New Plymouth harbour works is of a very sweeping and condemnatory character. After reviewing the circumstances under which an enormous sum of public money has been literally thrown into the sea, the report concludes by stating that the results from the proposed works would be altogether inadequate to the expenditure required, and as but a very limited sum, not exceeding £5000, has been expended upon the breakwater apart from the plant, the Commitlee recommend the Legislature to at once take steps to stop the further progress of the works, and to take over the assets and liabilities, and, after providing for the latter, to devote the land fund to its ordinary purposes. It was understood that at a meeting of the Grolt:fields Committee, held on Tuesday morning (Mr Head in the chair), the question of abolition or reduction of gold duty came on for discussion, and after the matter had been pretty fully debated, the question was put to the vote, when there voted for the total abolition — Weston, Fyke, DeLautour, and J. C. Brown, and for a reduction—Hurst, Seddon, and Gibbs.'