Parliamentary Notes.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4212, 1 July 1882, Page 2

Parliamentary Notes.

[By Telegbaph.l h (FBOM OXTB OWN COEmiSPOHOEFr./ Wellington, Lssi< night

The Government got a nasty slap in' the face again last night pver the Pensions Bill, Bolleston wanting to insert an amendment exempting Judges of the Supreme Court from its operation. Tn this case, Beetbam let the Government divide, and they were beaten byU32 to 31. Rolleston began prating about Jthp independence of judges, and all tha* kind of thing, but was soon shut up by Moss, who told him that not long sinde he and

bis Government proposed to give the judges £500 if they did a certain thing which they made law.. Oi' course, nothing could be said beyondf this, but what liolleston said before the division was the most significant thipg. The Government, he remarked, wou^d not be .doing its duty if it sat on those Benches, and failed to protest against the passing of measures of which it disapproved—a confession of Ministerial impotence I have never before heard. Ministers generally hide their imbecility if they can. These people parade it. . It was well known before hand that Feldwick's Telegram Bill would be so emasculated as to be almost worthless when it came out of committees. It was an error in my opinion throughout and the Bill would not Uftre gone into Committee at all biit for two. reasons. Early in tbe session support had been asked for fee Bill before the purport was properly understood, and those who bad so pro mised felt that they could not back from their word. The other reason was a desire to break up the system of paying entrance fees which Ivess seeks to accomplish in his amendment. If the law is thus carried out people will have a clear and distinct notion of the function the Assembly claims. Members go South to-day, and though some comment unfavorable to their trip has been made, the fact is the Government want to get rid of them for a while to consider their position, and to determine the plan of their July campaign. At present there is reason to believe a serious fight will commence when they return. During the debate on the Telegram Bill last night the Wellington Press was the theme of unsparing condemnation and invective of speaker after speaker.