Parliamentary Notes.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4250, 15 August 1882, Page 2

Parliamentary Notes.

[By TeLEGBAPH.I (FBOM OUB OWN COBBESPONDENT.) Wellington, Last night. Mr Pbarazyn's Disability Kemoval Bill, after recital in the preamble of circumstances necessitating the Bill, the finding of the jury, and (he charge of the Chief Justice, provides as follows:— The said C. Johnson Pharazyn is hereby freed, discharged, and idetnnified from and against all penalties, punishments, forfeitures, incapacities, and disabilities which he may have become liable to or incurred by reason of his conviction for the offence of personation as aforesaid, and is also restored to every status, oapacity or office which he was entitled to hold or enjoyed immediately prior to his said conviction as effectually as if he had never been so convicted, provided that this enactment shall be to restore the said Chas. Johnson Pharazyn to any status, capacity, or office which since his said conviction he.has ceased to be entitled to or hold for some reason other than such conviction." Previous to asking that the second reading be postponed, the mover said he expected much discussion over the bill. Members of the Lower House are much averse to

the bill, and it is doubtful whether it passes. ; The Post says two things are to be borne in mind in the present political situation, the first being to go on w&h the business, the second point, to qaote a celebrated Ministerial saying, that should be kept "steadily in View," is the reconstruction and consolidation of a constitutional Opposition party under a new and competent leader. Mr Montgomery, with the best intentions, and with recog- j aMed honesty of purpose has proved a more egregious failure than even Mr Maeandrew. Sir G Grey seems the only possible leader, but his leadership could hardly fail to be disastrous to the party's chance of attaining office. Either then the Opposition must select and train up one of their new members as their future leader or else they will have to take a leaf out of their opponents' book and go to the Upper House to seek one there. There are two or three Legislative Councillors who if brought down from their present lofty height and put into the representa-1 tire chamber might fulfil precisely the same mission as that so ably and successfully discharged by Sir John Hall in 1879. This would get rid of much jealousy and discontent which might be created by the selection of any member of the Opposition party now in the Ljwer House,.and really seems the only practical exit from the present unsatisfactory situation ot having a Ministry which must be retained in power right or wrong because there is nobody to take their place with any prospect save that of chaos.

The following appears in to-night's Post:—"Friday's Division.—To the Editor.—Sir, —ln consequence of some confusion as to pairs which occurred in the division on«Mr Montgomery's amendment, we deem it necessary to state that Messrs Sutton and Whyte voted under the following circumstances : The former considered that his pair had lapsed, Mr Joyce, with whom he. had paired, having returned, and having been informed •iby him that the pair was off. The pair \*as-also cancelled in both whips' books. Mr Whyte, who had been paired by Oapt. Morris with Mr Holmes, misunderstood the matter. But for these circumstances the division list should have shown— Government 40, Opposition 36; majority for Government 4, which is the correct statement of the relative strength of the parties on the question at issue.—We are, &c, Geo. Beetham, Wm. J. (tteward." This day.

Cadman asks the Government what action they propose taking in reference to the petition of the Thames local bodies praying the House to refund certain moneys which have been deducted from them, the said petitions having been re* ferred to the Government by the Native Affairs Committee.

It will be moved in Committee, probably by Grey, that no money be raised under loans until provision to pay interest has been made by a tax on unimproved value of land.