Parliamentary Gossip.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4512, 21 June 1883, Page 2

Parliamentary Gossip.

(Kaon OCTK OWJT COBBEBPONOTKT.)

Weihnoton, Yesterday;

In connection with the Inangahua election it is reported that Mr Shaw stated, 'on his arrival on the West Coast, that had iMr Wakefield satisfied the Colonial Treasurer when they met in Wellington, I that he would support the Government if | returned, he (Mr Shaw.) would not hay» ' been nominated for the seat. There is no doubt whatever about this astounding and compromising statement. The Post of this evening cannot be surpassed; in writing about the debate last night/ and the announced policy of the Southern men through Mr Montgomery, it seya— " We freely recognise that the people of Wellington are indebted to Mr Montgomery for a timely warning of what may be expected from him and his party should they ever get into power. Coolly ignoring the notorious fact that Welling* ton has been starved as to public works, and treated with the utmost niggardliness by many successive Governments, under the absurd pretext that the seal of Government compensates it for all wrongs and deprivations, Mr Montgomery had the audacity to assert that Wellington has been unduly favored, and the impudence to threaten the removal of the seat of Government as a penalty." If there is one fact v more notorious than another in regard to the distribution of borrowed money, it is that Wellington has had far more than she was I entitled to, either on a revenue or capita- j tion basis. There seems setting in a very strong feeling against Wellington on all sides of the House, and more especially among those members who live a long distance away.

I have taken much pains to enquire how the electric light in the printing office works—what eflVcfc,,if any, it has on men's eyes, and its quality as a light for printers in comparison with gas. The men are all well satisfied with it; they feel no glare when working, nor any daze when going out of or into the room; it burns steadily, and throws little shadow on the frame; it does not create as mn<?h heat as gas does, and enables the men to do more work than with the gas The men we* the! same shades as they did when working with gas, and all express themselrus as much pleased with the experiment;. Most people are glad the debate on the i Address is orer. The chief characterstics of it were the undisguised insolence of Major Atkinson and other Ministers, and the nasty things said by their opponents. Corruption ooMTeys no significance for the-terms employed by speakers against the Ministry. Apart from the proceedings in the Assembly, the most notable fact is the coquetting of Bryce with the Opposition ; I prefer, at this stage of his action, to proffer no interpretation of it. Hutohison, of Wellington, who praises anyone whom he thinks can gire or get him something,, defended Bryce iast night against the

"blau!r acaunation " of Mr Rusdea; he di<l 90 on the ground tbat he had not hard of it before. Garrard, of Auokland. would be quite as good an authority. Mr Cad man hag a notice on the Order Paper to move—" That in order to prevent hasty legislation, it is the opinion of this House that, after the present session, all bills should be circulated within the colony not less than one calender month before being discussed in Parliament." Kir Beetham has a notioe tbat the Colony should be represented in the Imperial Parliament, and Mr Watt wants to know v?hat the Government intend doing as to p tying rates under (he Crown Lands and Hating Bill. Several main roads in this Provinca have been made during, the recess to properties of Ministerial iup* porters. Col. Whit more made a bellicose speech in the Council, but was sat upon by, Mr Whi taker very neatly. ( vWh«ttnore had twitted him for* hiritfgf gone from one chamber to another; this he joked, and said that he had never deserted his party; he felt that the time bad arrived when he should retire, front an active political life, bat if it were tb the interest of his party that be should retire from the Legislative Council and donMtt a seat in another place, he woutd do so; the hon. gentleman opposite had certainly never gone from that Chamber to another place, simply because he could never get a constituency to return him. There was so much truth in this that a reply was not expedient.