POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 328, 16 August 1898, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(BY TELEGRAPH - SPECIAL correspondent) Wellington, Last Night. OPPOSITION CAUCUS. The Opposition party held a caucus this morning for the discussion of various questions before the House. A proposal was made that the financial debate should be allowed to go by the hoard in order tnat the Premier might bring down his policy Bills, but the meeting expressed disapproval of this course and the Budget debate is to be taken in the usual way. The question ot moving amendments on the Financial Statement was also considered, but it was agreed to allow the matter to be arranged by a committee consisting of Cnpt. Russell, Messrs Eolleston, Scobic McKenzie and George Hutchinson. Another meeting takes place to - morrow to receive the report of the committee. The chances are that the Opposition could easily score against the Government over the proposal to remit five per cent, duty on British manufactured goods as so many Ministerialists ate opposed to the remission. The Opposition Leader, however, is such a pronounced free trader, that he is very unlikely to take exception to this portion of the Budget. The Premier's proposal is ridiculed in some quarters on the ground that a five per cent, reduction in duty will not in any way reduce the price of the articles affected, whereas, a reduction of twopence or threepence a pound on tea would really benefit the people whom Mr Seddon professes to love so much, but who are, in reality, far worse off now, after eight years of Liberalism, than they were under the regime of the wicked Conservatives. MR WATSON'S SALARY. A correspondent writes to the Post tonight as follows :—" A rather interesting contrast in the Financial Statement may not have occurred to you. It is the proposal to give the cashier of the Treasury an advance of i'sl) in his salary, whilst Parliament almost entreats the President of the B.N.Z. to accept £4500 for doing nothing." WOMEN JOURNALISTS. A meeting of the Parliamentary Press gallery was held this afternoon to consider the advisability of admittiug lady correspondents to the gallery. There were sixteen members present, Mr T. Morrison presiding. The Chairman stated that he had received a letter from the editor of the Lytteltou Times to the effect that Miss Stella Henderson was to act as Parliamentary correspondent for that journal, and asking that the usual privileges of the Press nailery should be accorded to her. After a lengthy discussion, the following resolution, moved by Mr Taperell. editor of the. New Zealand Times, was carried by eleven votes to fonr : " That this meeting is of opinion that it is not advisable to admit ladies to the Press gallery, and that if female representatives are to be appointed, separate accomodation should be provided for them." 1 may state that last week Mr Morrison and Mr Albert Cohen (chairman and deputy chairman of the gallery), waited on the Speaker to ascertain his views respecting the admission of ladies to the Press gallery. Sir Maurice O'Rorkc expressed himself as strongly opposed" to the innovation and said that as Miss Henderson had already a seat in the ladies gallery that was all he could do in the mutter. The Chairman then convened a meeting of the gallery at which a vote of censure was proposed on the chairman and'vice-chairman for exceeding their duty iu consulting the Speaker without first obtaining the authority of the gallery. This resolution,it carried, would, of course, have been followed by the immediate resignation of both officers ; but it was so strongly objected to by the meeting that its proposer withdrew it and an amendment of a much milder character was substituted. _ Mr Cohen, however, resigned his position over it ; but the Chairman did not consider his own resignation was warranted under the circumstances. This afternoon, however, Mr Cohen was induced to withdraw his resignation, and the gallery unanimously passed a resolution thanking the executive ofliccrs for ascertaining the views of the Speaker before convening a meeting of the gallery itself.