POLITICAL NEWS. [BY TELEGRAPH.-SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1910, 2 October 1884, Page 2

POLITICAL NEWS. [BY TELEGRAPH.-SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

District Railways. The District Railways Leasing and Purchasing Bill, which was expected to provoke considerable opposition, passed its second reading last night by a large majority, The bill gives the Government power to lease district railways for a term of 20 years, at an annual rental equal t» four per cent on the total value of the railway at the time of construction, and to purchase it at the expiration of the term. Elaborate provisions are made for aniving at the value of the uiihvays by means of arbitration, and debenture bonds for the value may be issued to the company o\\ ning the line. By payment of these bonds at the end of 20 yeais the railway becomes the propei ty of the Crown. The interest is not to exceed four per cent, and anr deficit of working profits to pay interest is to be made up, half out of the Consolidated revenue, and the remainder by a rate on the propei ty within the railway district. which rate the Minister for Public Woi k-. is given power to .strike and collect. No new dibtrict railways are to be n..idi\ Those to which the bill applies are tho Duntioon and Hakat.irame.i railway, thiRakaia and Ashburton Forks railway, tin; Thames Valley and Kotoiua lailw.iy, tho Waimate railway, and the Waiinea Plains railway.

The Vacant Portfolio. has yet been decided as to tlv appointment of the new minibtiy. As fai as one can learn Mv Cadman now appeals to be out of the running and it is authoritatively stated that the poitfolio will after all be coiifoired on Capt. Morris, who from the first lus bjon 1 ) >keJ on as the most likely member to obtain it. It is no seciet that Sir Juliu» Vogel has a decided preference foi Capt. Moiris, and the Canteibmy members also fa\ourhis appointment, but the Premier and Mr Ballance arc undprotood to incline towards Mr Cadman, the member for Coromandel, being' a member of then* own party. I hear the appointnie it is to be m.\de before the close of the session, but the Opposition appear to disci edit this, and they consider it not at all likely to bo made while the House is Mttinjr.

The Trunk Railway. The Noith Island Trunk Railway Com mittee is .still taking evidence, seveial of the witnesses being le-examined on technical point-.. It ib understood that the* Committee will bring up their repent on Fnd.w unless a fuithei exten&ie>n of time is a^ked for.

Parliamentary Under-Secretaries. The bill for the appointment, of P.uliamentary Under-Becietarie->, introduced by Sir Geoige C4iey, provides that it blia.ll b > lawful foi the Governor to appoint members of the House of Repiesentativos to be Pailiamentaiy Undei-Secretaues of State for New Zealand, to dischaige iespccli\ely the duties <if Under-Secretary in adtninisteung the affahsof one or inmedepartnient--in the public offices of the colony. It i-> provided that the number of such Undersecretaries holding olfiee at any one time shall not exceed four, and after the passing of this act it shall not to be lawful for the Governor to appoint any peison to be Under-Secretary who i> not a member of the Hou^e of Repiesentatives. The Parliamentary Under Secietariea of State shall hold office dm ing pleasure, so long as the tauure of office by the Ministry on whose advice they were respectively appointed by the Governor may last, and no longer. Any Parliamentary Under-Socretary of State appointed in tin-, manner .shall be capable of being elected and sitting and voting as a member of the House of Representatives, The annual salary of a Parliamentaiy Under-Hecretary of State shall be such as may be appropriated by Parliament for that purpose.