POLITICAL NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2047, 20 August 1885, Page 2

POLITICAL NEWS.

[BY TELKOHVPH.—.SPhC'IU, COUKh^FOXDBNT. r The Situation. Wellington, Tuesday. Thkrk w nothing new to recoid in the politic.il situation to-night, with the exception of the fact that the Opposition h.no decided if the Public Winks Statement contains a pioposal of £l") 0,000 for the construction of the East and West Coast R.ulway that a no-ennhdence motion will be at once tabled whether successful or not.

The Agent-Generalship. The news I wired you last night respecting the resignation of the Agent-Geneial is believed here to be absolutely coirect. A member of the Ministry to d.iy admitted that the Government weio in receipt of letteis fiomthe Agent-Geneial which would lead thorn to behe\o that his lesignation might bo expected at any tune. The Minister at the same timo ridiculed the idea that Sir Julius Vogel would succeed Sir Dillon Bell, in consequence of Sir Julius' state of health ; but ih almost the univeisal opinion that if Mmistorß aie able to hold their own for the session, Sir Julius will undoubtedly receive the appointment. The " Press " to night speaks very plainly on the matter. It says "it is now an open secret that the Cabinet have agreed to appoint Sir J. Vogel Agent-General on the expiry of Sir Dillon Bell's term, if they leniain in office. The conditions as to salary and length of term have not transpired, and it is probable that they have not yet been definitely settled and will not bo until after the prorogation. We ha\e roason to believe howevei that the value of the post of Agent-General will be largely increased, on the giounds of Sir Julius Vogel's past services to the colony, and ,ilm) in order to enable him to maintain such an official and rimnci.al position in London as would acoidwith his views of hiich matters."

The Latest about Sir Juiius. Wur.MVf.Tov, Wednesday. The litest lobby gossip respecting that much abused person ige, the Colonial Treasuier, is that Su Julius Vogel has ai eye to the appointment of Commissioner for representing New Zealand at the Colonial Exhibition next yoai. It is of course necessary that such an appointment must be made, and it will be highly gratifying to the recipient, as a baronetcy will no doubt rosult fioin tho coiniuissKiuersliip, beside-, a free passage to England and the attendant expenses.

The Conduct of Business. The most intense dissatisfaction is being openly expeuenced by the Government suppoiters at the manner in which the \linistiy aie conducting their business thiough the House, an. 1 they are giadmlly losing all influence on then- paity. Both sides have repeatedly expiessed their disappioval of keeping the Public Woiks Statement back till such a late penod of the .session while so many nights aie being waited ovci a foimidable land bill, which was not lequucd at all tins yoai, and is at the best a consolidation bill.

Wahanui and the Railway. Considerable comment has been occa sioned bv the natuie of the evidence which the well known chief, Wahanui, gave befoic the Native Affairs Committee this morning. I understand that, when questioned bv Mi Oimond as to whether the Native Minister was the only member of the Government who hid spoken to the natives respecting the cfs-oon of the land for settlement along the North Trunk line of jailway, Wahanui sud he had never heard of the cession of land for settlement along the line refened to at .ill by the Native Ministei <>r anybody else. All he had done was to agiee to give, the land in older that tho railway might bo eonstinctcd. His idea of the object of the line, I heai, was to enable the Kuiopsan to pass from one end of the line to the other.

The Railway Job. A smait little skirmish occurred in the Hous-e thih afternoon over a question put by Sir George, Giey as to the intentions of the Government respecting the constitution of the East and West Coast Kiilway The Pien-ii-i emphatically declined to state w hat Govci n inent intended to do in the matter and said the information would be found in tho Public Works Stitement. Sii Geoige Gtey then moved the adjournment of the House, which opened up a vciy lively di-* cussion for about half an hour. Majoi Atkinson said the nile had been, not to anticipate tho Public Woik-, Statement, but it had aKo been custom iry to inforn the House when the Stitement would be delivered. He said the opp isitior. had been most patient ovei this matter. He thought they had a right to obtain definite information on it. Mi Richardson replied very vaguely th.it he h ped to bo able to state on Fiidav when the Stttement would bo delivced Mr l>iyce chaiactew-ed the leply as most unsatisf ictorv, and said a more definite answer should be jjiven. Mr Eergns s.u'd the House should bo put in possession of tho Public Works Estimates, asit was geneiallv bjlieved that they would contain several large items of unaulhutisod expenditmo in connection with the Ministerial residences. He condemned the action of tho Government over the whole mattei. During the discua-uon Mr Dargiville made a vpiv excited speech, in which he said it was not the Government who was to blame foi tho piesent stite of affaii 1-, but the Opposition. He specially exempted the Atkinson party, who, ho said, had acted most unselfishly during the late, negotiations for bringing on a no-con-fidence n.otion. Ho thought, how ever, there were other gentlemen in the House who hid taken a hitrh position, and who, fiom the pronounced opinions they had expressed on the Goieinnient and a Lnnd Tax, might reasonably be expected to take up a definite stand dining the late ciisjs, but who had not the courage to come forvvaid and assume the leadership lie thought tli<»«p lion members ivhp answeiable for th' 1 present condition of affairs and not the Government. Mr Dar craville resumed his next nmidst a round of ironical chnering and laughter. Mr Pyke immediately ro«e and rJntfed Mr Diriraville, as the self-elected loader of the Middle P.uty, with giving cxpiession to theii opinion*. The matter .shoitly afteiwaids diopped. Later.

Mr Ormond's Position. A report has been in circulation that Mr Orniond has agreed to lelinquish the views he held on the land tax in the event of his receiving sufficient Mipport to cmry a noconfidence motion. The report is quite iucoirect. Mr Ormond told thoso membeis whomged him to move a want of confidence motion that he was pledired to certain views, and could not iclinquNh his opinions for office. Tf he had moved the vote it was understood that he gave up nothing, but necessaiily he would not have been able to p»eparo any new policy measures this session.

Some temptations come to the industrious, but all temptations attack the idle. — Kpurgcon. Anvrßi\ employs 14..T50 officials in his postal service, Enaland 91,000 (.crmanv 70,384, Fi mice 53.300, Italy 18,700, and Russia 15,557. During 1883. Oernnny showed the largest amount of business, and England the largest surplus over expenses. "The thiners we rail women" are, aceoiding to Mrs Swisshclm. of Chicago, "simply email packages of aches and pains done up in velvet and lace, and topped off with ostrich plumes." Mr I<>rin Knnx will sell at the Hamilton Auction Mart on Satnnlav next, the 22nd inst., a hrifp qu intitv of drapery. Re, doiihlo bedstead, fi.wls. sundries, sewing machine, tapestry, carpet. &c Mr II Pow per will <el! at hism-irt, C.-un-liriflß-c, on SitnrcHy next, colonial prodmc, S'wss (hre^p, poultr\ , fruit troos s iddlerv rnrni^is. drapPTj-, rlotlnnpf, boots, Pionocr paint, lime inirr, jewellery. nrnamr»nls, to>s B>r Miw Marshall, n^rr-strret rnmliruliro, innotmros that she his tikcn over trip rlr<>«amil.in!» business Htelv ronrlurted by Mrs 1 Mids. Her idflrcss is .it Mrs Hrirp's. Hnce-streot The demand for the cre?t Americnn rcinriy Hop Hitters, in this part ol the world 1> Vu - - comt- SO cresit that the Hop Hitters Co , t< h> t, hejdqn.Trttrs are at Rochester, Np»f Y,j k, U.S. A , hive been compelled U,\ o^en i Inhot itnr) in Slrlboiirne. It is-'.TTch-xrcc of Mr M. H. Van Herch, T fffrrtteman of several )oirs exporience with s Company and the trade n-iy he assured ofjfp(. ( .jvin!j poods equal to the parent hotnc anQthcimnst courteous treitment. The H R CW have rstablishments at London, Paris, Antwerp* Hp| ( rium, lireda, Holland and Toronto, and the? r AnifMican letters are probably thebest V now ii Jntdicino in tho world.