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

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2053, 3 September 1885, Page 2

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

Position of the Government. Wellington, Tuesday. Thk Government caucus to which I referred yesterday was held tins morning and was of a atoriny character. The principal business for discussion was the Kast and West Coast Railway, and the intentions of the Government with respect to it. I understand there wan pi eat 'hflerence of opinion on the subject, theCatitcrbuiy section demanding that it should be made a Ministerial question, winch in their opinion ir the only way of carrying the vote for the railway. On the other hand some of the best fi lends of the (im eminent urged that the subject should not bo treated as a party one, but that members should be free to vote as they pleaspd. The meeting was finally adjourned till to mot tow, without coming t<> any particular decision. In con noctiun with this matter overtures were to day made to some Opposition members to ascertain whether they would support the construction of the railway line if tho Nelson portion were omitted, but a prompt refusal was given to the proposal. The position of the Government just now over the whole business is probibly more critical than at any other period of this remarkable seasion. On the one hand, fii< of their prominent supporters have in timatcd to them that it they persist in treating tho railway as a party question, they will \ote dead against them, whilst another more influential section of then followers— tho Canterbury men— are insisting that the conditions of their support are that the railway should be put before the Honso distinctly as a Ministerial question, and on no other issue. Further, if Ministeis act so unjustly an to throw out the Nelson men, they will at once send Messrs Hursthouse, Le\esta«i, Kerr and Mente.vth into violent opposition on overy Ministerial question. Such being the condition of affairs at present, it is impossible to se- how Ministers can escape from this embarrassing position without Home cm ions finessing in the shape of " mterpiovmcial reciprocity ' of which we have heard so much this session. The Canterbury membeis make no secret of theii intention to turn out the Ministry if they abandon the railway. They also coolly state that next Govern ment will also have to retire fro-n the benches, nnd then probably they will be able to make terms with a third Ministry foi the construction of theii piecious line In the meantime the House is kept going with trumpery bills, Government being evidently afraid to bring on the Public Works Estimates in case of an adverse vote. The obvious intention is to tire members out so that there might be some chance of getting the rulwiy through when se\eial have left Wellington foi their homes.

Mr Buckley. Tt is ieported that Mr Buckley, Colonial Secretary, intends to letire from the Mitnxtiy at the end of the session.

Anxious to Go. Seveial Government supporters waited on the Premier to day and intimated that they cannot possibly stay much longer away from theii business. They requested the Premiei to nnko a statement as to when he expected the .session to close, which he promised to do.

Mr Mitchelson Going Home. I hear Mi Mitchelson intends shortly visiting England for three years. He would have postponed his visit if his party had been successful on the late no confidence motion. Wednesday.

Wasting Timei Great diss itisfactton is being expressed on all sides of the House at the peisist<-nt manner in which the Public Woiks Esti m ites are kept out of sight, and the timo of the House fritteied away by discussion on bills, some of which will never pass their third reading. Only this after noon about two hours were wasted o\ei a single clause of the Counties Act Amendment Bill, which nobody care* two straws about. The Premier was e.uiu'-tly appeiled to, not only by the Opposition, but by people from his own side of tho Home to drop the bill altogethei for this session, and to go on with the Public Works Estimates, which alone will occupy se\ oral nights discussion ; but with that e\ti voidinary incapacity foi managing the House, which he has dis played all thiough th» m'»k.u he obstin .itely refu-ed the advice of his fi lends and opponent-, alike. The bill will probibly occupy the whole of to night's sitting, if not longer.

A Singular Pstition. Tho Public I'ctiti >ns C iininitto 1 liii roll irtod <>n tli' p >titi'>ii (if Mr K. M. Smith, piayinjj that ho should ho heard at the bar of t'ho Hou-f on the subject of colonial mfiii^trii"*. After hiMnnir Mr Ninth's r\i dp.ire, and h.iMng tit Ins ivquo->t intorrop.itcil Mr M >cui(lrc«, the committee <leclinod to lCMmmund tho ]) -titioncr'n

pr.iyer. Stopping WorV. Tt U reported tli.it the Minuter for Public Woik% pcndinpf the adoption by tho House nf th" L'ublic Wnrkb KMiniAte*, h.i^ issu m! m»tnictioiM that no new contrncts ,iro to be cnterrd into.

The Railway Job. Referring to the current rumour that the East nnd West Coast Hallway party in the House aie endeavouring to coeice the Ministty into makin,' the l'l.">0,000 vote foi that line aMinisteml question, the Post tonight s.tys it can scircely cincei\e Mi it any body of public men would be so foolish as to adopt mich a, course. It fails to see any advantage in tinning out a Miuistrv favotn.ibly disposed tow aids tho line, aim to put one in powei antagonistic to it. The Post lecommends the piomoteis of the Inn to undertake the work themselves in tin same manner as the Wellingt >ri people did with the Wellington Man iw itu Rulwav It adds, if Wellington hid waited foi tilt <io\ernui"nt to have ptoceoded with itWest Coast Rnlvvay, the line would haw been amongst thoso destined only for tin benelit of generations yet unb irn. They however, nndeitook the woik in a spint o' xtrong self reliance, and within four ye»r fioui the commencement of the work, t'lej will be leaping the full benefit of then pluck and entei prise. Let our Mi jdi> Island neighbours follow the good e\a:npk set them.