PARLIAMENTARY NOTES. [BY TELEGRAPH-SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] The Budget.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2166, 27 May 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES. [BY TELEGRAPH-SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] The Budget.

Wellington, Tuesday. The House was completely taken by surprise this afternoon by Sir J. Vagle's statement that he would bring down hit* Budget to-night. The Treasurer certainly has kept strict faith with the House. As your readers will recollect, I stated some days ngtt that the Financial Statement would be made to-night, provided the Address-in-Reply was passed without amendment. However the idea was generally entertained that, in consequence chiefly of a pressure of work in the Government Printing Olljce that the Budget could not be ready till Friday,' and only this morning one of the Ministers stated it had been fixed for that day. A Cabinet meeting was subsequently held, ac which it wm decided that the financial proposals for which the House has been waiting to anxiously, should be submitted at this evening's sitting and the Treasurer made the announcement accordingly. The Rumoured Coalition.

The rumour recently wired you as to the coalition between Mr Stout and Major Atkinson has been reproduced in one of the local papers here, and has caused considerable comment. As to the groundi for my statement, it is added n-uv by srnne of Major Atkinson's intimate friends that the. leader of the Opposition and Mr Stout are on exceedingly friendly terms this session, and that much more unlikely things will happen than an eventful coalition between the rival leaders. I also hear that the Premier has lately expressed considerable regret that he did not resign his position last year instead of submitting to such humiliating defeat as he then encountered. The Sydenham Seat.

Nothing definite has lately been heard of the petition againftt Mr Tnylor'u olrction for Sydenhatn. If it should he pressed, it is reported that Mr Taylor will resign and contest the election over again. Wellington AVeduesdty. The Budget.

The Financial Statement was, of course, the chief topic of dtacussion in political circles to-day, and it is regarded by th« prominent supporters of the Ministry as a triumphant example of the CoJoiral Treasurer's skill in finance. They me giving out that it has aheady drawn many doubtful votes to the (iovernmrnt side,tnd regarded from the latter standpoint it is certainly a bold bid for votes in almost erery district in the colony. The Opposition view of the Budget, however, is that it is very misleading in the iuannor in which votes for particular proposals aro

Applied, and hNo as to the Sinking Fund, but'decided opinions on it <uu reHcrvrd till the whole of thu tables appertaining to the Statement are brought down, (ire.it «urprito was expievted at the moderation of the financi.il proposals generally, oat the idea is universally entertained that there was a serious difference of opinion between the Premier and .Sir J. Vogel before the proposals were agreed to.

The Opposition Economical A rumour ii afloat that a motion is to be tabled by the Opposition for .1 conxiderable reduction of expenditure. It in reported that if mich » motion is proposed it wilt receive the support of xe\ei. it of the Go\ eminent party. The motion i«, I hear, not intended to be a want-of-confidence motion, but Mmiitors will probably regard it in that light.

The Premier's Knighthood. Tho Premier has not yet received any official intiimition of his knighthood beyond the fact th.it he was a<«kcd some days ago if he would accept the honour. It was in consequence of thin that no congratulations were offered to-day in the House. Tho Post to night, referring to the matter, says : "We cordially congratulate Sir Robert on this honour. Personally he is not a man likely to value very highly any titular designation, and probably his first impulse was to decline the honour when it was offered him. The honour \va«, however, one not to him individually so much at to the colony in which he holds the chief poll tic.) 1 position, and we are glad that he has accepted it. Apart from politics altogether the Piemior is s > personally jmptilar, so thoroughly respected, that the elevation will, we are confident, be greeted with pleasure by all who know him. In connection with this matter, and while heartily congratulating Sir Robert Stout, we cannot refrain from an expression of regret that a similar honour has not been conferred upon the h»u. Major Atkinson, his predecessor. Sir J. Vogel, Sir John Hall, Sir Frederick Whitaker, all e^-premier*, hnve all been honoured with a title. Major Atkinson has more* than once been Premier ; his political services in all capacities have also been great. In politics we do not agree with him, but we acknowledge his earnestness while no one can forget his gallant conduct in the Held when New Zealand colonists had to exchange the. ploughshare f>r the sword. Had Major Harry Albert Atkinson been linked with Robert Stout as joint recipients of Her Majesty's favour, the measure of content on all sides would, we are certain, have been complete."

iBY TELEGRAPH.— OWN COniIKSPONDfiVT.] Auckland, VVednesd.iy. The Star's Wellington reporter ti»l»»pniphi. I have just interviewed Major Atkinson roj?.irdmsr thn Financial Statement. He considers tho statement tn itleading and very weak. Superficially it is clever, mid what there is of policy h that of the Opposition. He say* it will be debated by the Opposition and is open to attack.