PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2170, 5 June 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

The No-Confidence Debate. Wrxuxc ton Thursday. Thi:kk it. every likdiood tb.it the no-con-confidence debate will be prolonged till next week as a large number of member* intend t<» orate on the financial proposal* before the di\ kion is taken. Major Atkinson i* also taking copious note-*, evidently with the intention of speaking again, which of couise lie has a peifect right to do on Mr Montgomery's amendment. Mr Bryce's speech this nfternoon w.ia a singularly able one, whilst Mr Ballance's in reply, was by far the best of the threi! Ministers' who have yet spoken. Opinions widely differ as to the result of the vote. The Opposftion whips say the no confidence motion will be carried, and the Opposition generally regard the result a-, a veiy close thing, The Government whips are equally sanguine, and give Ministers a. majority of two or throe, excluding donbtfuls. The division may bo influenced to some extent by the mode in which the motion has been In ought down, as Mr Montgomery suggests no way in which reductions can bo propei ly effected. Home members op-po-cd to the Government regard the motion as a .somewhat ill-advised one in this respect, and they contend that some definite scheme of retrenchment should be .submitted. It is understood that Ministers are anxious to prolong the debate till next week, w bich simply means they are not yet ready to take a diwsion. They are said to be working hard to secure the wavering members. A thre.it of dissolution is alno being used to influence them. Mrßallanco'a speech this afternoon openly referred to this as a likely contingency, but the House generally ridicules the idea of an appeal tn the country being allowed on a question of ictroiicliment.

The Premier and the Treasurer. It is currently rejxirtod that Sir R. Stoufc. is getting tiled of the whole thing, and would not much rpgrpt being separated! from his colleague, t ho Treasurer. ,-Thero i» no doubt the bulk of the opposition to tha Ministry is directed to Sir Julius Vogel, and the feeling against the Treasurer is strongly intensified this session in consequence of his extravagant speeches during tno recess and the threats of dissolution without waiting for the assembling of Parliament.

The New Minister's Views. The hon. Mr Reynold*, of Dunedin, who has just joined the Ministry without portfolio, is a strong advocate for retrenchment. He has, I am informed, already ox plained! hi* intention of effecting considerable economy in the Legislative Council, and isof opinion that the cost of carrying on the Government of this colony is much more than is necessary. I understand it was on the express condition of carrying out his ideas in this direction that he consented to join the Cabinet. Mr Reynolds was * former colleague of Sir Julius Vogel and of the late Sir D. McLean.

Mr Fisher on the GovernmentMr Fisher la*t night certainly scored one against the Colonial Treasurer. He w«« speaking on the financial debate and quota? from several sppeches of the Premier an' \ Treasurer with a view of proving the wif j e difference of opinion that exists botwf en the leaders of the present Governnv , n^ Coming to the question of perpetual lea 3j 3 j n J which he showed was one of the stro nc J£t planks, not only in the Prr . m i er ' s p->licy, but in that of his colleajr Je Ballancp, the member for Wellingtono n <J ntt th said he would tell the House • ..u-f 5H Julius Voprel's opinion of the leasing system was. Beinpaskf d a oupstion at Ashburton on this no' „<. l Hia-~H ia-~ Julius) replied that if a maT J* b ® ceedinely foolish as to prefer f 4 ]*„,.„ to „ freehold, he doservnd to », lffp : ffl^ ir |,:J f< N .l»bne U . The House fair) ™ re dJS lansrhter, as only that after* L s n TuHnJ colleague, Sir Robert SW SLd^vhM cally stated in the House t» t S freehold system was a curse to the. c^y irCCh ° M

Representation an? k Dissolution. Amongst other lobby cuin.mrs at present "•inttmtillanewßer^gS^ofhM

Retrenchment in the Upper House. Wki.mxuton', Friday. The Hon. J. N. Wilson, of Napier, is about tn test the question of rennomy in the Legislative Council. He has fjiwii notice of his intention to mo\o tin 1 following icsotion : "That in the otiiniou of this Couik.il, in the present financial state of the country, it would bo a reasonable concession by members of tho (It'nov.il As^elnbly that they shrmld forepo for the i»H'stMit se-sion one-half of tho honorarmni H\e<l by Kiw, and tlio members of this Council on thenpart declare that they aro willing to in.iko this concession accordingly."

Analysis of the Voting. It may bo of soino intei<"»t to yonr readers to send you the following analysis of the voting on" last night's division, and the vote-* given by member-* for the various provincial districts. I find that tho different membpi s \ otnd an follows :— Vuckland, for Government, 7, Opposition,, 10 ; Taranaki, 1, 2; Hu.wke'» B.»y, 1, 2; Wollinsrton, 2, fl ; Nelson, ft, 0 ; Canterbury, lfi, 4 ; Westland, 3, 0; Otago, 14, (>; Marlbrough, 1, 2 ; Maoii, 4, 0.