PARLIAMENTARY NOTES, h-^ [by telegraph—special correspondent.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2194, 31 July 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES, h-^ [by telegraph— special correspondent.

The Loan Bill. j Wellington', Thursday. The discussion on the Loan Bill in committee last night was occasionally of a very acrimonious character and the chairman was appealed to constantly on points of order and personal explanation. The Government, notwithstanding that Sir Robt. Stout has so often twitted the House with not being sincere in its debire for economy, fought desperately for the new railway lines inserted in the schedule of the Bill, but both were struck out by a large majority on the ground that the insertion of useless lines at the present time is altogether unwarranted by the circumstances, ao many paying lines being left unfinished. It was uoticeable that the Napier-Welling-ton line was alluded frequently as being one of the few linps that should be pushed on vigorously at present.

Public Trust Office. The Public Trust Office Act Amendment Bill, introduced by the Sir J. Vogel contains only two clauses. Their effect is that the Native Minister, the SurveyorGeneral and Property Tax Uommisioner shall be additional members of the Board of Public Trusts Office.

Sheep Census. Tt appears from the annual sheep returns laid on the table of the House that Mr Bailey, the sheep inspector estimate mated the flocks of the colony to be aproximetcty as follows: — Meiino % suiales3,o<;."i,7ll, females, 4,Ki",770 ; longvvools, males, 4.">7,051 ; females 808,044; crossbreds, males, 2,17«,833: females, 3,507,7J>8. Total, males .r>.802,380,. r >.802,380, females, 8,714,421; grand total, 14,540,801.

The case of Te Whiti. TheM.ioii Members of the Hon«e are willing to give bail for Te Whiti, and he is likely to be released on bail to-nioirow. I hear Te Whiti will be defended by Mr W. L. Rees of Gisborne.

The Loaves and FishesFriday. A Cabinet meeting was held this day for the purpose of considering the attraction of the £17."),000 stiuckout of the schedule of the Loan Bill on Wednesday night. I understand it was decided by Ministers th.it the ,iinnnnt«sliiinl(i be appropriated for railways in the Middle Island, but they did not apportion it to any particular works.

More Privilege. Another question of privilege has occuired between the Huise-s but this time the dispute is between the ' Speakers of the respective Houses. It may bo remcmbeied that the Gold Duty Adoption Bill was rejected bv the Council early in the session. and a fiosh bill was brought in by the Minister of Mines with a similar object, but making the reduction of gold duty in a different way. Sir M. O'Koike, on that occasion, decided that the bill could be received by the House, and it was pa>sed accoidmgly. This afternoon, however, Sir William Fit/herbert, the Speaker of the Council, lefused to allow the bill to proceed in that House, as it was piactically the same bill previously 1 ejected this se.ssionliy the Council. The matter will, no doubt, open vi) some interesting negotiations between the two Speakers.

The Premier and the Judges. The Owhaioao and Kainianavva enquiry committee is still sitting. At the last meeting of the committee Mr H. D. Bell, who appears for e\ judges Fonton and R<»gan, made some *tton<; remarks about the Premier having written the accusing memo, and then sitting as one of the judges. Some members of the committee also, I hear, took exception to Sir Robert Stout sitting as accuser and judge in the matter. The Premier has since intimated his intention of retiring from the committee on the condition that he be permitted to put a written statement in teply to Mr Bell's remarks. I understand that durincr the enquiry the Premier stated that he had no intention of imparting corrupt motives to Judge Fen ton.