POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2403, 3 December 1887, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

[BY TKI.KURA I'll. — OWN ('(IRRK.s|>OXI)KNT.I Pushing ou BusinessWei.uxuto:;, Friday. Tkk House at last seem- to be desirous of settling down to business, after wasting several weeks in useless talk. A large majority of the members arc determined not to remain in AAAdlington after Cliri-tma-. Ministers have now taken the matter in hand, and they have now m ule iqi their minds to use tin: ntmoA de-pa!c!i in getting through necessary policy bills,even if it should involve an all-night sitting. The course adopted by the (b.vernment is well understood by the “old blood'' of the House, but it lias given wlfonco to some of the new members, a few of whom are terribly afflicted with the “talking mania,” which is usually absent in now members at any rate for the first session. As long as the House continue- in its present mood Ministers will not fail to take advantage of it. The Speaker on His Dignity. A notice of motion was given to-day by Air Mcgrogor, the member fur Akaroa, which was received with loud laughter by the House. The motion was to ask whether the Government will place on the estimates .210,000, or any larger or snuiler sum for all the proprietary rights of Sir J. Vogel’s scheme for relieving the cuhmy from its difficulties and ensuring the return of prosperity. The Speaker made no remark at the time, but ho shortly afterwards called Mr McGregor up to the chair and privately admonished him against trifling with Parliament in this manner. It is needless to add that the motion will not be allowed to appear on the Order Paper. The Owhaoko CaseSir Frederick Whitaker yesterday in the Legislative Council read a letter addressed to him by Air Warren, manager of Owhaoko, in which the writer indignantly, and from his own personal knowledge of the facts, repudiated the charges made against Sir AV. Bailor in certain evidence, chiefly of a hearsay character, given in the Native Land Court in reference to the Owhaoko block, which evidence had been printed and hud before Parliament. No action was taken on the letter beyond ordering that it be printed. The Midland Railway. The Midland Railway contract i- now disposed of for the present, to the great relief of tlio House and the Government. Sir George Grey tried hard this afternoon to reopen the whole question, but unsuccessfully, Air Aloss being about the only member who seemed disposed to assist him in declaiming against the great wrong that Was about to be done to the whole of the inhabitants of New Zealand by this iniqui(.ions railway scheme. The final stage will bn brought nn in authorising the Government to make the contract with the company, but the Premier is very doubtful whether he will be able to got the contract signed before the prorogation of the House.