POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2510, 11 August 1888, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

♦ (BY TELEOKAPII —FRGMS ASSOCIATION.) Wellington, Friday. THE NEW TAXATION. A BTATEMKNT having been made in the , Preso, to the effect that the Premier now plainly discerned that his ebtimato of revenue from the new taxation was fallacious, and that instead of a surplus there will be a large deficit at tho end of the financial 1 year, I have the Premier's authority for saying that he is not at all alarmed at the 1 falling otf in the revenue, but on the contrary he considers that the new tariff has , so far yielded a very fair return and ha has every hope that his original estimate will be maintained approximately. The speculative clearances of last May were of course followed by a corresponding reduction in June. LABOUR SETTLEMENTS. Major Steward informs mo that the land scheme in connection with. these settlements, which he propounds, is simply an ■ enlargement of the English doctrine of i " three acres and a cow," only in this case i the suggestion is that the land should be [ acquired by the Government in districts i where work is available, and these should . bo either let to labourers, or sold to them , on easy terms in allotments of from five to i ten acres. The main ide;i is that the , workmen would be able to live on the land during the winter when employment is scarce. OBSTRUCTION TO BUSINESS. The formidable stonewall set up by two of the Maori members against the Native Policy Bills will have the effect of prolonging the session for nearly a week as the ' Government expected not only to get those Bills through this week, but also the important discussion on the 'Frisco service, whien is expected to occupy a whole day at least. It is moro than likely though, that after the systematic manner in which the Maori members have brought the whole business of the country to a standstill for 1 the last thirty hours, those members who have hitherto been opposed to giving a trial to the Premier's rules of procedure will be inclined to moderate their views in this direction, otherwise Parliamentary Government in this country stands in danger of being reduced to an absolute farce. THE STONEWALL. The galleries of the House remained closed till half-past one this meriting, at which time Clause 4 of the Native Lands Bill was still under consideration. When the gallleries were opened the chamber presented a curious appearance. Members all round lay Btretched in easy attitudes, wrapped in rugs and blankets, sleeping calmly and snoring lustily. Mr Hobbs brought with him a complete outfit, and lay like a warrior, taking his rest at the rear of the Government benches, whence he sent forth dismal groans impelled thereto by the ever-recurring reference to the Treaty of Waitangi. Mr Monk, Mr Marchant, and Mr Withy were also coiled up in overcoats, and nluinberad peacefully, while the ceaselpss babble of the Maori orators went on. Tiiipua, at this time, was in possession of the floor, and continued speaking till three o'clock, when Taiwhanga resumed his "few remirks" on the Bill, and on things in general. The irrepressible Sydney's voice after his eight i hours' oratory was somewhat husky, but otherwise he was fresh. At fnur o'clock Mr Taylor sailed in and offered to relieve the member for the Northern Maori District. Taiwhanga at first refused, but on Mr Taylor's offer being renewed he accepted. The member for Sydenham, commenced by informing the house that he was no land grabber. " Nobody said you was," interjected Mr Kerr, which so exasperated Mr Taylor that he was about to express his sentiments in a characteristic manner till he was called upon to address the chair. "Whichldo,"hesaid,chirpini;ly, "with the greatest pleasure." Being interrupted by Mr Fulton, he said that that hon. gentleman would himself do a great deal of talking when a certain "sensational measure" came on. He went on to complain that Mr Taiwhanga had not had an opportunity of expressing his views on this subject. Sydney, at this period, had spoken for ten solid honrp. As to stonewalling, Mr Taylor asked who was the greatest sti.newaller in the House (hon. members "Taylor. , ) He would not be put down, and he should speak for a month if he liked. I shall speak tilll—" bust," suggested ?ome member. He kept things going till half past four, when he was followed by Mr Reeves, of Inangahua, who lose with an air of importance, and having informed members up m his honour that he was an Irishman, he proceeded to read in Maori the Treaty of Waitangi, at the bare mention of which Mr Hobbs again groaned dismally. He then narrated the experiences of himself and a kindred spirit in some foreign country. Mr Taylor, who overlooked the fact that Mr Reeves was fighting on the same side as himself, rose to a point of order, and frequently interrupted him. Mr Taipua then took up the running for half-an-honr, and at eight a.m. Mr Taiwhanga added a further two hours and ahalf to his record. He received some slight assistance from Sir G. Grey, Mr Taylor, Mr Reeves and Taipua, and several times an attempt was made to get an hour s adjournment, Taiwhanga asserting that the Government kept him there starving. Just before the House rose for dinner at 5.30 Mr Percival asked whether there was any necessity for adjournments on occasions of this kind and quoted from the Standing Orders on the point. Mr Hamlin ruled however, that the Standing Orders provided that " unless otherwise ordered " the House should rise at 5.30 and was not disposed to alter on his own responsibility a practice that had prevailed in tho House for the last 10 or 15 years. THE PREMIER AND SIR G. GREY. The monotony of the stonewalling tactics indulged in by Sydney Taiwhanga were somewhat relieved this morning by a " breeze " between Sir Harry Atkinson and Sir George Grey. Taiwhanga at this time (11.45 a.m.) had been speaking with slight intervals for pretty nearly thirteen hours, and looked rather exhausted, when Sir Geo. entered the chamber. He shortly afterwards rose, evidently to give his poor Maori friend a rest, and in most appealing tones protested against the Bills being gone on with any further at present, on the ground, forsooth, that the natives had noc had time to consider them. The Premier at this time was absent from the House, and Sir Geo. Grey made the usual thread-bare reference to large tracts of country being given away to individuals and foreign syndicates under the Bill. Sir Harry Atkinson took his seat at the committee table while Sir Geo. was speaking, and the latter again implored the Premier to give the natives further time for consideration of a Bill which he asserted would prove their absolute degradation. The Premier then rose and stated that the Bills had been circulated nearly two months ago and translated into the native language, that he himself had taken the greatest pains to explain them to the native members, as the Government had every desire to see that justice was done to the two races. The Bills had been sent to a special committee, of which Sir George Grey was a member. The Premier said Sir George Grey had no desire whatever to do justice to the natives; he only pretended to do so, and he had always shirked work of that kind, but made a great parade in the House of his anxiety to benefit the native people.