POLITIC NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2647, 29 June 1889, Page 2

POLITIC NOTES

(I)Y TELKGttAI'H.—OWN C'OHKIWI'ONDENT.) Whi.i.ino rox, Friday. THE SERGEANT-AT-A RMS. CAITAIN lIoiiNE, the popular Serjeant-at-Arms in the House (if Representatives is about to resign his appointment, having received a much more lucrative p..st in Nov/ South Wales. Capt. Homo will leave for Sydney, on Saturday, if possible. PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARIAN. It is understood that 110 appointment to tho Parliamentary Library will bo. made for some time, as it is considered highly probable that Mr Collier will shortly be sufficiently recovered to resume his duties. [ hoar the Library Committee Ins not finally accepted Mr Collier's resignation owing to this contingency. OPPOSITION M K KTING. A meeting of the Opposition was held this morning, and the following gentlemen were present: —Messrs Lance (in the chair), Ballance, Samuel, Smith, Steward, Taiwlianga, Turnbull, Taylor, Venall, Blake, Walker, Cadinan, Duncan, Fitchott, Fitzherbert, Eraser, Grainmorid, Guinnes, Hutchinson, Jones, Joyce, Kelly, Loughry, J. McKenzie, Moss, Parat.a, Percival. Buxton, Reeves (Inangahna), Richardson (Kaiapoi), and Sir Geo. Grey. Apologies for absences were received from seven other gentlemen, and the meeting lusted over an hour. There was a lengthy discussion as to a leader for the party, and Sir G. Grey's name was mentioned, but he was not proposed as leader, and he left before the meeting was over. It was finally proposed that Mr Ballance be requested to accept the leadership. Mr Ballance has promised to consider the request. _ Later Mr Ballance, I understand, will accept the leadership of the Opposition. AN IMPORTANT MOTION. Mr Barton, the member for Caversham, gave notico in the House this afternoon to move, " That in the opinion of this House it is desirable that the Property-tax, unless it can bo abolished at an earlier date, should be annually decreased, so that it shall not exceed three farthings in the pound for the present year, one half-ponny for the year 1800, and one farthing for the year 1891, after which date it shall entirely cease, and that any deficiency in the re<enue occurring thereby should be made good by fuither retrenchment in the public service." Mr Barron expects his motion to have a good chance of success ; that is, assuming it will bo allowed to be takon on its merits, ASSIGNEES AND LAWYERS. A rather heated discussion took place this afternoon, when the Bankruptcy vote was before the Committee of Supply, several members took strong exception to lawyers being employed by Official Assignees in bankruptcy, and Mr Fergus, Minister for Justice, replied that ho had given instructions that lawyers should not be employed except in extreme cases. Mr Fitzherbert, who is a lawyer himself, said lie knew of cases in which lawyers had gone to deputyOfficial Assignees and asked to be employed so that they could share the commission. Mr Hislop hero said that if tho member for the Hutt really know of such cases it was his duty to report them to tho proper authorities, Mr Fitzherbert retorted that he was addressing the Minister for Justice and he did not want to be lectured by the Colonial Secretary, adding that Mr Hislop was too much given to that sort of thing. He again repeated that what lie had stated wero facts which were within his own knowledge.

THE PROPERT Y-TAX. It is reported that the Opposition intend trying conclusions with the Government on the Property-Tax, but nothing is likely to result from it, as several steady Oppositionists aro decidedly opposed to a change :>f taxation at the present time.