POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2655, 18 July 1889, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(BY TELKGBAI'H.— OWN COKRKSPONDKNT.) Wellington, Wednesday. THE PROPERTY-TAX. Mr Barron's motion tor tho gradual reduction of the Property-tax met with an untimely fate this afternoon, being rejected by the large majority of 60 to 11 votes in favour of Mr Moss' amendment which, however, w;'S not put to the House. Mr Seddon then cave notice of a further amendment to the effect that the Propertytax should be abolished after September, 1800, in favour of a Land and Income-tax, and that agricultural and mining machinery be exempt in the meantime. At this stage it was exactly half-past five, so that Mr Sneddon's amendment could not be put from the chair, and as the motion is not likely to come up again this session, tho Property-tax remains as at present, this afternoon's proceedings having no effect 011 it one way or the c ther. LOCAL OPTION. The teetotal .section of the House are jubilant at the result of the late vote taken this afternoon on Mr Withy's motion in favour of Local Option, as they never expected to carry the day by a majority of ten votes. The motion itself, of course, means nothing, but it is somewhat suggestive of the chance of opinion in the House 011 this question. Mr Withy, in moving his motion, said he did not want to establish any new principle, he only wanted the people at the ballot box to decide whether they would have hotel licenses in any particular district. REPRESENTATION BILL. A deputation of the town members, one fiom each of the four cities, waited on the Premier this afternoon to request him to delay the Representation Bill debate for some time longer. The Premier finally promised to postpone the debate till Friday. S \.N FRANCISCO SERVICE. The opponents of tho San Francisco Service in the House are pretty confident that the vote for its maintenance will not be agreed to by Parliament this session unless some important alterations are made in the service. They point out, with some reason, that such an anomaly should not be allowed to exist as that Victoria with her large population only contributes £15,000 for a weekly mail service to .England, whereas Now Zealand pays more than double that amount for a fortnightly service.