POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2668, 17 August 1889, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wisr.r.iNGTON, Friday. AN INTERESTING RETURN. The Colonial Secretary laid on tlio table, to the order of Major Stewart, a return, showing the average coat per day of Parliament in respect to messengers, lighting, and all other services and items of cost, the amount of which depends on the length of the session, and not including fixed expenses, such as honorarium of members, stationery, annual rate of Regional payment of officers of either House, or any expenses which do not vary with (lie length of the session :— Legislative Council, extra Clerks per day, £110s ; messengers, £1 10s. House ot Representatives, extra clerks, £S; extra""mes-ongars,' £0 G* fid; charwomen, £2; general expenses, electric lighting, fuel, gas, etc., £12 12s s<i. Total, £32 7s lid per day. A sum is placed on the Estimates for cost of printing Hansard for 14 weeks ; after that the additional cost per week is £101, or £32 Gs 8d per day.

A CLOSE DIVISION. The political situation has changed so frequently during the last few days, and the result of the No-confidence motion has been open to so much doubt, that it is almost useless to predict the issue till the Speaker declares the verdict from the chair cm Wednesday. For instance, Ministers were believed to have a safe majority of votes, but next day that decreased to two or three. Last night, again, it was confidently stated they could defeat Mr Moss' amendment by five, whereas this morning the Government were said to be almost in a minority, owinf, to one or two rumoured defections to the Opposition. The most notable of these was that of Dr Newman, who spoko strongly against the Government on Wednesday night, but wound up by distinctly declaring he could not support the amendment. This morning, however, he informed the Government whip he had changed his mind and intended voting against Ministers forsoveral reasons. It is shrewdly suspected that a threatening article in last night's Post had something to do with tho member for Thornaon's vacillation, as that article reminded Dr. Newman that his spcech lost all point by the lame and impotent conclusion that his vote would be given to keep Ministers in ollice. It further warned him that tho eves of his constituents wero upon him and that any exhibition of weakness would prove fatal when tho general election takes place, urging him that to be consistent ho should vote against tho Government. The other seceders from the Ministry were said to bo Messrs Allan and O'Connor, but I have reason to believe both these gentlemen will vote for tho Government.

FREE-TRADE. A meeting nf Free-traders in the llouso was held thin afternoon, at which the amendment proposed on the Property-tax Bill was discussed. The feeling generally expressed was that if Mr Moss 1 amendment was agreed tn, it would probably lead to additional customs duties being imposed to make up the loss of revenue, and this should be sufficient to induce the Freetraders to oppose it. Mr Barron, who is one of the most pronounced Free-traders in the House, expressed dissent from that view, and intends to vote against the Government on the present issue. DISUNION AMONG THE OPPOSITION. I have good authority for stating that some of the Opposition are not at all satisfied with the action of their party over the present amendment, as they consider no good whatever is to be gained by it, except that ot worrying and badgering the Ministry. It is, of course, perfectly evident that in case of the defeat and resignation of the Ministry, the Opposition would be unable to form a Government that would live for a single week, as the four Government supporters who are now to vote for the amendment, namely, Messrs Goldie, Monk, La wry, and J. Thompson, would at once desert Mr Ballance and return to the present Premier, who they are only leaving in consequence of being pledged against the Property-tax. I am further assured that in a direct No-confidence motion, not only would these four Auckland members vote with the Government, but soino of the Opposition, as several of the latter don't really wish to see a change of Government, which would not result in placing their own party in power. TAXING OF ABSENTEES. Sir G. Grey intends to propose in committee on the Property-tax Bills some important amendments relating to the taxing of absentees, and also in the direction of establishing an Income-tax. LOCAL OPTION. Mr Fulton is anxious to get a promise from the Government that they will undertake to introducß early next session a Bill to give effect to tho resolutions carried on the 17th July, directing them to introduce a Bill giving power to the people, by direct vote at the lullot, to prohibit the sale of liquor within the district in which thoy reside. GOVERNMENT LAND SALE. An important land salo has just taken place here, at which the applications received wore 5G3, namely, 27 deferred, 07 perpetual lease, and 40!), comprising 730 applicants for separate sections. The result was that 17 msurveyed applications were granted, comprising about 15,000 acres of surveyed land. To-day 4GG4 acres were sold, making the total amount disposed of 51,t555 acres, of an approximate value of £11,300. All this land is sold under settlement conditions. Tho land oflice was fairly rushed this morning when drawing for sections took place.