POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2677, 7 September 1889, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN COItIIESPONDKNT.) Wellington, Friday. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

It appears from a, petition laid on the table of the House to the order of Mr Fisher, that the only Friendly Society having a ■surplus is the Independent Order of Oddfellows, the surplus beiner £2,925 or an average per member of £2 9s. The average deficiency per member in the other Friendly Societies is stated as follows: —1.0.0.F, M.U. 2s 9d ; National 1.0.0. F. £G 3s 2d ; A.0.0.F. £(> 8s 7d ; A.0.0. of Shepherds, £3 ( Js 5d ; F.R.O.D (sick fund) £G 7* 7d ; Loyal Friends' Benefit Society, £15 8s 5d ; 1.0.0. R., £8 Gs Sd ; Sons and Daughters of Temperance, £13 -Is 4d; H.A.C.B Society £13 4s 2 4 ; Protestant Alliance Friendly Society of Australasia, £l(i Os 9d ; Railway Employees Benefit Society £24 3s 5d ; or a total average per member of all societies (with the exception named) of £4 8s 4d. CIVIL SERVICE SAVINGS. Mr Goldie is moving in the direction of ascertaining from the Government whether effect has been given to the Civil Service Reform Act, 188G, by which all Civil Servants appointed after the coining into operation of the Act were to have deducted a sum of 5 per cent, from their salaries for investment at interest, to be returned to them on retirement from the Service. GOVERNMENT CAUCUS. A meeting of Government supporters was held this morning, at which the following members were present Sir M. Atkinson, Sir. J. Hall, Messrs Fergus, Mitchelson, Richardson, Bruce, Ormond, Russell, Tanner, Anderson, Buchanan, Carroll, Cowan, Dodson, Fisher, Fulton, Goldie, Graham, Hamlin, Harkness, llobbs Hodgkinson, Humphries, Izard, Jackson, Lawry, Macarthur, 15. McKenzie (Clutha), Marchant, McGregor, Mills, Moat, O'Connor, Rhodes, Ross, Seymour, Taipua, R. Thompson, Valentine, and Whyte. There were ten others accounted for, and I hear the proceedings were of a very harmonious character throughout. The Premier made a long speech, in which he alluded to the irritating and obstructive tactics of the Opposition, and characterised their latest move of tlio previous evening as beneath enntempt. He asked the party not to prolong the debate this afternoon by making speeches but to allow the division to be taken on the motion to go into Supply and thus allow the business of tho country to be proceeded with. The meeting thoroughly agreed with this suggestion. The Premier farther explained that hn would, when the House met make a statement to the effect that be absolutely refused to make any explanation at tha present time of the Hon. Mr Fergus' action in regard to the Christie case, or to give facility for a discussion on the matter. Sir J. Hall, whilst agreeing with the Premier, said he thought some of the Native Bills, which he considered rather suspicious in character, should not be proceeded with this session. Mr Ormond expressed the opinion that the Premier should take some means of removing any blame from Mr Fergus, to which tho Premier replied that he would do so on some other opportunity, and the meeting closed. A REGULAR FIZZLE. There was a very full House this afternoon, the galleries also being crowded, as it was expected the proceedings would be of an exciting character, the Premier haying announced last night that he would stato tho views of the Government on the No-confidence motion proposed by Mr Grimmond. His remarks were eagerly looked forward to. After the preliminary business was disposed of Sir Harry rose to make the promised statement. He said the Government had carefully considered the amendment, which caine from a member of the lower ranks of tho Opposition (cries of oh, oh), and " a much respected member." The Speaker interrupted the Premier to s.iy that all members were equal on the floor of the House. The Premier said he accepted the rebuke at once, what he meant to say was the amendment came from a gentleman who did not sit on the front benches of the Opposition. The Government having considered the amendment in this light did not intend to take it as a vote of no-confidence or to discuss the amendment, because.it was simply meant to harass the Government. After this motion was disposed of he would make a full explanation. He appealed to all members who were anxious to go on with the business to allow the Government to get into Supply and so bring this matter to a close. Mr Ballance twitted the Premier wil h his change of front and defended the Opposition. Mr Seddon made a long harangue on the whole of the circumstances that led to Mr Hislop's resignation for over an hour and when Mr Fitchett, Mr Fisher and Mr Hutchison had relieved their minds by attacking the Premier and Mr Fergus in the most violent manner the whole thing collapsed, the amendment being negatived without a division being called. MR MITCHELSON AND MR BALLANCE. A discussion arose in the House a week or two ago concerning certain statements which were made in The Waikato Tijiks agninst Mr Ballance as Native Minister, Air Lewis, Under-Secretary for Native Affairs, and Mr W. H. Grace, employed in the purchase of Native Lands for tho Government, implicating them in 'certain alleged shady transactions over the purchase of Native Lands, Mr Ballance was u.ndorstood to have threatened the newspaper with a libel action on account of the publication. Yesterday afternoon the Native Minister, Mr Mitchelson, laid a report on the table which cleared the gentlemen mentioned from tho imputations cast upon them. It showed that the report of the evidence of Mr Grace before a commission which contained the allegations was an incorrect one as published in the newspaper. Mr Mitchelson in laying the report on the table said it was only due to the late Native Minister, whom itcleared from all blame. Mr Ballance thanked the Native Minister for the very generous way in which he had treated him, and tho matter dropped. LOCAL GOVERNMENT. The committee appointed, to enquire into the question reported yesterday that the time at their disposal had been too short to do more than collect general information, and discuss the subject referred to them. They decided that it was very expedient that some new system of local government should be established, and that it should bo framed with tho following object:—l, decentralisation.; 2, reduction in the number of local bodies ; 3, a definite and fixed relation between the finance of the General Government and that of the local bodies; 4, the districts to be comparatively few in number, and to be defined with due regard to community of interest, and the natural features of tho country, the four large cities of the colony with their suburbs to ba made separate districts, and the remainder of the colony to consist of not more than 18 districts; S, the constitution of local Councils by election by the Boroughs and County Councils (or road boards where the Counties Act 188G is not in force) within each district, with provision that the Governor-in-Council may, where necessary alter, for the purpose of such election only, the boundaries of any Borough, County, or Road Board district. Tho committee recommend a committee being set up early next session to further enquire into the subject.