POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 640, 30 July 1891, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[special to the btandahd.j Wklltnotox, last night, The progress of the Shop Hours Bill through the Council is regarded as almost hopeless. Government have now on hand such an enormous amount of business that it is quite impossible to expect one-half of the Bills they have introduced to get through this session, Already there is talk of a “slaughter of the innocents,” to enable the Government to press forward their Estimates, Taxation, Land, Native, and Labor Bills, and fight out the latter with the Upper House. Upon this latter question the most vital and exciting struggle of the session will eventuate. The Land and Income Assessment Bill was to have come on for the second reading this afternoon, but is likely to be deferred till Friday, owing to the Premier being unwell. Mr Ballance, like many other members, is suffering from the unhealthy atmosphere of the Parliamentary Buildings, which have become almost unbearable at the late sittings since the recent altera> tions were effected in the galleries. The Waste Lands Committee passed a hundred clauses of the Land Bill, in which the alterations made so far are chiefly verbal. The Committee approved of the one man one vote principal, Mr Richardson, ex-Minister for Lands, being the only opponent. The Hon. Mr McKenzie consented to reduce the penalty for a breach of the law from five years' to two years’ imprisonment, and on further consideration of the Bill in Committee he will amend the clauses which deal with the deferred paymeot system by extending the time during which payments may be made. The much-disputed clause setting up pure perpetual leases may be reached, but there is a substantial majority for the Government proposals.