POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 642, 4 August 1891, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[bpxcial to thi standard.] r Wellington, last night. : Though the Shop Hours Bill has passed ! the Lower House, it will likely meet with considerable opposition in the Council. , Government have decided that they cannot grant the application of several Chinese, that if they left New Zealand to visit China they might return to the colony without ’ paying the £lO poll tax again. After the very strong right of opinion manifested against the adoption of the one man one vote in local government, as proposed in the pew Counties Bill, Government are understoocl to have little hope of carry* ing that innovation as it stands. The Native Land Bill, which is now almost ready for circulation, contains pro* vision for the throwing open, npon certain conditions, of immense tracts of land in the King country. Sir George Grey will speak in the Federation debate this evening, and will be fol- ■ lowed by Captain Bussell. Mr Ward will probably deal on the commercial advantage of the colony at once entering on federation while the door is open to ns. Concerning elective Governors, Sir George will allow the . important distinctions to remain temporarily in the background, hoping the growth of public opinion will bring the majority round to hia views. While the main question is being considered, he will urge that this colony should enter into the federation for the reasons that a United Australia will be able to exercise a potent influence on questions of European politics having an immediate or indirect influence in colonial affairs, when she can speak with ths authority of a nation, and will be able to take her own In the Council of the federated English-speaking nations that must sooner or later bs established, He thinks such a National Congress as may be set up by the people need not meet oftener than once in ten years- and its work must necessarily ooms under the review of every Lsgi2lature ’loonoerncd before it can mov) with effect in tbe territory of each sovereign state. Sir George Grey will eloquently enlarge on the possibilities that will be opened to our men of talent, and will pay a high compliment to some members of our Judicial Bench, who, he declares, would be an ornament to any Supreme Judiciary in the world. He is sanguine the question of public debt can be satisfactorily determined ny the wisdom of United Australasia. The crux of hia argament will be that United Australasia ■ will in the near future be a main factor in (determining the future of the islands of the Pacific, which under British protection must blossftm like the rose,