TELEGRAMS.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1586, 12 August 1885, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. ) WBLLIN»?O1|, U. ■ As tfclegrfcplted y<H* som* dlyrago, it is the intention of the Government to place a sum of money on the estimates to proceed with sections of the East and West Coast railway, commencing at the ends from Brunnerton and Springfield respectively. A meeting of Canterbury, NeTsbri and West Coast members was held yesterday and the proposals were agreed to in the manner indicated, They represented to the Government that they have reason to believe a uniform majority of the House will approve of a vote of the kind. ' ■..* t*/ Ministers have Accepted this assnr. ance, and r have agreed to comply with the request. The amount of the vote to he asked for is, as I have already advised you, something like £200,000.. ■••..-. .. : The Post to-night in commenting upon the proposal says : —Wo are very inclined to doubt whether a majority of the House. r wil| be prepared to commit the Colon} t6 the Qoystruptioiu of this line by sanctioning even a small vote for its commencement. Unless a special (loan is raised, the money which is to be devoted to this line must be taken from the funds ilready allocated to and available«for ulier lines, which in every way have prior claims for,. ea»s,tr,ut tion. • Under" ]

the present system the Canterbury Paul could only be paid by robbing the Otago ,G«ntral, or North Island Trunk Peter, and we hope the House will not sanction any. spoliation of the kind. Of course, no one can imagine that a work to cost upwards of throe millions can possibly be completed or carried on without hprrdwittg and if a vote is now taken to commence the work it will really commit the House to a large "loan for the purpose of carrying it ou, the alternative '..being a loss of what may now be voted for it. If the line is not earned out, of coarse anything spent on it will be thrown away. The House should pause before it binds itself to the construction of this railway by sanctioning even a small deposit to bind the bargain." If a vote is passed the intention is to commence a section of the line at Springfield, ■ in Canterbury;. Greymouth in Westlffnd ; and at the end of the Foxhill line in Nelson. The House last night was engaged last night discussing several important bills/the only oneof any special interest being the Customs and Excise Duties Bill. Mr Wakefield endeavored to abolish the duty on Australian wines 4/6 per gallon but was unsuccessful. After several other amendments in reference to the extra duty on to jacco introduced into the Colony for manufacturing purposes, and to exempt binding twine from duty, both proposals being rejected, the bill was passed. This afternoon the House has been in Cojuraittee-viWer the Hospital and Charitable Kid Bill, and will be concluded to-night. Messrs Montgomery, Barron and Captain Slitter have formally intimated to the Premier that they must now be j considered free from anytpt)ligjition to give Ministers even tile qualified support they have hitherto acce'ed^d. They have not, however, gone yet.into avert Opposition. ; The reason alleged for their \ cusffon H:JLk'at HK>'<~*comition -with , many others who have hitherto given Ministers a general support, , they are thoroughly dissatisfied with [ the -speculative and changeable policy iof tne Government, which they 'regard as ruled entirely by the Colonial Treasured. They are dissatisfied with the past, alid have little hope for the „-futnm while the Ministry in "eonsitHuteil as ifnow U. - ■ - Lobby rumor isjagain busy that the Premier intends to resign, and as a whole the Ministry would,^ of course, follow suit It is intended to"form a new party, and fresh Ministry, excluding Yogel ■ and Larnach, but including* Stout; B^llauee, Montgomery; JMaeandrew, (perhaps), and somo new members would be|ready to take office, and in that case \ v ould probably command a very large majority, while the Atkii t . son party would be nowhere. * The rumor must bejtakenfor what it is worth. Dune din, 11. The twelve hours walking contest between Hancock and Scott was begun ftt 11.6' clock yesterday morning, Hancock attempted to secure a lead at the start, but Scott did not permit this. That the pace was good is shown* by the five miles having been travelled in about twelve minutes less than in the match for that distance the other • -day. Neither of the men were off the track at all, aud at no time did Scott lead more than a quarter of a lap, which he did at 10.30. Ten minutes later Hancock pulled np, but on this and on other occasions he was hooted for what was considered unfair walking. The men travelled during the 12 •hwrs Wilhonfy a y,*r<j or'tws g*tween them. In "the last few^rainutes Scott put on a great spurt, and won by three yards. Distance, 72 miles and eight laps, There were 22 laps to the mile.