IN THE LOBBY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1007, 28 July 1883, Page 2

IN THE LOBBY.

[from our parliamentary correspondent.] Wellington, To-day. Mr Green, the member for Dunedin East, has received the following telegram: —“ The Women’s Blue Ribbon Committee, Auckland, is dividing the city and suburbs into districts, and presenting a great petition in favor of the Local Option Extension Act having a clause giving female franchise in the election of Licensing Committees. —Ann Browne, President of the Committee.” It is not likely the Bill will come to pass the House this session. It is too low down on the Order Paper, besides being stronglyopposed by a large section of the members. The Bankruptcy Bill was reported with amendments last n'ght, and on the action of the Hon Mr Conolly these amendments will be taken into consideration on a future date. When the Bill does come up again, which will not be until the disposal of the Property Tax Bill to bo discussed next week, Mr Conolly will move it be once more recommitted, in order to re-conaider clause 139, which was amended very materially at the instance of Mr Barron the other night, in the direction of providing that the wages of artisans and laborers should form the first charge on an estate. Yesterday Mr Conolly stated the course the Government decided to take on this change in the Bill. It appeared probable that the whole of an estate might be swept away in satisfying this first preference, and the necessary coats and expenses incurred by trua ees would have to fall on the State and be paid by the general taxpayers. He would propose, after going through the remaining clauses, to have the Bill re-committed on another day to consider this clause again, whan he would test the opinion of the Committee as to the principle involved. He would propose to define in the clause three classes of preferential claims—first, all cods, charges, and expenses incurred by the official assignee should be paid in priority of any debts; second, preference to be for all wages and salaries; and third, preference to be for wages claimed on account of piece work, not extending over three months. To this third class he proposed to add any sum ordered by the Court to be paid to or on account of any apprentice. Mr Joyce hoped the

, i. n« t assent to any alteraause, It was a grand jse who had worked with heir brains should have ■ ) the first charge. Mr , he suggested alterations, is only reasonable that the sringanestato.sofar asthe 1 ged to incur them, should ;e. If a bankrupt’s estate r of one of the creditors, the workman’s preferences. Even the workman should bear his share of paying the necessary charges incurred by the assignees and take his wages as having the next claim so far as the estate could meet the claim. Mr Barron said the proposal of the Minister would be an imp orement of the clause first submitted, but he , hoped his own amendment would be maintained by the Committee. Whether the Committee will agree to do so is very doubtful. Next week Mr Hutchison is to ask the Government whether they will consider the expediency of setting apart a suitable room in connection with or contingent to the chief courthouses of the colony, in which for ten or fourteen da3's after the preliminary examination before a magistrate, persons so examined and pronounced to be laboring under insanity may be co fined, so as to afford sufficient time for the fullest investigation before corn mitral to a lunatic asylum, a process which stamps such persons as absolutely insane. The following additional new notices have been tabled in the House : —Mr Postlethwaite is to ask the Minister of Public Works whether he is prepared to construct half the fencing where the railway abuts on sections sold to deferred payment settlers ; Mr Mackenzie : To ask if he will state why different freight rates are charged on railways for grain, wheat, linseed, timothy, etc. ; also to ask if, taking into consideration the loss to the whole colony caused by the continued great and progres-ive increase in the rabbit pest, the Government will consider the question of offering by advertisement in the newspapers in America, Europe and colonies, such rewards for the discovery of a remedy as will tend to induce scientific and practical men all over the world to give their attention to this subject. __