IN THE LOBBY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1017, 9 August 1883, Page 2

IN THE LOBBY.

[from OOb, PA.BLIAMENTABT OORRRBPOWDBHT.] Wellxnqtox, To-day. Mr Chamberlin has given notice of his intention to move the following to-day in the Legislative Council '.—That, in the opinion of this Council, no necessity being imposed upon any member of it to receive any Honorarium, any discussion on the subject is very undesirable. In the Legislative Council to-day, Mr Wilson will move the following motion : T’ . in the opinion of this Oounfeil ic 'edient that the Irish informers >e allowed to land in this colony,

: -i the present law is not sufficient to ..elude such informers, it is the dutjr,of the Government to apfly to the Legislature for further powers; # • Mr Menzies will, this afternoon, in the Legislative Council ask the Premier what steps have been taken in conformity with resolutions agreed to by the Ceuncil on the 23rd June, 1881, namely, '* That .the Government be requested to enquire 1 whether it is not expedient to cause all steam vessels carrying passengers ' along the coast of the colony to fit up the electric light on board, and, if the;same appears practicable, to bring the subject, without delay, under the consideration of Her Majesty’s Government, with the view of regulations being issued, making it imperative upon passenger-carrying steam vessels to carry electric light." ■. Mr Reynolds is considerably exercised -n in hit mind with regard to the/ecove^y ,pf ,the “ plunder,” the result of the,recent frauds perpetrated by Massey, letq.Tpwn Clerk of Dunedin, who is at present undergoing a term of imprisonment! for having feloniously converted certain municipal debentures which., he/;had been entrusted to his own use*, During the passage of the. Massey Frauds .Indemnity Bill through Committee yesterday, the hon gentleman suggested to Mr Oliver, who hid charge of the Bill, that an amendment might be made whereby the convict should be compelled to “diegorge the plunder.” In vain Mr Oliver pointed out that the Bill provided' that In the event of its being proved that Msssty at present, or in the dim and' diitint future, possessed any available funds he would be compelled to “ disgorge,” the hon gentleman still was dissatisfied and expressed an, opinion that the Judge of (he Supreme Court should be empowered to keep the convict in prison till he. relinquished his ill-gotten wealth. Said the hon gentleman : “ I know, for af»Ct that Massey, by bank drafts, has aent Horae to his brother L 3,000, and this is in addition to the money still in Mn Massey’s possession.” -Mr Oliver for tha third and last time, informed the Committee that (he Dunadin City Corporation would,‘ by the passing of ; this-Bill, be placed in a position to recover any assats known to be in Massey’s _ possession, but he reminded the Committee that great hardship, would be sustained if the Legislature passed, an Act to keep a- man in gaol for the. term of his natural life, simply because the Dunedin Corporation expressed a belief that the man still.held a portion of the money of which he had defrauded them. Qne hon‘gentleman facetiously suggested that the. thumbscrew, judiciously applied, might.extract the information sought for. The subject then dropped. Mr Pharazyn is to move in the Council that the honorarium to members should cease at the expiry of the present Parliament,, and that ia ; the event of the Chamber becoming an elective body and a Bill being introduced for the payment of members, the honorarium should!; not excSed LI per diem for a period of three months only, and members resident in or near Wellington should not receive any honorarium for their attendance during the session.. In the House to-day Mr Driver is to move for a Select Committee, in the terms of a resolution passed on the 7th, to consider the proposals for a direct steam service between Great Britain and New Zealand, the committee to consist of—Messrs Rolleston, W. W. Johnston, Macandrew, Montgomery, Joyce, Sutton, W..<- O. Buchanan, Swanson, George and the mover. In the Council Dr Pollen is to move on the same subject as follows: “ That a Select Committee be appointed to whom should be referred the papers! presented to the Council on the subject a direct steam service with Great Britain, with power to confer with any committee appointed for a similar purpose by Abe-; House, and to repo t with as little’ -delay < as possible, the committee to consist of' the Hon Messrs Holmes, Acland, Hart,.' G. R. Johnson, Menzies, Miller, Rich*:; mond, Robinson, /Williamson and the mover.”