I PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1838, 11 May 1888, Page 3

I PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

(From our own Correspondent. ) Wellington, May ll« Major Stewed will ask the Minister of Native Affilrs to day whether it is bis iutention to Introduce early J n the session a Bill t>> tnalfo provision for half oaates In the Middle Island, whose o'afens »o land have not t a yot been dealt with. Ho has a'ao given uotice of the following questions for Taeeday vex*. (I) Whether Government will early m the session Bubonit any Legislative proposal to secure that Educational and other renervea fihft'l bo administered so as to affjrd facilities for settlement instead of proving a barrier thsreto. (2) When a return showing the situation and value of Educational Reserves ,of rural land m Canterbury and Otago, ordered on 9 h November Ibs^ will be laid before tnis House, (3) When a return relative to the pastoral lands m the South Island ordered on 16;h December bst will be laid before the House. It has been deoidod that Mr Carroll will second the Address-in Reply. He will arrive today. From the report of the Inspector of Prisons, presented yesterday, it appears that Bince October last 121 persons have been placed on probatioq, and it is culoulated that a saving of £3226 6a 9d will be made by the Aot m costs paid into Court, and the necessity of keeping prisoners m gaola being obviated. The result of the probationary system is very highly spoken of up to the present only one out of 121 offenders having succeeded m escaping. The result of the Issue of market tickets on the Hurunui- Bluff atclion during last year waa that while 7883 more persons travelled m consequence. There was a loss m revenue of £543. . Mr Hobba is stirring up ibe question of the) old soldiera 1 claims again, and has: given notlca to ask the Government if they intend to Introduce a Bill dealing with Buoh claitnß. Mr J. Q. Wtioonhas gUeanotlooto move on Thursday next, that m the opinion of the House thirds due to various special settlement should be paid over at once to them. In referenoa to tho proposal to abolish the Property Tax m favor of a Land Tax, which la said to be one of the lines of the Government policy, an estimate has been made by official experu which goes to show that n tax of at least 4:1 m the £ would be required to produce as much as the Property Tax of Id, as cVing to a variety of oaußea tho taxable value of land is not more than one (sic) what it was when the Land lax was formerly m operation. Mr O'Oillaghau is anxious to know whether the Government intend to bring In a Criminal Code Bill this aeßslon, and Is making enquiries of Ministers on the subject. Mr W. P. Reeves will to-day aßk the Premier what Btepe, If any; Government propose to take to prevent a large number of Chinese now m New Zealand waters landing m the colony. Me Taylor, member for Sydenham, Is interesting himself over the boxing mania lately bo prevalent m the colony, and intends to ask the Minister of Jaatlce whether he will take steps to prevent such demoralising exhibitions cm boxing, which seemß to be another name for men fighting, which are becoming bo prevalent throughout the oolony. The aame gentle* man is also moving for a comprehensive return as to the names of persona drawing pansions and the amounts, etc.