PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1845, 19 May 1888, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

* « (From oubowx Cobrespondent.) j Wellington, May 18 ' A deputation of members interested m ' Hospital and Charitable Aid business, ' have arranged to wait on the Premier on | ( Wedueaday next, with a view to Induce ! Government to bring m a Bill making the subdivision of tba proaent Hospital and Charitable Aid districts autonomatle. Mr Smith informs me he has had an ' interview with the Minister of Public Works as to the use of firewood on loco- ! motives running through bush districts, and was Informed that arrangements are ' being made m various parts of the colony to give the proposal a trial. As wired by me to-day, the Opposition decided at their caucus this morning not to be present when the motion for amending the standing orders rame on, and this waa carried out to the letter, for when the time arrived at which they Bhould have been debated this afternoon, there was an array of empty benches, a number even of the Government supportera being absent. The secret of their intentions was well kept, but it was very patent to Government what was on the board, and they oounter-movei by quietly adjourning the motion till Tuesday. This waa an astute stroke of policy for the Opposition have now disclosed the line they propose to take, and Government will have an opportunity to worry round amongst the dissentients, and by striking out and amending where moat desired get the bulk of the new proposals through. ; A matter of great importance to farmers is being brought under the notice o( Government by Mr McKeDzle, who haß notified bis intention cf asking the Minister of Public Works on Tuesday, if he will consider the propriety of altering the tariff on the New Zealand railways, with a view to wheat being charged for by actual weight. An important question is being worked up at the present time by Mr Hutchison m regard to the law of criminal evidence In the colony- At present, In the case of a person being oharged with an indictable offence, either the husband or wife cannot give evidenoa on tbe other's behalf, but recently a Bill passed through the English House of Lords, making it possible for husbands or wives to give evidence, and Mr Hutchison wishes to have the Ne w Z aaland law assimilated. He has been in'ormed that the Attorney-General has the matter under consideration. No blooks of land have yet been set aside under the provisions of clause 83 of the Charitable Institutions Aot, 1885. Mr MaoArtbur 1b moving to have the half yearly payments of special settlors made at the looal postoffices. A Bill to provide for alterations m the law relating to bllls-of-sale, etc, is under consideration of Government. Numerous petitions from Wellington residents, praying for legislation to prevent an increase of prostitution amongst yomvj girls m Wellington were presented to-day . The Cabinet have under consideration a measure to enable the imposition of taxation on oredlt balances m banks. Mr R. Thompson intends to introduce the North Auokland Railway Construction Bill on Tuesday. Mr J G. Wilson Is enquiring of the Government if they will have experiments m tree planting made In the Taupo dlstrlot. Government do nob think ft advisable to sue for baok rents for leases under the Thermal Springs Act. Mr Sydney Taiwhauga is enquiring from the Government if they know the whereabouts of Forwood, the levanting solioltor of Auckland. Mr J. G. Wilßon is urging the Native Minister to try and make some arrangements with the Natives to enable the Tuhua country to be properly prospected for gold. A rumor is now current to the effect than an effeot will be made to Induce Sir George Grey, on his arrival, to assume the leaderehip of the Opposition, as It is f dlt that some North Islander should hold the position In the event of his refusal, the name of Mr Samuel lb mentioned. Mr Ward wishes the Minister for Public Works to state when the Seaward Bueh Railway will be oommenoed. The Premier has under consideration the necessity of taking some action m regard to New Zaaland copyright. Mr Carroll desires that Government should legislate to tbe effaot that only persons properly qualified mentally and morally should be permitted to aot as Native Inßpeotors Mr Beethan ia urging on the Govern' ment to bring m a Bill to provide for the taxation of the totalisator, m terms of hla motion. Mr Joyce whheß to have railway passes granted to Civil servants In receipt of less than £100, a3 now given to higher officials. Government have In view the reduction of expense to Inventors under the Patents Aot. Mr Guinness will, next Tuesday. Introduce a Workmen's Wages Bill. Mr O'Oallaghan is movlog for a Live Stock Committee. Mr Guinness intends to move for an increase m the price of miners' rights to Chinamen from 5s to 20a. There Is no intention of opening the seal fisheries at present. The Premier promises to bring down a revised tariff very shortly. Mr Joyce wishes to know from the Premier when tho House may expect an announcement of ths appointment of Railway Commissioners. Government are not sure what they can legally do m regard to the eaoapeißS from French convict stations, and are taking the advioe of the Grown law officers on the point. Mr Guinness is moving for copies of all j correspondence as to the removal of the Greymouth Harbour Board. Government do not consider Mr Kimber'a State-aided emigration scheme to be practicable. Plane for thePohanglne bridge, on the Palmereton-Napier Hue, are prepared, but nothing will be known as to when tenders will be oallod till after the delivery of the Pablio Works Statement. A lively discussion was anticipated m the Legislative Council to-day over a question by the Hou S. B. Shrimskl as to what authority the Government have for undertaking a survey of the line of railway to continue the private line belonging to the Mokohlnul Coal Company to join the Government railway to Westport ; also, the names of any members of either House of Parliament who are shareholders or otherwise interested In the Mokohlnul Coal Company. This question is intended to hit at Mr O'Oonor, aS.H.R., who, after the manner m which he was treated by the Government la the Woatpott harbor affair last aeaßlon, wao expected to go back into opposition again. ! The construction of tha line mentioned proved a sufficient sop, however, and Mr Eugeue O'Oonor Is still a Government supporter. Mr Seddon is very anxious to have several amendments made In tha law regarding auctioneers' licenses, principally, he informs me, with a view to the prevention of Dutch auotiona, to make license fees available for tha revonuo of the whole of the colony, and to give auctioneers wholesale spirit Hoenaaa. He haa enquired of the Premier whether tha Government will bring In a Bill to deal with the matter, and ba? been informed . ! that Government have under confederation ■ a mnanirfl, tho principal feature of whioh w'll -« m apply auctioneers' liceaaeajto g--'-'" --• '-' orenue, though tha money will ou -■- 4 :.i ; >.ly bo distributed amongst tho ' local oldies, and will||inorease||the funds of country bodies, i*MJiS&£i3) .

Mr J G. Wilson, who moved m ft similar direction last session, is endeavor* iDg to procure the appointment of a Select Committee, to which all matters relating to education shall be referred, and whioh may initiate enquiry with regard to edncitfon, or osnclude Investigations commenced by the Committee of last year. Be proposes a Committee of ten, so consist of Messrs Fisher, .Allen, Beathnm, Looghrey, M, J. S. M'Kenzle, Ormond, Birron, SValkee, Dr Fltohett, and The sadden inorea3e of late la the export of dairy produce from the colony his been receiving attention at the hands of members, and with a view to improving the quality of articles tamed oat by oar farmers, several anggeatlons have been made. Perhaps the best of these la the idea of Mr Buchanan, who is of opinion that Government plant, worked by a firstclass man, and taken from oue part of the country to the other, for exhibition at shows, etc., would be of great value. He haa brought the matter under the attention of Ministers, and has beea given to understand that Ministers fully appreciate the importance of the industry, and are m communication with the Agent-General as to the beat means of improving the class of dairy produce exported. The member for Port Chalmers, Mr Milia, has virtually informed the Govern . ment that, on the first opportunity, he will move to reduce the appropriation foi the construction of the North Island Trunk Railway to £600,000, the amount which is understood to have been expended la anticipation of the next special loan. In I this connection the Premier statad that it [ was possible that, sa the seßßion went on, Is might on necessary to stop work on not only the North line, bat also cm >ho OUgo Centra! Hue. A return which ia expected to prove interesting, is to be moved for by Air Pearson, to obow all tenders received for the supply of railway sleepers during the past two years, to give the names of personvtenderlng, the prioe at which they tendered, tbe kinda of timber tendered for, the name of the parsons whose tenders were aooepted, with prioes, and whether such aooepted tenders were made publicly cc privately. The " Post " states that the tariff propoaalaof the Government will not embody any general lnorease In ad valorem duties upon goods which can be manufactured m the Colony ac has been Btated. Ministers have exercised careful discrimination In preparing the tariff to avoid m jar lons effects upon any branoh of trade. Some duties will, however, ba Increased m the direotion of giving encouragement and facilities for tbe development of the industries of the country. The Hon G. Fisher, Minister of Eduoatlon, wa9 caught tripping, this afternoon, by Mr Tambull In the education report just brought mby him. He states that In future the cost of ereotioa of school bn'ildingß should be made from the Consolidated Fund, and m this connection Mr Turnblll enquired of him, as to persons not contributing to the Custom duties, if the Minister had considered the faot that absentees owned about eight and three-quarter millions of property ? The Hon George replied m a vesy off-h«,nd manner to the effect that he had not considered the point, and that Mr Turnbull should have referred the matter to the Treasurer, as he had nothing to do with it. Tbe member for Timara very happily enquired how it was, then, that the Minister of Education had referred to the matter at all m his report, if he had nothing to do with it ? His question was so pertinent that Mr Fisher, to use the vernacular, was "Bhut up." Mr T. M'Kenzle, who haa been interesting himself m the question of falee trade marks, states that it is a oommon thicg at the present time within the colony for good 3 made np after the style of oolonially manufactured aoticles, suoh as tweed, etc, to be exposed for Bale as Mosgiel tweeds, when m reality they are only very eecond rate clothes. He haß brought the matter nnder the notloe of the Government, and has been Inform d that a BUI, ia which the matter is to be dealt with, 1b being prepared. The question of reporting proceedings m Committee, m connection with the Loan Bill, was discussed by the Reporting Debates Committee to-day, but no decision was arrived at bayond a hazy under* standing that whenever, m the dim and distant future, a Loan Bill comes before the House, the debates upon it will be reported m "Hansard" at all stages. Wellington, May 19. The Chinese Bill passed all its stages m the Lower House yesterday, m spite of strong opposition on the part of Mr Seddon, who fought hard to have the title altered. The Bill whioh was to amend the Loan Bill had a narrow " equeak " m the Legislative Oounoll yesterday, only being carried by a narrow majority of two. It it is said that the exceedingly strong speech of Sir F. Whltaker had the effect of turning two votes at the last moment, otherwise, the Bill would have been lost.