PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1855, 31 May 1888, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Wellington, May 30. Comparative tahlea showing the proposed tariff aud that now In foroe have aot yet been distributed, and members havo hardly had time to make up their minda about It. So far, however, it is probable that the debate on the Government proposals will be taken on Friday. Che Premier p ye notice to move that when tbe Customs Duties Bill comes up for the Becond reading on Friday, it shall take precedence over all other business until It has passed through all Its stages, Ec stated m explanation that he did not know whether they would be able to have the debate on Friday, but If it was possible, he ehould like to have the discussion, when It onoe began, oarried right through before any other subject Is taken up.

During the last few days it has been very apparent that things were not all they should be iv the Ministerial family, and these rumors have been taking a very decided shape m the dlreotlon of an unqualified statement that one Minis* ter (Mr Fisher) handed to an Opposition member (Mr Oadman) a motion m his own handwriting, for a return m reference to a matter connected with the department of Mr Mltohelson with the idea of holding Government up to ridicule. The motion was on the Order Paper for to-day, but, at the request of the Premier, It was postponed till Friday, and m the meantime It ii anticipated Sir H- Atkinson will have to deal with hia unhappy subordinates. Whit steps he will tal'_ to put right the spilt I can't, of course, say, but It la frce'.y stated that he Intends and has no other oourse open than to call on the Hon Mr Fisher to resign. The denauement is awaited with great Interest, . Mc O'Conor is enquiring of Government, if the land on the ooast of the Middle Island, ao long looked up by the Midland Railway negotiations, will be opened for settlement during the reoess. Government have done nothing In the way of Improving the management of the Lincoln College. Government intend to republish the "Gazette" notices formerly Issued, by whioh "Rough on Rats " will be amenable to the aame regulations as other poisons. .'.."'".', Mr McGregor has given notloe to Introduce a Gorse and Sweet-briar Eradication Bill. . , Mr Taylor. will ask the Premier on Tuesday whether he intends to bring In a BUI to amend the Civil List Aots In i the dlreotlon of reducing tho salaries of the Judges after the present Judges ceaae to hold their appointments. Members have evidently not thoroughly 1 digested the finanolal dose given then, by i the Premier last evening and there is a good deal of indeolslon amongst them as to the course they shall pursue. The Protectionists, of course, have partly got what they require, and I am credibly Informed that they are generally expected to vote with th« Ministry for the retention of all duties of a protective character, though on the other proposal such as the ; inorease of the tariff on tea they will feol themselves at liberty to take whateverstepß they may please,, In fact there 1 is already a growing Inclination to throw out this tea duty, or at any rate redoes it, but members who profess to be m the confidence of Ministers state that if this is done the oountry members will be informed that they will be deprived of local subsidies. Then the Freetraders art«; of course, on the horna of a dilemma. They are to a man "deadnuta" on tie tariff and talk openly of revolting, bat are met with the reflection that the Opposition would only give them a mire protective one. There will be, no d abt, a number who will forswear 'th^ir allegiance and amongst these are openly mentioned Meßsra Menteath, Newmau Bruce, Scoble Maokenz'e, and oih ra. The protectionists of course feel they have not got all they want, but will take what they can and hope for morej and tbe bulk of them will stick to Government ] Thus although there may be eliminations J and alterations In the tariff it will get , through, and theD, having secured their point, the Oppoaltion will be In opposition still, and the Freetraders, who are t supporters of the Government and. who ' have voted against them, will feel themselves called on to go Into opposition, and it is predicted that a very snort apace of 1 time may see a change. Mr Rhodes Is urging on Government to amend the Jurors Aot so aB to give jurors free pasßes over the railways wben attending the Supreme Court, Mr Pearson (possibly at the wish of the Government) intends to move on going ' into Committee of Supply, that In all cases where the average attendance exceeds one hundred, the minimum age ef children attending eohoolo be lnoreased to six years. MV Taylor has received the following letter from the Hon Seoretary to the Knlghtß of Labour :—«' l am Instructed by the Knights of Labour to oal I your attention to the arbitrary rule by which all single men are refused employment oh the High Peaks' road. ■=- Many of the men ere so destitute that they are unable to find lodgings, and are oompelled to sleep m the park or elsewhere, even m this Inclement weather. Thki state of things ought aurely not to be allowed, and we trust that yoa and other representatives will press Government to take steps to remedy the evil." A rather amusing scene ooourred m the House this afternoon, whioh caused laughter. When the motion to Introduce the Auckland Harbor Improvement Bill came on, Mr Peacock, who should have moved it, was absent, and the Speaker Inquired lf anyone had been authorised to move it for him. There waß no response, and the Speaker was proceeding to the next order, when Mr Monk suddenly jumped up and said that he bad been authorised. It looked so much like a made-up affair that everyone roared with laughter. The motion was rgreed to. A pause ensued, and Mr Monk, suddenly recollecting the usual formula, said, "1.. have the Bill," whioh was responded to by the Speaker with «• Bring npthe Bill." This demand completely flabbergasted the genial member for Waltemata, who had not provided for the contingency, and he looked around m a hopeless manner, whioh brought a fresh outburst. Then, frantically grasping a piece of blotting paper, he waa about to present it as the Bill; but, being warned of the faot, hej eventually succeeded In handing's quire of blank notepaper to the Speaker, ; and the Standing Orders were compiled with, An Important dla'auasion 1 took plade In the "Lords!' today, when General Sir G. S. Whltmore moved— "^hat It ig ! dealraple, m the present critical condition of Foreign affairs that the Colonial Militia should ha enrolled, and that, at such of our chief ports aa may not possess an adequate force, a portion of oar first olass Militia should be oalled oat foe training and exercise." • The Attorney-General said that he hoped, the matter having been brought forward, the motion would be withdrawn. Government were convinced of the necessity for some action m the matter, and he undertook that the qu-BwCn "-^"'l hn broua ht before the Cabltiet ; though for the Council to agree to the motion might oreate a scare whioh was at pVeaent not warranted. Mr R. Thomson is again urglqg the Government to bring m some form of taxation to eff_ot absentees. Mr Fish la enquiring from Ministers if they Intend to propose to the Hiuse tha d_Bcontnnian<_o of one of the ocean mail Bervitop. - G ;Yfc-i-in_ia:it i j tend to give every opportunity for free selection to smallgqettleri In the vicinity 4 of the gqn^elta.

A*— ' ' - - r - ,-„- ""ni-ajg The Public Petltlcus Oommlttee re commend Government to find suilaVe employment for M»j >r Gaacoyne. Dr Hacon, of Ohrlatchurch, baa petitioned to-day for one hundred guineas compensation for the cultivation nt calflymph from one hundred and forty o-lves. Mr Fißh is urging Government to brag out a second shlpmpnt of salmon ova. Government Intend to appoint a Roy*l Commission to deal with the claims of Joshua Jones, of Mokau. Wellington, May 31. Mr McGregor*. Gorse and Sweetbrlar Eradication Bill propr-aea t"> give to Oounty Oonncila and Road Boards enlarged powers to clear gorae and sweetbriar from public roads and commons, and charge the cost to adjoining property owners. At present thlß 1b permitted m Boroughs and Road Boards but the terms of tbe Aot are ambiguous, and thia Bill will set the matter at reßt.