PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1869, 16 June 1888, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

I (From our oww Cojiuespondent.) Wellington. Jaae 15 The Government proposals with regard to the no* oontraot for tha San Francisco service which will be laid on the table of the Hoaaa this aeEsion will provide for tho coutraot to bo of not loss than five yeara as they consider that no Syndicate or Company would build boa'a for a lesser period. The policy of tho Grovornmont with rowct to RiiilwiVß for the oorientu r i'ent yoar will consist prac ic\l!y of >h)!c stoppage. The only new oont-Rcti will b 3 ou the Ohseo Oantral and Manawatu Gor^o. The New Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill whic^i the Colonel Secretary ia Introducing will euablo corporate bodies to hispac!; food for slaughter, and to oondemn the same alrald they consider it unfit for human f od Tho Oonncil by 15 to 10 this afternoon throw out the Oodlln Moth Hill. Tha evening »aa devote. l to th» consideration of tha Tariff. On the Premier's motion the prlmago ducy of ono per oont wan amended by substituting tho worda " true and real vdna thoraof for fair market value thereof In the country whence tha same was Imported, " the i objsct being to prevent the U39 of fio Itlous Invoices A new clause waß added prov'dlng a penalty of £50 for the aalo, use or possession of unstamped playing cards, It was resolved to exempt from duty machinery ordered prior to tho Tariff, and landed within six months. The echecSule of duties was then takon, the items being reviewed seriatim The Souae was divided on the duty on apparel and ready-made olothinp, Mr Tanner wmtiog it re i a sad from 20 percent to the old ra'e of 15 p3r C3nt v but this was negatived" by 48 to 31. A motion to exempt cutton and linen w*s made by Mr Seddon, but thfa a'ao was lost by 48 to 30. When the item boots and shoes, 20 per cent, was reashed, Mr Sloes asked whether thn Piemier hid considered the proposals to charge the duties at per dozm pairs of boots, The Premier replied that he had done co, bat ho thought the ad valorem system preferable, A proposal by Dr Hodgklnaon to reduce the duty to 15 par oaut was loot by 48 to 26. Mr Seddon, who has always had a strong anti-Chineße leaning, Ib evidently of opinion that the conclusions of the Conference juat held at Sydney are not HufEoiently stringent m their chiraoter. Ho therefore intends to ask who was responsible for the Hon. Mr Oliver's late arrival In Australia. Tha annual vote of £500 for the New Zealand Riflj Association does not apr/eir on this year's estimates. It would there ford appear thalGbvvjmraent donot Intend the continuance of the meeting. Unless tho Hocue can induo4 Ministers to place the vote on the supplementary estimates, it is unlikely that the next fixture, which was to have bean held at Blenheim, will name off * [An article whbh appaars m to nlghi'a " Pojt " has fallen like a bombshell on the Arckland and Taronakl members. It Is pointed out that the Trunk Railway Loan juat floated has been raised for the construction of the Central Line, and not one peony of it oan ba diverted to any other purpose. The wording of tho North Island Main Trunk P.ailway Loan Appro priation Act 1886 ia peculiar, but a perusal of it shows not only that the C-.ntral Line la clearly defined but that the proceeds of the loan must be kept separate and spent on this lino only. The article says the loan now it is rased is Irrevocably oonneorated to the construction of the Main Oen'ral Line. Parliament may suapend exptnditore aa long as It likes, but the money must remain intiot until it la spent m the manner specified. Evea the expenditure on BUrreya or alternative lines dees not some within the limit of the Act and the M-nister of Publlo Works will bo unable to olmrge the coat of tl o expcns3s of tho Taranaki surveys to this loan, The Act Is not one which oan be repealed because It formß part of a oontraot frith the bond* holders who have eubecribed the loan and no Governor would give the Royil Assent to a Bill which varied tho security given for the money on terms of the contract with the bond-holdorß. Much merriment was canned m the House last nlftht during the dissuasion of tho qaes ion |of duties to be placed on certain kiuds of fabrics. Certain members expressed a deßlre which doubtless animates m:st hoads o,f fimllfes to diecourage extravagance m their households by means of t>riff Imposts, Qao gentleman declared that he did not care to encourage ladies m whom he was interested to be decked m silks and satins and brought down the house by observing that he considered beauty unadorned to be adorned the most. Menfra Moss, Perceval, and Fitohett, tho O< mraUtea appointed at a meeting of ProteotlonUta the other day to analyse the twlff with a view to deciding what ooaree the party shall take with reference to the tariff m Committee, have completed their taik, and to-day watted on the Premier, and had a long interview with him. The result was, I believe, satisfactory to both sides. A number of draperß m this city vfaited on tho Treasurer to-day made representations to him m connection with th,e tariff. They n^ed him to lessen the glasses of soft goods, and to give a bettor definition of the word '•appwel." The Premier *xpre:s d his willlu neis to oonsider the augge&tlcns, and probably a Committee will be formed to confer with him. The »pp,srel item., however, *&i passed qs it s^ood. Mr Walker presented to-day the petition of Edward Herring, of Aahburton, praying for an order compelling James Toner to pay certain costs, amounting to over £48, which petitioner had to piy for an aotlon brought against him by Toner, though he won It. g|Mr Perceval to-day presented a monster petition In favour of tho abolition of the totaliffttor, Bigned by tho Primate and some thousands of others. The Public Petitions Oomraltteo find that there really is mcch immorality m wicked Wellington, and m reporting on tha petitions complaining thereof recommended — (t) Thai tho ogo of oonaont be raised to Blxteon ; (2) that extended poweis be given to lha polioe to iuepeot brothels ; and (3) that the Contagious Dif eases Act be enforced m tho large towns. Some misconception exists about tho Shop Hours Bill, Fruiterers, tobacoonlstß, and confcQ 1 loners aro intended to be oxoepted from its ope-rations, and loonl option outside of the four large centres of the colony will be given A largo petition is coming to Wellington from Oamaru. Mr Anderson has given notice of the following question, with a view to getting something done m tho way of Rattling the question of railway mapagemont ;— lff it Is the Intention of the Government to Immediately consider the adjustment of railway freights, and the faollltioß for tho transport of agricultural &nd pistoral prodaoa on the New Zealand lines, for the parpoco of l tt fosterlog the agricultural and pastoral interests of the col6ny.' A return preaentei tp ; -day gives Intereßtlng particulars In connection with tho employment bf prison labor for the last finanolal year. At Auckland the oonv(ct3 employed the shloing hours l\\ roadmaking. They also to make 63 CTfflr/ii during the year, which wore Uiod for deceased Hospital and other oharitablo aid pensioners. At Dunedin iho principal minufaoturea wore socks and j icketa, whloh realised nearly £30. At Lyttsslton ooly prlntng waß done, for which tho Government printer is debited £50. At Napier It was all road work, the Napier Corporation being the buyer of moat of it, at a oout of £122, Jn Wei-

llngtoa the avenues of labor are woro numerous. Lke certain other bondnnon tha copvlo'b went ex'ensive'y into brlolcm^kin?, notably foe tho Government 1 IMotlng Offivs They also made picture frames, writing deaks and stools, meat safes, dog konnela and boots. The Pub'lo Petitions O.ramlttea have presented their regret on Me John Olllvior'a petition. Tho eff c L la as foX lowb :— Tho Solicitor-General's opinion wan that Mr Ollivier wan entlt'ed undor soct'on 33 of the Civil Servloe Aot, 1886, to a retiring allowance equil to half hie present salary of £500, viz, £250 por annual Tha Committee la of opinion that the petition Bbould be referred to the i Gmrntnenl, and they recommend that j effect ba given to the Sjllcitor-General'a opinion. A question reoontly discussed by the Opposition was the advlsablensss |of putting up some member of the party acquainted with finance to orltiolse the Government polioy. I understand that the choice has fallen on Mr Ward, of laveroarglll, who, m his speech on Wednesday night, haod'ed the financial questions with a good deal of ability and freedom. I nnderatand that tho Government intend to fi?ht oaoh item of the tariff, almost to making them party questions* Wellington, J aae 16 I understand a Hill Is to ba Introduced by tho Premier dealing with the SooUl TCvll. It will ba very stringent and probably be almost prohibitive against houses of evil roputo. The v\o*nt Qaostrd saat is to ba filled by Mr GedMes of Auckland.