PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1886, 6 July 1888, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

(From our own Cobbmpondbnt.) WiLLmaTON, July 5. Government, It Ib stated, will accept the amendment proposed by Mr Withy to the motion for going into Committee of Snpply, as it is really a yery inoffensive affair, and If carried outs away the ground from any other motion of a more stringent character, making it an absolute instruction to Government to still farther re trench by a specified sum as was expected. It is possible that a still farther amend-* tnent will be moved In the direction of pedaairig the amount to say £30,000 or £40,600, and msking it compulsory. Everything is very ' doll In the lobbies Jo-day, and members seem to oo anxious j to get tho tariff out of the way. The Wellington papers are all very rough on Mr Withy's motion, wbloh, •Ithoagh, on the faoe of it, (s no doubt harmless enough, is said to bs fraaght with all sorts of dangers to men drawing low salaries m the Seryloe, and consequently In all branches of trade. Oaring bis speech oa the Tariff Bill thU.afternoon, Mr Fish was illustrating some remarks as to the manner m which ffrera} fiwahesi bad ?e(«n«4 to torched

wire mado m the colouy, and proceeded to read a letter he had received on the auV j ofc from North and 00., of Donedin, baroed wire manufacturers, whioh was rather rou?h upon their detractors. The Speaker, however, refused t> permit the letter to be read. I have procured a copy from Mr Fiah as a matter of interest at this time. After referring to the foot that members hod referred to Colonial barbed wire as rubbish, teu tona of whtah wore only eqatl to one ton of English wire, the writer states that therj are three tons of " Colonial rubbish" coming to Wellington whioh they lnvi'e members to inspect. The letter continues " We venture to any they will then be of a diffdreit opinion If bo, I think If, will be only fair to U3 that they should apologise." In referenoe to tbe charges made m the House recently by Mr Ham!in m refdrenoe to Ohief Judge M'Donald some explanations were yesterday present e 3 to both Houses from the latter gentleman. He gives a general denial to thj» oharges, and as to his alleged admission that the Attorney -General had told him that be had exceeded his daty, and that he was wrong, he says that he knows nothing upon whioh this allegation oan be founded sare some remarks that passed between Sir F. Whltaker and himself and Wetere, m whioh he he certainly shared the doubt regarding Sir F« Whitaker'o opinion, that by reason of the Speokl Powers and Contracts Aot, 1885, the Administration Aot applied to Jones In relation to Afokau, No. 10. That doubt he still shares, after having heard Sir F. Whltaker. It appears that some interesting questions of privilege are likely to arise In consequence, as the Jadge's explanation was presented to both Houses, and as it deals with allegations made m the House of Representative, the . Ooonoll oannot consider the matter ; bat as the paper is presented by ordtx of His Ezoeilenoy the Governor, the Council oannot resent Its presentation without disrespect. It Is also contended that It la unconstitutional for an outsider to enter Into controversy with a member speaking m his place, and that this instance Is likely to afford a dangerous precedent-;

Whether by accident or design, de poneni sayeth not, but it app iars that m (he tariff which has just been pasee 1, Volunteer uniforms have been placd m the 25 p r cent duties, whereas formerly they were admitted free. Mr Valentine, who takes a good deal of interest m Volunteer matters, is bringing the matter under the notice of the Government, and is anxious to have a definite statement by the Premier as to whether the change wan made by deafga or accident. If the change is purposely made he wishes Sir Harry to take steps for removing the duty, aod to permit uniforms to be admitted free as heretofore.

Royal Commissions, it appears, are very costly affairs for the Colony, judging from tho99 whioh have boon held during *the period from 1883 to 1888. During the five yeara named there were thirtynine Commissions, at an aggregate cost to the colony of £27,285 3s 3d, of which amount the Commissioners received £6524 12s 6d Cf course all other sums are drafted by the Commission under the West Coast Settlement Act 1880, which coat the colony £20,459 7b Id, the sum of £2297 13s 7d being paid to Sir William Fox,

Wellington, July 6. At last the great Tariff struggle is over once and for all. Protection has been decJarod by the Houee to be the policy of trie country foi tbe future aftir a most protracted discussion, which had reached ana'mott wearisome stage long before midnight. The debate on the third reading of the Bill concluded at one o'clock ths morning, when the third readiDg was carried by 44 to 22, and the Bill was finally passed. A feature of the evening was the speech of the Premior, who was exceeding happy m summing up the oppo nents to Government on different Bides of the House,' His speech was not only an exceedingly clear exposition of his position and that ef his Government on the great question, it was also moderate and good humored m tone towards his opponents. It is said that it had the rare effect of influencing votes, for, whereas whips just before he rpoke rockonnd on a majority of only ten or eleven for the Bill, the actual majoiity after ho had spoken was as large as 23, a very emphatic affirmation by tbo House of its approval of a Protectionist policy. To-day the debate on Mr Withy's resolution will be resumed and it is anticipated that it will bo carried.

_ A meeting of members interested m the qusstion of Bible Reading m Schools was held this morning, at which the following were present: — Messrs Meczlos, Brett, Baillie, Holmes and Reynolds from the Oouocilf and Messrs Fulton, Hodgkfnson, jftho4es, McKenzle, Fish, Allan, Buxton, and Joyce. Several apolrgles were received from members unable to be present. It was decided after disoutaton that a mo' ion be tabled at onoe m both Houses of the Legislative affirming the principle of Bible Beading m public sohoola. The meeting then adjourned for a week.