PARLIAMENTARY NOTES,

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1914, 9 August 1888, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES,

(Pxb Press Association.)

Wbujwgton, August 8

The question of the Native Bills is assuming anef phase, and the debate m Committee, which was to have taken place this evening, has been again postponed. Sir George Grey informed the House to-night that the Maori chiefs were getting np a petition asking the House to postpone the whole question, and several of them wished to be heard at the bar of the House, which somewhat took member 8 by surprise, inclading the Premier, who promised m consequence to postpone consideration of the Bills, and permit the Natives to address the Honsa. The retnlt was that instead of going into Committee on the Bills they ware postponed, and m consequence the delivery of the Public Works Statement is further off than ever.

The general opinion now seems to be, after the action of the Opposition m regard to Major Campbell's appointment to a leat In the Upper House, that the matter will now be quietly dropped. Ramor has It that In view of the inoreaeicg age of Sir W. Fitzherbert, the probability Is that Major Campbell would have been appointed to the Speakership or the Council or the resignation of the present occupant of the chair, and this is at the back of the. anxiety to place Mrjor Campbell amongst the Lords.

Notice cf the folio (flog important motion has been given m the Upper Home by the Hen Me Waterhouse, and ft la expected to cause a brisk debate m the Council .— " That aD address be presented t6 Hia Excellency the Governor, pointing oat that' whereas the practice has crept into Parliament of Bills inakiog granti of land belonging to the Grown being introduced by private members contrary to the spirit, if not the letter, of • the Constitution, and whareas the contlnnance of each practice is calculated to lead to a waste of the pablio estate, this Coanoil requests that His Excellency will cause a Bill to be introduced into Parliament providing that no Bills disposing of lands belonging to the Grown ahall be introduced Into Parliament, except m the manner provided m the Constitution Aot, as regards the Introduction of Bills disposing of the monies of the Crown." Matters to-day have been unußaally dull m the lobbies, owing to the faot that there was no sitting of the House, though the Lords occupied themselves as usual, ■nd debated at great length on the second reading of the Fair Bent BUI. The successful move of Government last night m getting through the balance of the Estimates Is likely to expedite the close of the session, and Ministers now anticipate being able to bring the session to « oloee within a fortnight. Althongh do division has been come to as to the order of boalneas, it is probable that Friday will be set apart for the consideration of the 'Frisco mall question, and that the Publfc Works Statement will be delivered on Tuesday. It is anticipated that the Premier will to-morrow make a statement as to the Bills to be proceeded with this session.

Wellington, August 9.

In reference to the possibility of tbe new Railway Board consisting of the present and ex Minis' er§ of Public Works with Mr Hannay, I have the authority of the gentleman who is working the matter up In the lobbies for saying that ( the idea is taking very well and be is ■anguine of there being a majority of Ministers m Its favor. It (s stated that the Premier has been approached on the sub jeot, bat members did not get maoh satisfaction out of him as it is believed that be has some pet soheme of his own as to tbe personality of the Board but if It was shown that the proposed Board was satisfactory to the House it is thought he wonld fall In with it. At any rate I am assured he is adverse to the appointment of an expeit from Home on the ground that the circumstances there are so utterly different, the lines being worked to and from a centre, and m opposition to other Hoes which would not be tbe case m New Zealand.

A deputation of Canterbury and Northern members waited on the Premier last night to urge upon him the necessity of taking some steps to deal with the unemployed difficulty, and to promote Tillage settlements. Major Steward, who arranged the interview, pointed out the advantages cf some sort of labor settlements being adopted whereby tenders -oould be invited from persons owning land m the vicinity of large towns willing to sell it being either resold or let to laborers In five or ten^aore blooks. Tbe Premier promised to give the matter his Attention.

A bonus for the encouragement of the mannfactare of oondanaed milk is saggeited by Mr Mills, member for Port Chalmers, who wants a vote for tbla par* pose to be pUced on the Snpplenteatar; Estimates. Mr Mills jadiolously paved " the way for this proposal some weeks ago, by distributing some most excellent ■amples of condensed milk manufactured by an Otago firm m Mr Mills' constituency.