PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1925, 22 August 1888, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

[ (PROM ODB OWN CORRESPONDENT.) t Wellington, August 21, Mr Walker brought up this afternoon , ' grievance suffered by oountry settlers > who are being persecuted for avalllnj E themselves of return tickets on marke | days. The Department has dlsooverei that a great many people avail tbemselve of oheap market tickets, who go to towi for all kinds of purposes exoept for goini ■ to market. Having made this protentou discovery some time after the rest of th< world, the Department seems to have be | oome possessed with tbe notion that i ! could die criminate between people travel ; ling for one purpose and those travelling i for another purpose, and would refusi i tickets or grant them accordingly. Thi praotioal impossibility of detecting fraud) and the Irresistible premium offered tc dishonesty, does not Beem to have struoi the Dapartmant. Mr Walker, however, pointed these things out so forcibly thle afternoon, that we may, perhaps, expect an awakening of the official mind to the more obvious of the facts oonnected with the oaso. The subject of defence has been brought before the House by Mr W. P. Reeves, who enquired from tbe Minleter for Defence whether tbe cruisers now being constructed by the Imperial Government for New Zealand are of tha Aroher type, which has been recently stated to be a complete failure. The Minister had no information. Mr Rhodes to-day presented a petition to the Minister for Publio Works from sixty-three unemployed of the Temuka and Arowhenua Town Districts, asking for work of some kind. Mr Mltohelson promised to loqk Into tbe matter at onoe, and have a report from the looal officers on the subjeot. Ministers rather throw cold water on the efforts of the energetio Mr Valle to have a trial of his system made on the New Zealand railways. The Minister for Pnblio Works has informed Mr R Reeves In reference to the offor to lease the Auckland railways, that the guarantee offered I would have to be a very substantial one, as nothing lobb than cash would satisfy the Government The Bum that would have | to be deposited would be about £95,000, whioh would comprise £43,000, estimated net revenue at 2} pep oent, and at least £50,000 an against depreciation and the risk of allowing the lines to run Into disrepair. Government, however, oonelder the question to be such a large one that it would be injadloious at the present time to lease any portion of the railways. In view of thelaot that a Commission to manage the railways will Bhortly be ap- I pointed, nothing will bo done iv the meantime at any rate. It having been stated reoently that the aarvlon of a seoond officer m the New Zealand merohant servloe do not count as officers' services, and that this preoludes hla eligibility of examination of mate, Mr Bruoe is urging the Government to alter the Injastioe. Mr Bruce having served before tbe mast himself, bis advooaoy j will be appreciated.