PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2160, 28 June 1889, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

(fEOM OUK OWN COBBESPONDBNT ]

Wbmjnoton, June 27 Members are talking of prorogation already, and m view of the progress msd» In business up to date there are «ome who •ntleipate that the session will not la-t wore than seven or eight weeks, Oap'aln Home, Sergeant at Arms, Ja about to resign his position, bav!r« bern •ppolntod gaoier afc Trial B»y, New Sooth W.le., at a salary ot £4&0, booae and allowances, Tn view nf the increased price of »ngnr Mr Tnrnbull is moving m thi dlrf otlon of ■ modification of the dnty on jacohnriip. Only two private Bills are down for today. Government propose to resume consideration of tbe eat) mates to-nlgbt. Captain Home, th« Sergeßutat-Arme, having resigned his position, the House this afternoon passed a resolution thank ing him for the exemplary manner In which he had dhobarged his dnties. Government are considering the desirableness of offering echolarehipß to children attending the classes of schoo s of mines m mining distrio'B Government announce tbat they have ... -. no intention of moving m tbe direction of amending the Licensing Act so as to allow married wemen to hold publicans' A Ot.mmhree is to be appointed to further enquire into tbe claims of old soldiers. The Rouße was this afternoon occnpied with Maiir Steward's Educational Franohiee Bill which has been before the House for some sessions past, but which has always been killed m the Upper House. Tke Major got his Bill through with flying colors, and hopes that some modifications may induce the Lords to assent to it. The lawyers had their fill to-day over Mr Hutchison's Orimioal Evidence BIP, with the provisions of which the gentlemen of long tob-> were In such unueual acoord that the discnsßion on the second reading only lasted a few minutes, and being agreed to, tbe House prooeeded to tbe lorthor coneidaration of the octimatea, The greater of the afternoon and even \iug sittings were occupied In the discus- ' "«lon of the item for salary of the Inspector ' of Lunatio Asylums and Hospitals, £1200 Government entered into an engagement *" f with Pr Macgregor foi five years at the ' salary mentioned, providing the Bouse agreed to the terms This a good^ many " membeni w«re nnwilling to do, obj oting to establish the princip e of entering into •ngagements with oflßcers of the Civil Bervice for a stated term of years. The vote eventually passed and ihe remainder of the votes were paseed without alfceralion by 10.30 when the House rose. The deputation appointed by tha meetiog of town members the other day waited on the Premier to-night urging bim not to aoeede to the wish of country members to - increase the mirgin of representation to '■j the country difctriots. The Premier promised tbttt tbe oiattar should be fully eonßideied by Government before ihe Bill ii finally dealt with -;■■.-.'-' WiiriNOTON, June 28 The Premier has promised tbe country members that their wishes snail be considered with reference to inoreaiiog tbe margin of country representation. It Is understood that Ministers ate divided on >hiasnbj»ot. ; A deputation of North Island members waited on tbe Premier this morning, and atked that Government should const root ati other section of tbe North Island trunk line: The Premier promised that the mattrr should be oonildered. Bhoold the House tpyot the Bdpraien- l * -taMonßHl, providing foe the Hart Sjetem ; will lntroduoe another Bill 'for regulating election! on the present system. An important proposal to ba made by Government, Is that henceforward any ; BUI passed by one House and twice rejtoted by the other at an interval of six months, is, on tbe demand of tbe Houso which passed the Bill to be submitted to - • joint sitting of both Houses, the Speaker of the Council presiding, when It may be amended. Then if »n absolute majority of tbe two Hoaees sitting together pass tbe Bill, it is to go up for Royal assent. "■.. At a meeting of the Opposition tbirtytwo members were preeent and seven ant •oologies. Mr Laoce was m the chair. It was proposed by Mr John Mackenzie seconded by Colonel Fraser that Mr Bal lance ba requested to accept the leadership of tbe opposition, Mr Ballanoe «ald >f it was the wish of the party he ■would consider the matter and give a *ep!y o» Monday,