LOBBY GOSSIP.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2193, 4 July 1914, Page 5

LOBBY GOSSIP.

AND POINTS FROM DEBATES " DAILY SUMMARY Not much timo was spent upon preliminaries in the House of Representa-i , tires yesterday afternoon. Some small Bills wore advanced a stage, and tbero was a brief discussion on the subject of land settlement operations. Shortly after 3 p.m. tho no-confidenco debate wns lesumod at the jog-trot gait, and .in tho tranquil spirit which has characterised it almost since it started. Mr. 'W. D. S. Mac Donald dealt extensively with tho subjects of land settlement and public works, and drew an effective reply from the' Hon. W. Fraser. These speeches ami-others which followed had very little bearing upon' tho party strife which was supposed to be in progress. . Mr. A. E. Glover made a sober and restrained speech which was not. so much an attack upon the Government as diiiild criticism of some points of its policy. Mr' J. H. Bradney,. member-for Auckland West, spoke in his usual downright style-about the.strike of 1913 and other matters. The debate was carried on -upon normal lines until after 11 p.m. by Messrs. G. Witty, D. Buick, and J. Robertson. „ ■' An' incident .then occurred which agitated the Houso considerably. While' Mr. Robertson held the floor, Mr. J. Payne (member for Grey. Lynn) said, applying liis words to the Prime Minister: ''He- sits there by bribery and corruption. 1, Mr. Ptiyue declined to withdraw words, and the Prime Minister moved 'that they be taken' down. _ The Opposition, at first called for a division, butgiivp way at tho second call. ..Mr. Payne was ordered to withdraw from the Chamber, and tho Prime Minister moved that'he be suspended for the rest of tho silting. A long discussion followed! ' After it had continued for about an hour, it was decided to give Mr. Payno,another chance to withdraw, but wh?n search was.made for him he could not be found.- When tho Speaker announced this fact there was an outburst of laughter. The Prime Minister gravely rebuked this hilarity, and moved that tho matter stand over until'next sitting day.: This was agreed to', and Mr. Robertson resumed his ■ interrupted speech— with two minutes,to 50. Tho debato was adjourned on -tiro motion of Mr.' J. H. Escott, and the House ross at 0.15 a.m. , - Just before the 5.30 adjournment the Prime Minister laid the report of the Publio. Service Commissioner on , tho tablo? He promised that members would be,given an opportunity Inter to. discuss, tho report. •-■' , The "legislative Council yesterday, presented the Addrcss-in-Reply to His Excellency's Sneccli. Later, on the. tion/Of the Hon. H. D. Dell, tho council adjourned till July 15. FACTS ABOUT LOAN -JtAISINC. An interesting. altercation. relating ti thoraising pi loans', occurred Jn the. Houso yesterday afternoon between, the Leader of the Opposition (Sir .Joseph Ward) and' the- Minister of Finance (tho Hon. J, : Allen),-. . ,'•'.. Mr. Myers asked' the Minister of Finance when ho proposed to table full particulars; of the four and a-half, million loan. '' ,' ','■-■;' ' ' -■'■.-.. ' Mr. Allen said he hoped to embodynil the information in.the:financial Statement.) -He-ihad-,)iot,[a.ll .the.ipar-; .ticulars- yet. ■ ■ ■ . ; . Sir J. Ward: Have you got,particulars of' the former loan?' _ '. ■ ■_, ' Mr. Allen: I lmvo tho information about the former loan. That will bo embodied in tho Financial, Statement. Sir J. Ward: Will the honourable gentleman, s?' , '. wkpt'vr. ho .has had to pay more or lese in charges than wer paid foV former loans? Mr. Allen: Ycb. I have paid'less. Sir J. Ward: In what respect? /.- Mr. Allen said that ho had raised a considerable amount of monoy without paying any underwriting fee at all. : .. ' ::.'■• '.'" • ' , Sir' J. Ward: Through the London Stock Exchange? ' '. ' ; 1 Mr. ■Allen: Through the brokers in London. ■■''■''■ '. • . ' •■".;. Sir.Ji Ward: This is n most important matter, about which the honourable gentleman should'-, not equivocate. ■I ■ am asking him whether he has succeeded , in-getting any cheaper rates — which are;" agreed upon alwayt by .the committee .of tho . Lotdon Stook .Exchange—for tho loans -ho has He added that on more than, one occasion he had raised money 'u London , without paying commission and/brokerage. What he was asking about was tlio flotation of loans— whether he had paid any les-s for the flotation,of his lotins than the ordinary rates.'. This question the honourable gentleman - would not answer fairly. ■■ ■ ' : ;•/ ;,

"Mr. Allen: "I have answered it absolutely ' fairly—-that money , lias Leon | raised in London without the payment of any underwriting fee. I haivo never raised ally loan* nor do I , know that the. honourable - gentleman lias, through tlioi London Stock Exchange. • ■■' ' Sir J. Ward: Ho is equivocating. Mr. Allen: The honourable gentleman lias "never in liis life- raised money through'the London Stock Exchange, ahd'.neitlipr .have-1. • . Sir Ward repeated his accusationabout "equivocation,". but Mr. Speaker .ordered wjthdrawal of the word, and it r \vas withdrawn. Ho repeated "that the.-Stock \Exchange had. always agreed on tlio rates for loans; , and ho irisliod to know whether the nonoiirable- gentleman had. succeeded in getting any lower, rates than those fixßf) formerly. •*■'' .".,-■ '• Mr. .Allen,': I havo , raised considerable, sums, of- money without. paying any underwriting; fee, and without pay-ing-ordinary charges. I haven't raised any loans, nor lias ho, through, the Stock Exchange. ,Ho has raised his loans as I have rais't-d mine, through the Bank of and our broker in London. ' ' : . Sir' J l . Ward: For'which, tbp Stock Exchange, fixed;, the rates. " He added that be was -Sorry the Minister was evading tho question: MivAllon: I have given the honourp.blo fseiitloman a fair answer, but ho is trying to riiislsa'd +he public'by snggtstion: I havo raised no loans through tho Stock Exchange; THE STRIKERS AND THE LAW. A vigorous protest. against the lawless assumption "of authority of which tho strikers ivere guilty during iho industrial upheaval last year was uttered by Mr. J. H. Bradney, M.P., when ho spoko in tho , .House of llcprosentr.tives last night. ■ ' . "My partner practically had to go crawling to thc'tStrike Committee and ask permission • to carry goods up'the river," MY. Bradney indignantly <1«elared. , Mr. Webb (Grey): Tliat is dreadful! . Mr. Dradnoy: Of course it is dreadful for a man to have to ask a Strike Committee for permission to carry on bis lawful avocation! He did not eay that men' should not havo tho riglit to strike, but they certainly should not have the right to nrevont other men pursuing their lawful avocations. ACQUISITION OF ESTATES LAW COSTS.. ~ATetiirn presented to Parliament I yesjterday gives particulars of the cost. jtif acquiring estates under (he Land for Spttlements Aft since 190-1, including tho legiil and other costs shown separately. The amounts paid for law I costs in connection with Flaxlxrarno j were: l''indlay. Dalzicll and Co., £1350;

T. W, Stringer, £311; R. M'Cnlliun," £92?; Momi.v, Sim, and Stephens, £1022. Tlio principal law costs in the Culverdeii Estate acquisition wore: 1). M. Findlay, £515; J. A. Casskly, £93; J. \V. £68. In other large estates the. principal costs wero: Hatiima. Estate: V. M. Baldwin, £537; Findlay Dalzioll and Co., £1855; Salisbury and Logan, £300. Lindsay Estate: Findlay. Dalziell and Co., £590; Kennedy and Lugh, £160. To Arai: Dalziell and Findlay, £504; J. W. Nolan, £63. Tho following amounts wero paid for some of the bigger estates: Argyll, £158,030; Culverdon, £121,251; Edentlalo, £113,616; Flaxbourne, £183,043; Hatuma, £141,393; Kauroo Hill, £133,804; Kinloch, £116,395; Matninata, £127,515; Otekaihe, £113,299; Koscwill, £246,022; Starborough, £100,562; To Arai, £113,949; Waikakahi, £323,314. NEWS IN BRIEF. The election of Chairman-of Committees for the Legislative Council will take place on Wednesday, July 15. Nominations, close with tho Clerk of tho Council at 2.30 p.m. to-day. Mr. W. D. S. Mncdqnald, M.P., is a member of the Opposition party wlio holds unconventional views on the 1 subject of National Endowments. Speaking yesterday, ho declared himself favourable- to parting with certain endowment areas—poor pumice lauds in the north—where they could not be effectively settled in any other way. Mr. Hunter has given notice to ask tho Minister of Customs'.whether ho will place a sum of money on the Estimates for tho purpose of refunding the iimoiint of duty paid byany local body upon a road roller imported by them.