PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1059, 4 August 1882, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

At the present time there are as many as 85 bills before the House of Representatives in various stages of progress. 1 need hardly say that the chances of their passing on to the Statute-book are, in the majority of instances, exceedingly remote ; but it seems to amuse hoii. members to bring them in, regardless of their future fate. Mr Vincent Pyke asked the Colonial Secretary whether the Government will bring in a bill during the present session to amend the laws relating to the election of members of the House of Representatives in the following direction (1) To prohibit the placing <>f names on the electoral rolls within two months of any election, so as to prevjnt sham residential electors being improperly placed on rolls ; (2) To make it penal to personally canvass electors for support by any candidate, his servants, or his friends ; to prohibit the use of vehicles, whether hired, lent or otherwise for the conveyance of voters to or from a polling booth. Prominent members of the Opposition say that there is now not the slightest chance of ano confi lence motion this session, as they are too weak and disorganised to attempt it. The general belief is that another month will finish the session.

The Government are showing every day a greater desire to force supplies. It is probable that they will drop nearly all their policy bills, and thus bring the session to an abrupt close. They are certainly too weak to lead the House, although they may with good management prove strong enough to keep their seats. Members on both sides certainly begin to show signs of weariness and impatience. .Replying to Mr J C. Brown. The Minister of Public Works said that the planting of trees on the railway reserves and that the erection of cottages for platelayers, etc., had been already initiated. Replying to Mr Cad man, The Minister of Lands said the Government had been attending to the work of replanting forest trees, and provision would lie made in the supplementary estimates to enable local bodies to take the matter in hand and prosecute the work with energy. Replying to Mr J. McKenzie.

The Colonial Secretary said that with the view of obviating the necessity of removing prisoners on trial from Naseby to Lawrence it was proposed to make arrangements for the trial of such prisoners atOamaru,

In reply to aquestion putby Air Sbrimski, The Treasurer said that he understood that M r Seed was about to retire from the public service. He made that announcement with regret, as ho w'as a most efficient officer. The fact was that the salaries paid these officers was so small aud the situations so precarious that the most efficient men were disposed to seek other employment of a more remunerativenatnre. Mr Levestam aske I if it was not a fact that he was about to accept a less salary than he had, in order that he might got his pension, which would make the total income more than lie was getting at present. He was getting £BOO just now, and he was goto accept a situation worth £SOO so that he might claim his pension, which would make the annual income something like a total of £llOO.

Mr. Swanson thought it wrong to pay these pensions when men could go into other employments, and earn large wages. It was an abuse of the pension system. A deputation of the goldfields members, headed by Mr. J. C. Brown and accompanied by Mr. Horace Bastings, waited on the Mims ter of Public Works to-day relative to the sludge channel, which, it was stated, is destroying property in Ross Place, Lawrence. Mr. Johnston informed the deputation that it was in the Department of the Minister of Mines. The deputation intend waiting on that gentleman.