POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1109, 3 August 1883, Page 3

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Through oar Exchanges. On Friday Mr Smith nuked ' the Government if they would arrange for Now Zetland joining the postal union along with the other Australasian colonies. The Colonial Secretary re'die 1 that the Government' had considered this matter very carefully, aid in view of the very considerable 'oss which would accrue to New Zealand on joining the postal union, they had not thou gilt it expedient to o so up to the present time. On Wednesday next Captain Mackenzie is to ask the Colonial Secretary if, taking into consideration the loss to the whole colony cau-ed by “ the continued, great, and progressive increase in the rabbit pesc," the Government will consider the question of offering by advertisement in the newspapers in America, Europe, and the colonies snch a reward for the discovery of a remedy as will tend to induce scientific and praod cal men all over the world to give their at- j tention to this subject. ... ’ v The oircum-tanres attending the arrest of 1 atyoung persoA At St. Baihana by Constable Dorlisa, for which ho - has been disrated, were brought un 'er ihe attention of P 'rl ia - ment this afternoon by Mr De Lau our, i who asked the Minister of Defence if he was aware that, the constable had acted in every particular under the instruct ona of the inspector in charge of his district Mr De Lautour remarked that the action of the constable was no doubt, under the ct"cumsiances, unjustifiable. He acted to'o soon, but he acted with full approval apd under the direct o r ders of his inspector at i Clyde. He (Mr De Lautour) was hot , aware of the constable’s report to his sup - rior officer, snt on the 29th January, and a i great, deal no doubt turned on that, and as to whether the inspector was fully informed i by the constable uf all the circumstances. But. granting all that, he did not think that a constable who acte i un 'e orders should be punished, but that the inspector, at i least, should be called upon to take a share of the blame. His having been disrated i meant a loss of L2l per annum from the man’s salary. The constable in question had i been a lone time in the service, and he ' (Mr De Lautour) had testimony from St. 1 Batbans that since he had been stationed i * here many matters which were previously ' matters of scandal had been represses, and ] an amount of order had been n force there which never before existed. In reply, Mr i Byrca s id that he had this cne brought ( repeatedly and prominently before him, and I he had entered inte it very completely, i The course that had been taken had heerl deliberately taken. He might say, how ever, that the constable ha 1 nut been dis- J rated. Umler the circumstances it had 1 been thought beat to r-move the const,aide ■ to another pl.vc- , where he would have a superior officer over him, Mr De Lautour ' said he ha 1 made a statement of the ease from a particular point of view. Mr Bryce i went on to say that every hon. member wmll at once admit that it would not lie 1 convenient for him to follow him (Mr De l.au'oui)'uto that statement, or to ex- ( pr ss ids ow* opinion on the sul-j ot. If the ra.-m .ei for Mount Ida had made a (notion the pa'Hcnlar view of the. case could i very well have been met, and another view cu d have al-oheen nut before the House. < he debate on the second leading of the Property Tax Billon' Tuesday afternoon 1 t>ok quite au unexpected turn. It had jeevioosly been arranged between the Colonial Treasurer and Mr Montgomery that 1 the Property Tax Bill and Property Tax Repeal Bill, intio uced by rhe member for .Akaroa. should be debited at the siine tune. In consequence of these arr.n.eraenisit was exp.ded that Mr Mon* nin-ry would move an amendment to the Tre.sur- r's for the secon 1 leading of this Bill, but although he su >ke a* some 1 ngth on the whole question he bid not prop *t any amen iment, and the motion would hive gone to a division this afternoon had not Mr D-raville ri.-eu 'o speak. He made a sashing bub singularly reckless speech, the utter fallacies of which were easily refuted by Major Atkinson in his replv. The House evidently was disinclined to waste any unnecessary time ov.-r’he deba-e. It will probably be renewed when Sir George Grey’s land-tax resolutions come on for discus-ion. The motion was carried by a majority of 16. Mr Bryce’s Native Land Amendment Bill has been pos'pone I till Thurs lay. Mr Bracken on Tuesday afternoon said he had an imnorrant announcement to make, which would lelieve the Native mister’s min 1 of 'any reap fusibility he might have in reference to the lan ling in New Zealand of the Phoenix Pant informer. He then p o ee e ■ t > read a telegram relating to the sho ting ul James Carey on board a Cape steamer, but no further notice was taken of the matter. Major Atkinson introduced his Property Tax Bill on Tuesday afternoon in a very brief manner, nseiving his speech for the reply. Mr Montgo i e y delivered a houghtful speech, in whi hj he proved that the Treasurer’s proposal was a direct taxation on industry and enterprise. He instanced fc ie case of a man j .in ng a company, which had to pav the property tax before the concern beeme remunerative. He contended that landholders should be compelled to cultivate or improve their land, or else to sII it. He showed how the man who keeps hia oround in tussock is equally benefited with,his neighbour, who improves his property, bv the co is rue iou of railways and oiher pub'io works, and ho maintained that the prope-tv tax helped to cripple the industrious and enterprising settler. H" argued that people with capital will not come to N"W Zealand under its present financial burdens. His arguments in favour of a land and income tax were cogent ami forcible. Mr Dargaville followed Mr Montgomery, and delivered an excellent speech, adducing facts and figuris to prove that the Treasurer’s financial policy is unsound and ruinous. The debate ended at half-past nine. Major Atkinson's reply was vigorous and abusive. Mr Green, notwithstanding bis pledge to the Trades and Labour Council, voted for the property tax as opposed to a land tax, A return showing the amount of the ousts paid to solicitors for services to the Public Works Depaitment from March 1882 to March 1883 has been laid on the • table. The following Dunedin solicitors ■ received the amounts placed after their ' names:—Messrs Bathga e and Buchanan, ■ LBss ; Mr J. A. Barr, L9ss ; Messrs G. and J. Cook, Ll3't 12s 4 1 ; Messrs Duncan ■ and M‘Gregor, L 7 10s ; Mr B. C. Hag.dt.t, i L 2863 8s 4d ; Mr Adams, L 5 5i 2- ; |; Seasra Kenyon & Hosking, L 6 6s ; Messrs aeassy, Kettle, & Co., 1.4 18s ; Messrs ; j Smith, Anderson, * Co., L 75 19 2d ; Messrs , : Stewart. & Denniston, L 56 16s 101 ; Messrs L Sicvwright. aud B.out, £229 9s 94. It will f be observed that Mrllaggut has received s close on £3OOO. The giand total paid to , .•ulisitors for. Public Wo. ks serviced amount* to £18,898 te ' " ! ~