POLITICAL ITEMS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1220, 17 July 1885, Page 2

POLITICAL ITEMS.

(Through our Exchanges). After the storm has come the usual calm ; and while members yesterday were unusually active and excited, there is an exceedingly dead appearance about Parliament House to-day. In the course of a severe article, the ‘ Evening Press ’ says the Government allowed themselves to be bullied by every questionable supporter into reporting progress, and carrying the half annihilated tariff over to another day—the most objectionable, impolitic, and reprehensible course they could possibly have adopted. A more deplorable exhibition of incapacity, want of judgment, futile trickery, and absence of all dignity or self-respect never was witnessed in the Parliament of this country. The state of Parliamentary business is neither more nor less than a public scandal

The ‘New Zealand Times,’ in describing the situation, says :—Shorn of their entire financial policy, browbeaten and coerced by their own supporters, pityingly patronised by the Opposition, and coldly tolerate 1 by the House, Ministers hare been allowed to retain their places on sufferance. Through what extraordinary misconception ot feeling in the House and amongst the public the Government managed to drift into so deplorably humiliating a position we are unable to say or even to conjecture. The mismanagement has been so glaring that it is barely possible to conceive a Ministry, composed of men individually able and intelligent, getting into so strange a fix. Mr Samuel, member lor New Plymouth, is setting up as a social reformer. To day he gave notice of his intention to move an amendment in the Divorce Bill, with a view to enable either a husband or wife to petition for a divorce in case of separation for four years, and in case either shall be convicted or imprisoned for four years, or bo found to be a lunatic or so continue for four years. Mr Fergus came out as the champion of servantgalism during the debate on the Employment of Females Bill. As he was suggesting that domestic servants should have at least one holiday in each week, an hon, member convulsed the House with laughter by shouting “To enable them to take music lessons.

In discussing the employment of barmaids question, which proposed their absolute aboh ! ion, Mr Stout, in moving as an amendment that they lie only employed between 8 a.in. and 6 p.m., said he did not wish to make a charge against the women employed in bars, and believed that io the majority of oases no complaints could be preferred. But many of these womeu were subject to temptation which tli«y should not be subject to. He did cot wish to deprive those employed in bars of the chance of earning their livelihood, but he thought if the legislation he proposed were agreed to they would bud other means of living. My Pyko questioned the taste of those hon. members who wanted to replace p'etty women by coarse men. He said that the majoiity of those persecuted woman, in their moral behaviour, were butter than the factory girls.—(Cheers). Of coarse black sheep would be found among barmaids, but that was the case with every class of society. As to the proposal of one hon. member that barmaids be not allows I to exist, he wanted to know whether it "-33 intended to cart them out to sea and drown them. —. (Laughter), The proposal of the Premier was cruelty—absolute persecution in fact—and he did not envy the feelings of those who wished to rob these poor girls of their bread. The barmaids of Wellington are so enthu •

siastic in their admiration of Mr V. Pyke’s defence of them, that it has been proposed, through the local Press, that a Barmaids’ League should be formed, to keep the member for Uunstan perpetually supplied with the freshest and tastiest of button-hoio bouquets as a floral tribute of their gratitude. The Post advised the Premier, Mr Hobbs, and other amiable and virtuous gentlemen, who, with no doubt the best intentions in the world, tried their utmost

to inflict a hardship on a large class of defenceless girls, to devote a portion of their time to a special study of barmaids. Mr Wakefield twits Mr Stout on the rejection of his barmaid clause, and advises him to bring in a Bill for the abolition of statesman who cannot frame a policy, and of lawyers who become mere “ jawyers” whenever legal Bills are brought in. The ‘ Press' says : “ The method by which the Government propose to re arrange their finance in consequence of the rejection of tho Budget is most unsatisfactory. They simply propose to borrow the L 70,000 which the additional Customs duties were eati-

mated to produce; L 50.000 of Treasury Bills, which were to have been paid off out of revenue in reduction of last year’s deficet, are to be renewed for two years longer ; and L20.0D0 for the current expenses of defence is to be charged to loan instead of to the Consolidated Fund. Now, this is surely not what the House contemplated when it refused to grant the Government any more revenue from Customs duties. It is dead against the views expressed by many of the members of the debate. Not the Budget alone was opposed, but the policy of increased and unceasing borrowing was opposed not less emphatically. The practical effect of this new financial arrangement is that the subsidies to local bodies are to bo paid wholly out of borrowed money, instead of being paid half out of revenue. Will the House consent to that? We cannot think it.”

It is currently reported amongst the Can. terbury members that Sir John Hall intends returning to the Colony in three months for the purpose of again entering on a political career. It is thought that the effect of Sir John Hall's return will have the effect of breaking up the solid Canterbury vote, and enable polities to return to their nominal state.

A memorandum has been issued to the Armed Constabulary, to the effect that “ the Defence Minister has definitely decided that members of the field force will not be allowed to marry. The Coroners Act Amendment Bill, introduced by the Hon. Mr Tolo, provides that the concurrence of four jurors in a verdict at any inquest or inquiry before any coroner shall be sufficient, and not more than six persons shall at any time bo required to constitute a jury at any inquest. Sir Julius Vogel’s claim against the Colony for LG2SO, alleged to be due in connection with the raising of loans, is to bo brought before the house ia the shape of a

motion’referring it tothe .Public Accounts Committee. .** " It is current gossip amongst the members that Sir J. Vogel is thoroughly disgusted ■with the turn that things have taken, and has expressed his intention, should he get a satisfactory settlement of his claim, to retire from New Zealand politics. Sir G. Grey has presented a petition asking for the imposition of a land tax as soon as possible, Asir G. Grey has elaborated a scheme jjgiich he intends bringing before the House and country in the form of a Bill which he believes will go far to remove the depres. sion which, if we are to believe all We hear and read, the Colony is at present groaning under. Starting on.the. premises that the cause of the depression is the unsaleable condition of land held in large blocks, and the comparatively non wealth-produoing agents, Sir George thinks that the only method of renewing prosperity is the division of the large estates into small farming areas. . Appended to the statement of the Minister for Mines will be a return showing the gold duty and goldfields revenue collected and paid to nounties, and the number of miners employed in each mining district within the limits of the several counties during the year ended March 31. The number of miners is given at 2,084. The gold raised was 225,8700z j the gold duty, L 22.587; and the goldfields revenue, L 14.027. In the Grey and Westland districts the largest number of miners are employed. The leading members of the Aitkinson pvrty profess to fear that the Government will be defeated on their borrowing proposals. and that thus they will be forced into taking office this session. They believe that whoever occupies the Treasury benches next session are sure to be defeated on the deficit that will be shown for current financial year. Mr Pyke gave notice that on going into Committee of Supply, he would move that it is desirable and that the nominated sj stein of immigration be resumed without delay. Replying to Mr Fergus.if the Postmaster, general will place a sum on the Estimates to connect Cromwell Hospital with Cromwell town. ’ Sir Julius Vogel said the question would be better left to be dealt with by the district committees after the passing of the Charitable Aid Bill.