WELLINGTON.
[By Telegraph.]
(From our own Correspondent. )
July 20.
With the exception of the conservation of forests and the distillation questions, the House has been comparatively idle during the week ; spending day after day in passing uuimpoitant measures, waiting for the Financial and Public Works Statements. It is probable that the question of Provincial borrowing will be met by the Central Government advising money to be obtained by the Provinces on tpeci ic securities, such as blocks of reclaimed forest or agricultural laud, harbor dues, &c. The expedience of th;s measme if my supposition is correct is uuque-tiouable, as the securities thus given ha> e so materially increased m value during ihe present century that debts contracted or that may be contracted may be easily liquidated by the enhanced value of the Securities thus given. It has often occurred to many, when they have seen how rapidb, laud is being sold on security of which loans could be obtained, what form of ultimate security lenders might obtain. It appears the Premier had the same object under consideration, if my present view of his financial policy is correct, according to the inti mation given to the Douse by the Forest Hill, which will not allow securities to be sold, but will rather purchase them, leaving time to liquidate the loan.
The House had a liHle fi\n on Mr Mac* andrew introducing the BUI to amend the Otago Lands Act. Mr Sheph -rd’s “Little Bill,'’ introduced as one approved by the Provincial Council, had to bs letrgoi much to the amusement of the Otago members, who knew that the assertion that the “ Bill was prepared with .heassistance of Mr Reid” was imaginative. To hide his detection, he had a contention with the Speaker as to the practice of bringing a blank sheet in as a Bill to be read a first time ; but he only gamed the opportunity ot showing his natural urbanity and cultivated grace. The Wad-Chapman scandal raised a warm debate. Although Ministers save out they w.iu d take the carrying the appointment of & coaiinifct!6e to he 21 vote of censure, au<i resign, they changed their minds on see* ing bow de; i ie I the House was to have the matter cleared up. Members SMI plainly one or other of the Judges must be dismissed —either the accused or the accuser—aud the Te’egraph leakage must, in the public interest, be discovered if possible. It was amusing to see the way iu which Messrs "'or and Vogel tried to decoy the House from the question of the integrity o : the B nch. Tha former diverged iuto aa attack on the ‘ Daily Times,’ making up a “double-dyed” scandal, for which it had already received castigation. In Mr Vogel’s arguments, as already telegraphed, two or three mistakes were made in facts, which he had to ooireot afterwards.
The p oposed increase in the excise duty on Oolonirliy distilled spirits raised over a five hours’ debate, and at first seemed likely to g > against the Government. Two bits in the debate are worthy of mention. After Mr Reader Wo -d had spoken, Mr Luckie came to the re cue of the Government, and, with the gusto of conscious importance in having to reveal a great discovery, read from ' Hansard ’ a speech delivered by Mr Wood on the same question in 1868, expressing aa entirely different opinion. His triumph was cut short, and His chagrin was groat when Mr Reader Wood informed him he was not in the House that year, and that the Mr Wood ref-rred to was member for Invercargill. Mr Murray advocated cannibalism, informing the House that he believed in people living here as they did in Sco-land—in the policy which made tha Land o’ Oakes great—living on that which the country produced, and on each other. Tb e douse roared nearly as heartily at this as at Mr Luckie’s discomfiture.
Mr Shepherd’s Goldfields Bill has been distributed. It repeals ten Acts, and embodies what is useful in about 200 clauses. I believe the Bill is a good one, and would be acceptable to the miners; but there is little chance «of its pissing, as the Government say it is unnecessary, and the Goldfields members are so much opposed to one another on personal grounds as to give reason for believing the Bill will not pass. I may mention Mr Curtis, Chairman of the Goldfields Committee, introduced a little Bill of his own, including some details ot the Act of 1866.
The Post Office Savings Bank Bill passed the Lower House, allowing deposits up to LI,OOO. It was stated by Mr Brown (member for Ashley) that the banks and post office suffered by the facilities post-office banks off red for the transmission of money from one branch to another without charge. We are not to know what has been done about Webb’s penalties until Mr Russell’s arrival. Until then the Government will not refer to the matter unless again stirred up
Mr Murray moved that members be allowed to use the telegraph during the session and recess free ; but the Premier expressed his disapproval, announcing that the Ministry would entertain the question re adjustment of the honorarium, if the House expressed a wish in that direction. Mr Murray’s proposal drew forth the denunciation of tho ‘ Post,’ which had already condemned the perquisite ay stem as allowed in granting free passages a ong the Hutt railway to members during se sion. The ‘Times’ de-' voted a leading article to the use of Government stationery by members, and thinks the House would be better wihout desks. You see the purse is carefully guarded in the smallest outgoings by the fourth estate, a fact which must bo comforting to the tax-paying public ; but the thought will occur that the microscope is a bad instrument for watching important matters with. Taiaroa has not yet got his committee <:f inquiry into the uufulfilled p edges to Middle Island Natives. The Government cannot see the force of giving even a small amount, notwithstanding he has asked his millions. Although Mr Fox says there is some foundation for the claim, I do not think the matter will be arranged. It has keen shuffled off for three sessions, and may be again postponed. The Premier int oduces a new Licensing Biil. the general opinions among members are that it is necessary, if only to repeal the existing one, and to leave the matter for the Provinces to deal with. The only hint of the nature of the Bill I can give, is to recommend you to look at Hansard of last session, and read the Premier’s utterances there-on.
Mr Holloway arrived here on Thursday, and is now being lionised. He speaks in the highest terms of Utago and Canterbury as suitable fields for his class, with a slight preference for the latter. His diary will be published in Dunedin after his departure from the Colony. If rumor is believable, the Government are going into hotelketping, as Mr Gillies would say. It appears the Cabinet bad under consideration the question of granting an increase of salary to civil servants. Mr Vogel proposed the following scheme by which he says civil servants may be benefited equal to 25 per cent, on tbeir salaries. He proposes to erect an immense club on ground reclaimed for Government buildings ; to issue LI, OOO debentures bearing five per cent, interest, and 24 sinking fund, which muse be taken up according to salaries. He proposes to attach co.-operative warehouses to the club. It is said the proposal is heartily entered into, and nearly all the shares are taken up, but whether the scheme has the Government sanction, or is merely a private concern, I am uuable to learn.
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Evening Star, Issue 3560, 21 July 1874, Page 2
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1,292WELLINGTON. Evening Star, Issue 3560, 21 July 1874, Page 2
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