Parliamentary.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 18 October 1901, Page 3

Parliamentary.

(OTJB PARLIAMENTARY BEPOETEB )

The End In Sight. Wellington, This Day. Ihe end is now in view. It is expected that the session will terminate on Wednos 3 ay, Nor. sth, enabling the Premier, Minister of Education and Minister of Railways to be present at the Canterbury Show and concluding day’s races. Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards Election Bill Provides that elections shall be held on the same day and in the same manner as elections for members of local authorities. The annual meeting is to be held on the third Wednesday in May in each year. Statutes Revision Bill, Introduced by the Premier, is to promoie revision of Statute Law by repealing enactments which ceased to be in fpjrpp pp have become unnecessary,

The Tariff. There will be no attempt to alter the tariff, the feeling of members being against. New Zealand, showing a retaliatory spirit; but the Premier is having tables prepared showing the effect of the Commonwealth tariff contrasted with that hitherto prevailing in Australia. [The table referred to appears on our fourth page.]

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

POLICY BILLS, When the House met at 2 30 o’clock the following Bills were introduced by Governors message and read a first time : —Millitary Pensions Act Amendment Bill, Local Bodies, Goldfields, Public Works and Loan Bill, Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill, and State Coal Mines Bill, PAYMENT ON MEMBERS BILL.

A motion for the introduction of Payment of Members Bill was carried by 38 to 25 and the Bill read a first time. THE ’FRIISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Mr Ward in moving the mail resolutions, announced that if the resolutions in reference to 'jhe ’Frisco service were carried, he would propose a further resolution fixing the maximum poundage at £15,000.

The demand of Spreekels for a subsidy of £26,000 was altogether too high in view of the fact that with the Australian Colonies in, the amount was £30,000. He attached no importance to the prediction that the Frisco service would go to Queensland. Ho believed Spreekels was too good a business man to lose sight of the advantage of the trade with this colony. Even if Vancouver service wore established, Auckland must be the terminal port of call. It was monstrous to suggest that the House must be driven to accept terms —if the terms of Spreekels—and fall down and worship the ’Frisco Service. Under the present proposals the net cost of the 'Frisco Service would be £16,304.

Last year it cost the colony only £10,803 which showed the Government was not suggesting any skipping payment. New South Wples at the same time was getting the benefit of this service ( for £2,000 because it had not come into me contract and received the benefit of the Postal Union rates. STet when New Zealand Government asked that they should be supported in fixing a good commercial contract they were charged with ulterior motives. Mr Ward agreed that there ought to be a service via Vancouver and there ought to be an opportunity of developing trade with Canada.

It was their duty to ask Spreckles to use whatever political pressure he had to secure the employment of British owned steamers in the Frisco trade. The exclusion of British owned steamers had, without douot, acted detrimentally against the ’Frisco service. He strongly urged that the ’Frisco service would maintain our connection with the great nation, and that a splendid feeling existed between England and America. Eastern troubles might arise and with Federated Australia, close to us we could not tell what troubles might arise with Japanese and other races. Messrs Miller and Fisher spoke strongly against the ’Frisco service. Mr Massey said he hoped the House would not increase by one week the time between the colony and the large centres of the world with which we did business simply because wc disapproved of the American shipping laws. Messrs Witheford and Napier strongly supported the ’Frisco service. Messrs Buddo and G. W. Bussell opposed the ’Fris-co services; the latter objecting to the subsidy being paid to a company belonging to a nation that had raised a strong protective barrier against us. Capt Bussell spoke in favour of the ’Frisco line as being the best the colony could got. The discussion is expected to last till the early hours of the morning.