PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2265, 6 July 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[By Telbghaph.] [feom the own oobeesfondbkt op the “ PHEBS. ”j WELLINGTON, July 5. It is understood that the financial statement is now finally agreed on in Cabinet, and will be positively delivered to-morrow evening on the House assembling. Should anything intervene to prevent this it will bo delivered on Thursday, and in that case the Government will, if desired, give up Friday evening for the debate on Dr. Pollen’s pension. Regarding this latter I hear that Ministers will simply take their stand on the fact that they acted strictly in accordance with the law, and under the express advice of the law and audit office.

The joint statutes revision committee report that a difficulty having arisen which prevents the Bill prepared by the Statutes Revision Commission from being considered by the committee of the two Houses, they recommend that a revised order be passed ns follows :—“ That the committee appointed on June 24th, 1881, to whom are to be referred all Bills prepared by the Statutes Revision Commissioners, which should be introduced into this House during the present session, hove power to consider all Bills so prepared as soon as they are introduced into either branch of the Legislature.” The Native affairs committee has reported on a large number of Native petitions, declining, in most cases, to make any recommendation on the prayer of the petitioners. The only one of any interest is from R. S. Thompson, late Government Interpreter on the West Coast of the North Island, who, on behalf of his Maori wife, claims a grant of land on the Waimate Plains, and complains that on his pressing this claim on the Government be was dismissed from his office of interpreter, and that the West Coast Royal Commission declined to see him on the subject of the claim, or hold further correspondence on the matter. The committee report that the petitioner’s claim is one which should properly he enquired into by the West Coast Royal Commission, and it is accordingly referred to Sir W. Fox. The public petitions committee, in reporting on some complaints by railway apprentices that they had been unfairly treated in terms of their indentures, express the opinion that the engagement of boys, nominally as apprentices, appears to be loosely conducted, and recommend that, for the future, in all such cases a written agreement bo made, defining the terms of service, the conditions, and the rate of pay. Mr Rolleston to-day presented a petition to the House of Representatives, signed by the Most Reverend the Primate of New Zealand as president of the General Synod of the Church of England, representing that any fully satisfactory measure for education by the State should contain provision for grants in aid being made to schools set on foot by any religious denomination, provided that the attendance and secular instruction in such schools shall come up to the required standards, and satisfy the Government inspectors. The petitioners farther urge that the Education Act should bo so amended that provision be made for the communication of religious instruction by ministers of religion or persona duly authorised by them to the children belonging to their respective communions within school hours. It is prayed that effect may be given to these recommendations. Mr Bain to-day presented a petition from firo underwriters, representing twenty insurance companies carrying on business in New Zealand, protesting against insurance companies being charged with any liabilities for maintenance of fire brigades, or the extinguishment of fires, which the petitioners submit are part of the functions of borough Councils as much as the maintenance of the police for protection from crime. The petitioners also protest against the provision in the Fire Brigades Bill that all damage to property caused by any fire inspector, op under liis orders, is to bo deemed damage by fire within the meaning of the policies, and pray that these provisions may net become law, The new clauses in the Regulation of Elections Bill, rendered necessary by the excision of the section providing for written nominations, are now printed. They simply contain provision for open nominations and show of hands according to the existing practice, and almost in the precise words of the present Act,