NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2526, 13 May 1882, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

[PEB PBBSB ASSOCIATION.J AUCKLAND, May 12. The Auckland BuilderB 1 and Contractors' Aesooation refuse to contract for fresh works till architects withdraw certain objectionable olauses in the conditions of contraot. It has been resolved to form Graham's Waiwera hot springs institution into a company. In the room 3000 shares were taken up. Mr Graham said that he had an offer from Dunedin capitalists, but preferred to have the springs Auckland owned. The oaso of wife desertion against William Harkecs, of Melbourne, was dismissed. The defendant offered to prepare a home for her, but she declined to live with him under any ciroumstanoes.

A motion before the Board of Education to import school books from home, and to supply sohools, thus saving commission to teachers on their sale, was negatived. A special meeting of the Grammar Sohool governors was held for the purpose of considering the drafta of the Bills proposed to be introduoed into Parliament during the ensuing session, having for their chief objeot a provi«ion for an endowment for eduoation. The first Bill considered was for the appropriation of the Government House building in Auckland to the use of the proposed University College. The land is to be divided into three sections. The paddook is to be given to the Grammar School boys' playground, and the site on which the Choral Hall stands is to be an endowment for an Academy of Music. The next Bill is one to provide ten Maori scholarships, in exchange for certain lands formerly used for Native purposes but now unsuitable. Also a Bill to provide an endowment for the Museum (land to the value of £10,000), and for a School of Art (land to the value of £5000). The principles of the Bills were approved, and it was agreed to give the necessary notices to the Clerk of Parliament of the intention to introduce them. Applications have been made in bankruptcy to declare Hargis and Ohatwin, the levanters, bankrupts. The orders are returnable on Tuesday. WELLINGTON, May 12. The rainfall in Wellington during twelve days of the present month has amounted to 4 58 inches, or within 0 02 of the average raiufull for the entire month during the last seventeen years. This time last year the reservoir had nearly run dry, and fears of a water famine were entertained. It is still raining heavily, and no signs of clearing up. At a large and influential meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, held to-day, the following resolution was passed unanimously : a letter to the three members for the city, respacifullT requesting them to urge upon the Government with all the influence which they can bring to bear, tho imperative neceosity for an immediate revision of the existing Bankruptcy laws." It was also decided to communicate with other Chambers of Commerce throughout the colony, asking their support in the matter. The city solicitor has expressed the opinion that it is not necesßary for the publicans who require renewals of their licenses to give notice under the 56th section of Licensing Act. The question of teaching trades in gaols was discussed at a meeting of representatives of various trades, and it was decided that a petition be at once drawn up for presentation to the General Assembly, protesting against prison labor being allowei to interfere with the means of livelihood oommanded by honest men. DUNEDIN, May 12. The dredge had to be brought baok to Port Ohalmora last night owing to the chain which holds up the hopper doors slackening and allowing the sand to run out. It will be repaired soon. The Trades and Labor Council to-night decided to petition Parliament against teaching and employing skilled labor in prisons, and to forward a petition for signature to the various centres of population in the colony. INVEROARGILL, May 12. It is understood that the railway stationmasters at Oamaru and Invercargill will shortly ohange places. |_raosi the " rBESS."I WELLINGTON, May 12. The Ministerial preparation for the session goes on steadily, and a large batch of Bills are now in printer's hands. Of the programme put fcrth by Mr Hall in his address to the Selwyn electors I believe tho main portion will bo adhered to by the present Ministry, including the proposal of nev regulation of Parliamentary procedure, with a view not only of rendering future stonewalling impcssible, but alßOof materially expediting the progress of Parliamentary business generally. The details of the intended proposals have not been allowed to transpire, but I fancy they will be found to include a modified form of cloture and also various devices for facilitating the passage of Bills, especially where thore i« little difference of opinion as to their principles, by limiting the period at which such, principles can be discussed, and in other ways to provide means fur helping through such measures for instance aa the ne«

cessary Consolidation Bills, which two Bills in the last two sessions had to be dropped for lack of time to foroe them through all stages of existing forms of procedure. The suggestion thrown out by Mr Hall that the censtitution of the Legislative Council should be reformed by making it an elective body is not at all likely to engage the attention of the present Ministry, at any rate, for the coming session. It seems to be thought that there is no genuine desire on the part of the public for any change just now, and that the Legislative Council reform ia a matter which may very well be allowed to stand oyer to a more ocnvenient season. It is intended, I believe, to make a material modification in the scheme of hospital maintenance and charitable aid brought down during the last two sessions. The new measure now in preparation will provide a greatly improved method of affording necessary support to charitable institutions, and much simplified machinery for their working and management also. So far as possible the Government, I understand, purpose carrying out the idea so frequently brought up during the debate on the subjeot in the last two sessions—as possible be intrusted to existing looal bodies namely, that tbe administration should so far rather than to new ones especially created for that purpose. It is not definitely settled how far this principle can be carried out, and, indeed, much depends on the reception accorded to the Local Government Bills, but I believe that the tendency will be strongly in this <3ireotion. As to Local Government Bills, I do not yet know the full details of tbe modifications which the Colonial Treasurer designs introducing into his scheme as already before the publio. I hear that intimations of strong approval of the scheme in its main principles" have been received from many local bodies, and none of those bodies chiefly affected appear to object to its general principles, though various suggestions are thrown out as to minor alterations in details.

Many questions are being asked about the chances of a new Bankruptcy Bill being introduced. I understand the position is this : The Select Committee appointed to consider this matter last session made no specific recommendation, the Government will, therefore, probably atk for another committee at a very early period of the session, with instruotiors to report as soon as possible. The reoommendations of that committee will then be embodied by the Attorney-General in a Bill which, if time and circumstances permit, will be pressed through both Houses, with a view of enabling it to become law with all practical dispatch. Such I have reason to believe will be the oourse adopted by Ministers in reference to this important and longvexod question.