Parliamentary Notes.

Hastings Standard, Issue 446, 9 October 1897, Page 2

Parliamentary Notes.

[From «>I;R I{KK»pm V\ 1 !. r i 7A copy of dc.Kpatcht'-! to fcbfc <rt vrn or is to be laid on tho tabie of House on Tuesday. The Council jr str rd iy aft'-moori agreed to the second of fJv. Pharmacy and Mcdir il \ct KftKistm* tion Bills both of which nr r u-m passed that chamber a, y< c* ' ">> but were shelved by the Lower I fo>i •• . The Dunedin Saving Bank Wind ing-wp Bill was iikevllfW'fiad a, ■ c n " t I time and referred to a sehct coinmt tee, objection being d that every care must bo taken to guar:! the interest of depositors. The Privileges Committee having reported recommending that legislation be introduced referring to the Supreme Court, in its appeal jurisdiction, the position of the Awarua seat consequent 011 the Hon. Mr "Ward's bankruptcy, the Premier will on Tuesday bring in a Bill giving effect to the Committee's recommendation and will have the matter treated as one of urgency, so that the Appeal Court, which sits next week, can immediately consider the case. Mr Seddon, who is an adept tactician, coolly informed the House that from the outset he had favored the settlement of the matter by a judicial tribunal and that had he known the general consensus of opinion that prevailed on the part of the House in favor of that course he should have suggested it instead of moving for the appointment of a committee to take the initiative. A second Bill of a more debateable character will also be introduced with the object of assimilating the law in this colony with that of England as regards bankrupt candidates or members of Parliament. After occupying the attention of the House for a fortnight to the exclusion of all other business the "Address in lleply debate entered on its closing day yesterday afternoon. The Colonial Secretary led off with an interesting speech delivered in capital style. Replying! to the attacks of the Opposition he said that the members of that party had simplyrepeated the old charges which had been heard so often, and had not the business of the country been so well and fully carried on by Ministers during the absence of the Premier the recess administration would have been attacked instead of the charges being confined to Pomahaka and. old standing grievances. He claimed that the east coast had strong claims on the consideration of the House owing to the fact of its neglect when the fight for loaves and fishes took place in Parliamentary borrowing days, and urged that the claims of the districts which lie represented, together with that North of Auckland, ought not to be overlooked if proposals were submitted later on providing for light line rialways. Gisborne, too, it should be remembered, was the first district to agitate for this system of railways. Complaints had been made concerning the police, but Hon. Mr Carroll asserted that so far as the east coast was concerned their conduct had been most exemplary. As one who had witnessed the .Jubilee celebrations in London Mr McGowan (Thames) bore testimony to the excellent bearing of the New Zealand contingent and said that as a colonist it rejoiced his heart to hear the cry of " lvapai the New Zealand contingent " raised by thousands who like himself saw the great pageant. The Hon Mr Larnach, a staunch Ministerialist, disapproved of the Government taking up the question of State Fire Insurance and expressed his disappointment at their laxity in respect to promoting the mining industry during the past two years. In Otago the industry had been stopped during the recent winter owing to the want of water, and he thought the Government had been most reprehensible in regard to not providing water conservation in Central Otago. The member for Tuapeka put a strong plea for the more vigorous prosecution of the Otago Central Railway (011 which he wants £60,000 spent during the coming year) and for the pushing on of the Hariot-Roxburgh Line. He claimed to have been the first to press on the attention of the House what were known as "light railways." Mr -Joyce announced his intention of opposing the continuance of the subsidy to the San Francisco service, and declared himself a warm advocate of the North Island Trunk Railway. Unexpectedly the Address in Reply debate did not come to an end last night owing to nearly every member who had not spoken so far considering it his duty to add to the useless reiteration which had been going 011 for the last 10 days. Those who took part in the debate after the dinner adjournment were Messrs Cadman, Stevens, E. M'Kenzie (Ministerial) and Massey (Opposition). At 11.50 p.m. the Hon Mr Carroll moved the adjournment of the debate. Mr Schultz, an Australian viticulturist, who has recently visited the North Island, last evening discussell with the Minister of Lands the proposal for promoting vine growing and wine making in the colony. He said he had been impressed with the capabilities of Auckland and Hawke's Bay as vine-growing districts, and suggested the appointment of an expert to advise farmers and instruct, then* with reference to the cultivation orefct best kind of grapes. In Mr Schultz's opinion excellent wine could be produced in nearly every part of the North Island. Mr M'Kenzie requested Mr Schultz to confer with the Agricultural Department as to the best means of encouraging the vine-growing industry. Sunday trading in Bellamy's will not be discontinued unless a poll of both branches of the Legislature decide that there shall not be any sale within the Parliamentary Buildings during the remainder of the present Parliament.

In ttiv Councn vie eimr-i' : Lduca'ion t o\t 1» i ' t r . ii, t*' *• in the- event of u:e Hr.h-e • t le v resent art" u 1 4,iij 1 i 'l 1 th> r> .i i i 11 1 w nnd dtiu i the pre.:-:.: m sossmn. Objectloti was raisc-.l by the Hon. T. Kelly on the ground tnat no reason existed why drink should not be sold on Sunday as well as on Monday. Bellamy's was a private club for members, and the sale on Sunday was not a public one. A division showed that the Prohibitionists were in a minority in the Opnaeil, only 1"4 voting for the motion, \\opposed ft. The Minister then moved that the poll to determine whether liquor should or should not bo sold \sit' io the precincts of the Parliamentary Buildings be taken jointly by both Flotisps on Tuesday next, which was carried on the voice. This day. When a proposal was made on Wednesday to have the c-lcction of Speaker adjourned till the evening silting to secure the attendance of the Hon. Mr

Shrimski, who was at a religious service at the Synagogue, exception was taken by the Hon. George -Jones, and the suggestion was not agreed to. On the Council meeting yesterday afternoon the Hon. Mr Shrimski rereferred to the illiberal way the motion for tho adjo i i .n had been met by one who pio f >e itobe a Liberal, and contended that personal feeling had something to do with the matter. In reply Mr Jones said it was to be regretted that so soon as Speaker Miller resumed the chair he should have to listen to an "indecent assault " committed by one Councillor on another. He had spoken on the previous day as a matter of co n"* t i, and not from ill feeling, and he ■ ! i was it reasonable that because Mr Shrimski wanted to go to church the whole business of the Council should be postponed. The third reading of the Adulteration Prevention Acts Amendments Bill was passed by the Council after the Hon W. T. Jennings had suggested that the Inspectors of food should be spurred on by the Government to detect adulterated goods. He advocated the establishment of five food brigades to watch over the purity of our food. Mr Hone Heke's Land Act proposes to appoint Maori judges with powers limited to the original investigation of title to Native land* and appeals in relations thereto, but no European judge is to hear appeals against the decisions of a Maori judge or ri<-r f sn, The decision of the judge mi; -t be supported by the approval of a European assessor.

At tbs evening sitting Mr Reddon delivered a trenchant defence of the policy of the Government. He said his wishes in regard to the Privy Oounciilorship were known to the Colonial Office two years ago. The police needed the moral support of the public in the efficient performance of their duty. He doubted the wisdom of extending the franchise. Then he pointed out the importance of trade with India, the cultivation of the rhea plant, and the utilisation of our forests, and concluded an eloquent peroration inviting the Opposition to co-operate in promoting the welfare of the colony.

The Hon. \V. Rol!eston charged the Government with the manipulation of Parliament in swamping the Upper House, creating a spirit of dependence on the Government, converting the Agent-General into a political partisan, and subverting the relations between the C.;V:n :i and tin Crown. Mr Guinne.-s vindicated the Ministry, and at the supper adjournment 64 members had spoken. Mr Kelly, who made an out-and-out Opposition speech, said that the Oiahu estate in Southland, consisting of 6000 acres, had been purchased for settlement purposes at 85s an acre, when quite two-fourths of it was nothing mere than a shing'e pit. The owner was Mr Bulger, who had endeavored to purchase the debts of the Ward's Farmers Association. The raembtr for Invercargill made several charges of corrupt appointments to the public service, including that of Mr Hayes, one of the directors of the Ward Association, to the Mines Department as Inspector for Otago and Southland. At 11.50 Mr Wilson, the mover of the Address in Reply, rose to reply, and the debate, which had occupied a fortnight, closed. The Premier gave notice of the introduction of the Awarna Seat Enquiry Bill.

There is naturally great interest taken here in the triangular bye-elec-tion at Duntdin. Private advices favor the chances of Mr Siigo, the Opposition candidate.