Parliamentary Notes.

Hastings Standard, Issue 481, 20 November 1897, Page 2

Parliamentary Notes.

IN THE HOUSE AND COUNCIL. [By Telegraph.] [From our Special Reporter.] Wellington, This day. SESSIONAL COMMITTEES. The Sessional Committee question was again raised in the House this afternoon, when Mr Massey threw out the suggestion" Ctft»£ in future a selection committee'fEould be set up, consisting of the whips and one or two prominent members of each side of the House. Such a body would have a better knowledge of the wishes and qualification of members and the attendant circumstance than the Government could possibly have. Mr M'Gowan suggested that district representation would be preferable to representation on Parliamentary linos. The suggestion that the Government should throw the responsibility on their whips did not meet with approval. The Premier said as it would be tantamount to saying that Ministers were not fitted for the position they held. The discussion which followed showed that there is a wide difference of opinion as to which is really the best and fairest method to follow in the selection of Sessional Committees. MR WARD IN EVIDENCE. Mr J. G. Ward is in evidence on his return to the House. The exColonial Treasurer has given two notices of questions which, if permitted to be asked are likely to lead to a display of fireworks. They are as follows : (1) To ask the member for Mataura (the Hon. G. F. Richardson), whether he is correctly reported in having stated in the course of a speech that if he were the member for Awarua he would introduce a private Bill to change the name of Ward ; if so. can he give any reasons for such a proposal; (2) To ask Captain Russell, as leader of the Opposition, whether the following report of his remarks is substantially correct, and, if so, will he state the name of the member or members who made the statements referred to in the lobbies:—"Captain Russell said it was stated in the lobbies that this grant for deep sea trawlers, £BOOO, was to benefit the member for Awarua." The Speaker said he would have to consider whether the questions were such as should be permitted to find a place on the Order Paper. The rule was that questions could only be put to private members concerning matters which were under discussion in the House at the time they were asked. PATE A EXCLUSION. Mr George Hutchison declared in the House yesterday that the Opposition had achieved a brilliant victory in respect to Sessional Committees, as the Government had " backed down " as to the right of the Opposition to proportional representation. It was for this session only that the claims of the Opposition were consulted as to what members of their party should serve on the committees had been

waved. The Premier said he had had the satisfaction of keeping Mr Hutchison off the committees, and so had prevented the business of the committees being blocked. Mr Hutchison said the reason for his exclusion was one of which fie was rather proud, it was in connection with the action of the Government in seizing the local bodies sinking fund. The Premier said the member for Patea had been kept off the Public Account Committee because he had said that, notwithstanding that the information given the committee was of a private character, he would use it publicly. . THE BEGINNING OF THE END. The Premier has given notice to move that on and after the 29th inst. the House sit on on Mondays, and in the direction of morning sittings. Mr Seddon is still hopeful of closing on Dec. 15th, but the general feeling ia that it will be a week later before the prorogation is reached. THE OLD AGE PENSIONS. Before the House went into Committee this evening on the Old Age Pensions Bill, Captain Russell moved that the proceedings be reported in Hansard as a permanent appropriation was provided for. This was opposed by the Premier and several members, who thought the Hansard reporters had done a sufficiently hard week's work, and it was negatived by B8 to 28. When in committee the bill was v contested clause by clause. At the outset Mr Montgomery, by 40 to 18, succeeded in amending the interpretation clause by defining " income " as meaning any moneys or profits derived or received by any person for his own use or benefit in any year from any source. Several other suggested amendments were defeated, in one case after close divisions. At 2.20 when clause 7 was passed the Premier moved to report progress.

Just previously Mr Duncon had accused Mr Montgomery, who had frequently spoken of the Bill as crude, of suffering from diarrhoea of words, an expression which he was summarily ordered to withdraw. WORK IN THE COUNCIL. , J The Public School Teachers*~lrtcorporation aud Court of Appeal Act Amendment Bill had a narrow shave in the Council this afternoon, the second reading being affirmed by 17 to 18. It was stated that four Education Boards had written to the Minister of Education concerning the Bill, and that three of these were favorable to it.

The Importation of Explosives Act Amendment Bill was amended in some minor respects and reported.