PARLIAMENTARY. (From " Star " Parliamentary Reporter. December 19 to 22.
Mining votes. Alit Peacock on Monday night received a telegram from the President of, the Auckland Chamber of Commerce complaining of *he votes for the Northern goldfields being neglected by the Government. The hon. gentleman waited on the Ministor for Mines, who replied as follows : — That Minis ters 1 hands were tied by reason of want of funds, owiug to previous excessive expenditure, and that several of the items ra Southern goldfiolds, such as water races, yielded surplus revenue. A deputation iv connection with the matter waited on the Hons. Messrs G. F. Richardson and E. ."Mitchelson yesterday. There were present Major Jackson, Messrs R. Thompson, Goldie, Withy, Moss, Monk, Lawry, Cadman, T. Thompson, Whyte, Eraser, Kelly, And Peacock. Mr Peacock recalled to the Minister of Mines the nature of the telegiam he had shown him on the previous night, and stated the answer he had received, viz., that the estimates were those of the late Government, and that most of the money had been already spent. The Minister stated that such was the case, and to show that it •was so he produced the old estimates for this year, and pointed out especially to Mr Cadman that all the votes on the present estimates for Southern goldfields were also on the other, and payments and engagements had been* made to the full amount. Mr Peacock pointed out that assistance was wanted in regard to the opening of tracks and Assisting deep prospecting. The Minist&p f£>?Publie Works remarked that after nex^^&ftbh thej r would have more money tJWHpcI, and the Minister of Mines gay&||Hp|mise that the Northern goldnAJ&H^^Bpf receive substantial justice. u^^^^Bpser brought under the notice Jl^^^Hpinistcr the doubts about the fulfilling- the undertaking wSpPralsistanee in altering the Big Pump. biifPthe Minister promised to carry out any engagement made. Mr Peacock brought under the noticeof Minister for Public Works the subject of finding employment to miners who were unemployed and leaying the field fchat he had done the day before. Mr Mitchelson stated that there was a road to be made between Te Aroha and Tauranga. In conclusion, the Minister for Mines agreed that the goldfields roads in the South had been got by the pressure of Southern goldfields members there ; that he did not expect that there would be so many votes for roads on the West Coast next year, and he would see that justice was done to the North.
Otago Central Railway BUI. The Attorney-General, in Council yesterday afternoon, moved that this measure be discharged from the order paper. The Hon. Mr YVaterhouse asked iov information as to the negotiations which had led to this arrangement with the Government, and the Attorney-General replied that the bill had not received either the •a.saenfc of the Opposition or the Government, bub every member of the Ministry had been left at liberty to act as he chose. Ko arrangement had been made between fche Government and promoters. All that he (the Attorney-General) had promised was that if the measure was not carried further this session he would sketch what he should consider a suitable bill and support ifc next session. The Government was not committed in any way whatever, but each member of it would continue to act upon his own opinions. The motion for discharging the bill >ias agreed to.
A Native Stonewall. Afc 11 last night Paoya Tuhaere, Taiwhanga, Taiapua, Majors Kemp and Kopata waited on the Premier, and demanded that the Government; should this session pass through the Lovyer House Sydney Taiwhanga's Compensation Bill. Major Atkinson replied that the question was too large, and the deputation loft threatening to stonewall till Christmas. There are three native bills on the order paper.
Free Conference Managers. The two Houses effected a compromise over the Land Bill on the terms I suggested yesterday, viz., the continuance of the present boards till the close of next session, members receiving reduced pay. Members of the House who are members of Land Boards will be subject to the provisions of the Disqualification Act, thus preventing them drawing more than £50 a-year for attendance and allowance 3 . Clearing the Order Paper. Those members of Parliament who were elected la^fc September for the first time, and who, a couple of weeks ago, ridiculed the suggestion that the business on the order paper could be disposed of before Christmas, must have received an eyeopeuui yesterday afternoon. Within half-an-houi a do2en bills were read a second time, and in the passage through Committee of moat of them, the record was broken. Mr Ivorr complained of the , indecent haste with which measures were being pushed through, remarking that time was not allowed members to consider the effect of their legislation..,
- Importation of Stock. The Importation of Stock Committee, appointed to inquire into and to report on fche subject of the adviwtblenegs or otherwise of New Zealand ports being opened to the importation of stock, reporfc that they are of opinion that the resolutions 1 arrived al by the Stock Conference, held in Sydney in October, 1886, in so far as they apply to the importation of foreign animals, should be adopted' by New Zealand, and that the Government be requested to take action accordingly, such information to be aubject to the general regulations recommended by the Conference ; that one, or at most two, ports be declared quarantine ports, and that the quarantine ground should in all cases be an island.
Gold-mining License! at Maritoto, Mr Cadman p.-esented a petition from 248 miners at the Thames, and others interested in mining at Auckland, praying that licenses should be granted for new goldfields at Maritoto, and that the Government will not adhere altogether td the request of the pi'evious petition on the same subject.
The Education System. Be will make no material change in the present education system till the House has an opportunity on the Estimates of considering the whole matter. In consequence of the determination o the Opposition nob to nssist the Young -Wow Zealand Party in reducing the proposed expenditure on railways, the whole of the items under that bead passed as printed, though the Government were'not unwilling to agree, to. reductions on a number of the smaller votes if theCommittea had expressed a desire m that direction. -
Reduction of Ealnrlef. The 'following reductions were mudo in the Legislative Department r—Spekker of the House, £200 ; Chairman of Committees (House), £100 ; and of Council, £120. Chairman of Native Affairs and, Petitions Commits, £100 each ; Chairman of petitions Committee'; £50 making a totdl of,
Quarterly Railway .Ticket*. Mr Lawry wants to know whether the Minister for Public Works 1 'will cause such alterations to be made in the Railway Regulations as Will provide' that jpersons baking monthly or quarterly tickets , shall not be required to pay more in proportion for travelling on the New Zealand railways than those porsons pay who take annual tickets.
The Rabbit - Proof Fence. As I mentionedon Wednesday, almost the last official act of the lato Government Was to accept the tender of Mills and Co., of Wellington, for a wire-netting fence with iron standards, for tho sum of £3,659. No tenders were invited, and the expenditure was unauthorised. I understand that this rabbitproof boundary will roquiro patrolling daily. It extends up the Waitaki to the Taaman glacier. The contraofc (material only) is for 40 miles, and the estimated cost of erection is £15 per mile. An additional forty miles will be necessary to complete the fence, which will take £2,000 a year to maintain, as it will require substantial gates pub up ab distances, and fence keepers or boundary rangers. The material arrived by the Kaikoura a few days ago. Had the Stout-Vogel Ministry been sincere in their professions of encouragement to local industries, they could have intrusted the manufacture of the necessary material to some colonial firm.
Christmas Numbers. The old-standin<* rivalry between the i( lllustrated London News" and th "Graphic" for the supremacy in the production o£ big 1 shilling^s-worfchs of art has not abated this year. Copies are to hand, through Messrs Kidd and Wildman, and it is difficult to award the palm. " The Illustrated London News" comes out more strongly than usual in chromo plates. Apart " from a splendid series of engravings, it gives away six chromo plates of popular pictures, including Millais's "Bubbles." The Christmas story is by Bret Harte, and is entitled " Phyllis of the Sierras." The " Graphic," however, is not easily outdone. Its humorous coloured plates are, aa usual, admirable, and besides two double-sheet chromos, it contains a separate wall picture of large size entitled "The Impudent Puppy." The leading story , "Robinson 'B Friend," by W.B. Norris, forms not the least attractive feature of amosb attractive number.
MacmlllAu's Colonial Library. The Britisher is proverbially slow to adapt himself to circumstanced, but the issue of a cheap colonial edition of copyright books ab a fraction of the price at which the same works can be purchased in Great Britain shows that even the British publisher is becoming alive to the fact that publishing in the United Kingdom and publishing in the colonies must bo conducted upon totally different lines. Messrs Kidd and Wildman have forwarded several specimen copies of Macmxilan's Colonial Library — a series comprising the latest books by F. Marion Crawford, William Black, Mrs Oliphant, David Christie Murray, Hugh Conway, Thomas Hardy, J. H. Shorthouse, and other popular writers, These books will be formidable rivals to the old "yellow backs," and while the publishers may bo complimented upon their enterprise, the colonists may also be congratulated upon being thus enabled to keop pace with the current literature without landing themselves in the Bankruptcy Court. The facilities which exist in England for obtaining books of this class early through circulating libraries do not exist here, and a recognition of this fact by the publishers has probably led to the issue of Macmillan's Colonial Library.
Proposed Land and Inooxne Tax. Mr Tanner has given notice to move at an early opportunity next session "That in the opinion of this House it is desirable that a change should be made in the form of direct taxation, and that the Government be requested to repeal the Property Tax Act, and bring forward a land Tax Act, and an Income Tax Act in lieu thereof ; the land tax to be on the improved value of land without oxempfcion, and the amount derived therefrom to be treated as land revenue and paid into the land fundate ; the income tax to have exemption and to be treated as ordinary revenue."
The Loan Proposals. On tho motion for going: into Committee of Supply being raised yesterday afternoon, Mr Kerr took tne opportunity of protesting against further borrowing, while Mr Downie Stewart urged a progressive policy, and hoped that the consideration of the Estimates would be conducted free from party influences. Mr Mills, who represented tho Young New Zealand Party, said that u saving of £250,000 could be effected in the Estimates, and only half the North Island Trunk Railway Loan need be raised, if the work was not proceeded with until the route had been determined on, and the necessary land first obtained from the natives.
A Rabbit Exterminator. Reporting on the public trial of Stenhouse and Smith's, rabbit exterminator, held at Dungree station, A water© Inspector, Blundell says : " I look updn thetrial as being an entire 'success so far as it went, and I believe the machine can be used to advantage on, level country where rabbits burrow and the natural enemies have not been turaeirt out. It is well-known that a very small percentage of the rabbits live in burrows, and as it is only these that it can destroy,' the machine ctr^joot lay claim to be a * rabbit exterminator,' and Ido not for a moment expect that the, sheep farmers wHI adopt so suicidal a policy as to use'it ivhen they are going to heavy expenditure in introducing and breeding the natural enemies. "
Young New Zealand Party. Some half-dozen members of the above met in solemn conclave yesterday afternoon, and carefully went through the schedule to the Loan Bill, with a view of seeiag what items could be reduced or struck off. As a result of their deliberations, they announced their intention of endeavouring to get the proposed loan reduced from £1,000,000 to £750,000,
THe Land BiU. The Council are considering the Lqtid Bill on Dr. Menzies's motion. The alause providing for renewal of education reserves leases being subject to the approval of the Minister was struck out, it being urged that the provision implied a want of confidence in the school committees. Mr Bonar moved to expunge clause,23 f (JElectiyo Land Boards) with the intention, of 1 reinstating tl\e prdvision for abolition of Land Boards, and after consideration, it agrjeed to rfcport progress in order that the question should not Be decided \vith6utfullaremiient.
Opposition Taotiob. "... TheYbungNewZeaWdershavingrefused to?upporb v the aniendra^t by.Dr. Jfitchefcb limiting the loan toJjalffft JpiUioi),, t\i& Op^wsifcion ha^e turned tty .tybles Qn fc.U*!^ juvenile, friends J?yidep|mjing, i;o liafcpn to iheir prpjpKMials ,tp r^ducp oertam, it^iiw^n tho sohedul9^y.^BO,^)p.;i l?toG!olw>§ry much lfke^ifc 9ase pf ( "(ou,H*pg .QEfpfie'snpae to Bpit4o»o'flf«^'', „-„;,! ,"', w "•/
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Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 234, 24 December 1887, Page 8
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2,197PARLIAMENTARY. (From " Star " Parliamentary Reporter. December 19 to 22. Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 234, 24 December 1887, Page 8
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