Late and Early. THE HOUSE SITS UNTIL 6 A.M. Progress on-the Estimates.
It was within d few; minutes of six when the House rose this morning 1 , and the compromises offeredby the Hon. Mr Fisher on the education estimates were virtually carried oub, the reduction of school age being negatived and other proptisais of the Government being affirmed. A3 1 the question is one whioh engrosses more attention in the colony than any ofchbr at the present time, I senlcyou a full account of the proceedings in Com- 1 mittee subsequent to the Telegraph Office closing at two. In order to test tho feeling of the Committee on the question of the reduction of school age, a division was bakdn on Mr Reeves's amendment, it being understood that those who were favourable to the retention of the ago as it has hitherto stood should vote in support of the amendment : Ayes, 35 ; noes, 29. The announcement was received with prolonged opplause. The following is the division list ; — ayes, 35 : Blake, Brown, Buchanon, Buxton, Cadman, Duncan, Feldwick, Fitchebt, Fraser, Goldie, Greenwood, Givnnes*, Hutchinson, lzard, Jones, Joyce, Kerr, Lawry, Levestam, Macarthur, McGregor, Moss, Newman, Callaghan, Perceval, Reeves Ross, Seddon, Smith, Sfcowarb, Stuart, Menteath, Taylor, Thompson, Turnhull, Walker. Noes, 29. Allen, Anderson, Atkinson, Bruce, Dodson, Fergus, Fisher, Fish, Fitzherberb, Heslop, Jackson, Kelly, Lance, Mackenzie, (Clutha) Marchanb, Mitchelson, Monk, Ormond, Pearson, Richardson, (Mataura) Samuel Steward (Waimabe), Taipua, Taiwhanga, Tanner, Thompson (Marsden), Whyte, Wilson, Withy. Pairs — For : Rhodes, Moss, Grey, Seymour, Ward, Vogel, Loughrey, E. Richardson, Barron, J. Mclvenzie, R. H. Reevea. Against : Larnach, Carroll, Hobbs, Pyke, Hall, Valentine, Mills, Beebham, Scobie McKenzie, Peacock, Hodgkinson. Mr Fish, speaking somewhat hotly, referred to the indecent applause with which the result of the division was received as being in bad taste, coraingfrommemberswho had been returned pledged to retrenchment The Hon. gentleman's remarks were interrupted by a general uproar. Mr Seddon protested against the language used and demanded that it should be withdrawn. The Chairman said that the words ought to be withdrawn. Mr Fish declined to withdraw his re marks, whereupon Mr Seddon asked that the words be taken down and some confusion ensued. Mr Fish repeated his refusal to withdraw, but af ber some furbher uproar he consented to retract what he had said, but remarked that a rebuke from the member for Kumara reminded him of Satan reproving sin. Mr Duncan moved the reduction of the vote by £5, in order to test the sense of the House on the capitation question. The Committee divided on the amendment. Ayes : 16. Noes : 41. The reduced capitation proposed by Government was then approved. Mr Walker then moved, by way of testing the feeling with reference to the proposal to take a strict average instead of the working average as a basis of calculation, " That the vote be reduced by £400." The amendment was negatived by 33 to 30, thus affirming bho Committee's approval of the proposed change. Coming to the fourth division of, the subject, that of retention or otherwise of normal schools, Dr. Fiichetb moved the reduction of the vote by £3. Ayes : 19. Noes : 43. Under this head the Government proposal was emphatically endorsed. Discussion of the general subject was continued until 3.40 a.m., when a division took place on Mr Guinness's amendment, proposing a reduction of the vote of £27C0 on higher education by £2, as an indication of the desire of the Committee for lessening its cost. Ayes : 42. Noes : 14. Mr Fitzherberb moved to reduce the vote of £385 for Native Schools by £1 so as to indicate the wish of the coramitttee that such schools ahoold be placed on the same footing as European schools. This was withdrawn after some discussion. Mr Fitzherbert moved another resolution to test the feeling with regard to industrial schools, which was lost on the voices. The Minister for Education said that as their main proposals had been rejected Government were not bound by any agreement ; but after further discussion the Premier said Government were of opinion that the capitation allowance would be ample to .maintain the schools. The balance of the Education vote amounting to £360,617 was passed on I the voices.
The Defence Vote. ' At 5.5 a. m the estimates of the Defence Department vote £178,905 was then con- ! sidered and after some desultory discussion the amount was voted in globo.
Other Votes. Votes for native affairs £16,878, public buildings and domains £28,109, State forests and Agricultural Department £5,611 were, carried without amendments. Progress was reported at this stage and leave given to sifc again.
Future Borrowing. The following is the prpviso to the Loan B^ill to be maved in committee by Mr Mc- ' Arthur :—" Provided that no need loan of which the principal and' interest* are. payable in the United ' Kingdom ' other than the loan auth,oriii©d by, this act the million loan authorised by the north Island Main Trunk .Railway Loan Acb 1882. The ,£40,0,00 authorised to bo borrowed on short dated debentures by the public revenues Act 1887, shailbe raised by fcheGeneral Government of New Zoaland, for a period of five yeai's, from the let day of January 1888, and it is further enacted that the aforesaid provision shall be specifically set forth in every prospective notice 91* advertisement inviting tenders or applicatfous for auy of the above mentioned loans.," The Premier will not accept the proviso but will call on the House to reject it — deeming it unwise and unsafe to pledge the colony for a longer period than three years.
Hallway Works. Mr Smith wil to day ask the Minister for Works if he will have tenders ab onde called for the Pohangani bridge and piece of line between the upper end of the gorge and Pahneraton ; also ii he will push on the completion of the gorge tunnels so as bo prevent any further delay.
A W*»toa Sestlon. . When Parliament was sumthorted early in October, it vrps expected that the session being an extraordinary one called nuerely, for the "purpose of givingeffeefi to th<£ desire of the colony in favour ofrVetretichxnent" in,, public expenditure,' would b© a bh'orfc one;" but -those, who thus , reckoned .were' sadly mistaken, as events havjQ proved. We "are in' the Eleventh week, and vre^o i^ndbfor the approach of Christmas.* would not have for' Another' inonfch. T , Ih t has 5 only peen withiA' tlie j^^ka 3^a<C' iny J jiogfemtidri'JUiap I , 'pwft'- dff^bed.; Soraoof the shpuld hdy^ a,{ bad quarter of an' hour before their cpnsti- 1 ; tuents during the reeotf. \ ' ' ' •'' ! 1
mta Loum BUI. " -■*- . Mr Me Arthur is understood to be anxious, M btidWent of the Souse a^re'ejhg, to sanc'tio'nth^iVborroWing £2,400, <M fco tao^Ou to the hd&n Bill a proviso bihdih^ the colony nt^fc togo into ihe English m&rk'efc for five 3foara;, The Premier >ill refUsd 'suc'ti an amendment if it is, proposed. ' ,
' -, The' 'Education Estimates. : . The education estimates have had quite a field day in tho consideration of the Government proposals for retrenbhingi n the coßt of our seoular system of education. During th©> lunch adjournment, proposals were made to Ministers that' i£ they agreed to allow the school age to remain at live, the reduction of the capitation allowance and the abolition of the Training Colleges would not be opposed; It was supposed that an understanding has been come to to that effect ; but, on tho Minister for Education making an announcement in that direction, Sir Julius Vogel said he was not privy to the arrangement, and did not approve of it. It then became evident that the whole question would have to be debated, and the discussion went on hour after hour, every member, seemingly, being satisfied that it would never do to record a silent vote. Many of the speakers urged that the Government wore acting inadvisably in not adopting the Education Committee's report and leaving consideration of this important question over till next session, when more information would be available on the subject. With respect to training schools, it was pointed out that nob one of the specialists examined before the Education Committee, when asked to indicate the lines on which they thought retrenchment could be effected, suggested the abolition of Training Colleges and Normal Schools, and no vote had been taken when tho telegraph office closed at 2 a.m.
Encouraging Looal Industries. Mr Larnach yesto rday morning gay notice of his intention to ask the Ministe of Public Works on nex t sitting day whcthe the Government will insist, as far as pos sible, that the Midland Railway Company have all rolling stock and other manufactured material necessary for their railway made in the colony.
Immigration Vote. The immigration vote of £16,720 was, on Mr Fulton's motion, reduced dy £10,000. by 36 to 23.
Tho Railway BHI. # In moving the second reading: of the Government Railways Bill, the AttorneyGeneral said thab it seemed to be the general opinion that £1,500 a year was too small a salary to secure the serrices of a first-class chief commissioner, and therefore it was probable that an increase in the salary would be made by message from the Governor. This confirms tho information wired you some days ago. Sir Frederick also intimated his intention of moving in committee the excision of the proviso making the granting of licenses to railway refreshment rooms subject to approval of the Licensing Committee. Mr Oliver defended Mr Maxwell's management, and expressed the hope that if he were not appointed Chief Commissioner, he ought to be at least a member of the board. Speeches approving generally of the measure wore made by several members, including Messrs McLean, Grace, Peacock, and Reynolds, while Mr Scotland alone opposed ib.
Harbour Defences. Some hours were spent on Saturday over a vote for £130,000 for harbour defences, bub the item was eventually passed as printed. It was elicited in course of discussion that up to November 30th last liabilities had been incurred to the extent of £104,000, and that another £26,000 would complete the scheme of harbour defences, which had at their commencement- been estimated to cost £300,000, but which, in reality, would cost nearly half-a-million. The Premier admitted that our fortifications would be useless to repel an attack by a squadron, but they would prove very useful in-protecting the main towns from bombardment by a stray ship, and that was what we had to guard against,. He defended the expenditure as a simple matter of insurance. Mr Marchanb tried to get the vote reduced by £24,000, but was defeated by 25 to 23.
Native Land Legislation. The Native Affairs Committee of tho Legislative Council, in reporting upon the petitions of Arthur Owen of the Mokuu Coal Company, stated Shafc, under the 24th clause of the Native Land Administration Act, 1886, certificates had been granted by the Chief Judge of the Native Land Court, which it mm olearly nevor the intention of the Aofc should be bo granted, and that provision ohould be made in the bill now before Parliament to prevent such decision from beingj confirmed, as under the bill there was a possibility of such illegally issued certificates being confirmed. A deputation, consisting of Messrs Valentine, Ward, Cowan, and Feldwick, waited upon the Minister of Public Works, with the view of obtaining a reduction in the railway rates for the carriage of cheese and butter. Mr Valentine having explained* the matter to the Minister, and the other members having expressed their opinion as to the desirability of granting the concession asked for, the Minister' said, that he recognised the " fact that if it were at aIL possible, encouragement ought to be given to the' industry, and that he would inquire carefully, into the subject, and, if practicable, the reduction would be made." Other matters were brought before the Minister, including ' the question of lowering the ra.tes for the carriage of lime. The Minister is also to look into this subject with tho view of making , a reduction if possible. - . , The Minister for x L*nds is inserting in the Land Bi}l now before the Counoil a clause altering the boundaries of certain land districts, in order to make them co terminus with the registration districts. The boundaries of the land districts of Auckland, Hawke's J3a,y, Otago, and Southland are thus re-adjusted.
Sbx in Eods. — A correspondent of the London Journal of Horticulture, snys, in reference to this question : "Lasts winter an old poultry keeper told me he could distinguish the sex in eggs. I laughed at him, and was none the less sceptical when ho told me the following secret:— Eggs with the air bladder on the centre of the crown of the egg *will produce cockerels ; those, with the. bladder one side will, produce pullets. The old man was so certain of the truth of this dogma, and his poultry yard ao faY confirmed xt^ that . I determined to. make experiments' upon it this year. I lhave done &o, registering' th,e egg bladder Vertical, or bladder ,:on;,oi*e ( 'suta rejected all in which it was riot one or the other, as in some it is only very slightly out of the centre, the following u. the feault., Flffcy-tfght chickens were hatched, three x *ro dead, eleven are yet too young to 'daoide. 'upon their s.ex j of the remaining forty-four,' every 'one has turned out truetdtHeoid mkn'3 thebry. This, of course, ttH^btf^n 'mdcidential coincidence, but 1 (lihftU^tely try ,fh* exporlnj^a^iiiVj
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Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 234, 24 December 1887, Page 8
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2,230Late and Early. THE HOUSE SITS UNTIL 6 A.M. Progress on-the Estimates. Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 234, 24 December 1887, Page 8
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