PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP. (BY TLELEGRAPH.— PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER.) Wellington, June 21.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 275, 23 June 1888, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP. (BY( BY TLELEGRAPH. — PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER.) Wellington, June 21.

NOllTir JSLAND TRUNK KArLWAY. Auckland mombers are not satisfied with tho intention of tho (jovernment to let no contracts on the North Island Trunk Railway during tho current year. They say that if nothing else ib done the connection of eight miWbctwccn the Waitote contract and r-hc Poroataroa tunnol, which cost M 7,000, should be made. Tho lino would then be completed a distance of 45 miles. Objection is taken that there is no settlement at tho southern ond of tho tunnel, but members say this objection would also hold with the contract to be let on tho Otu£o Central.

MENINd COMPANIES BILL. TholTouto agreed on Tuesday 'night, without, debate, to the .second residing of Air G'uinncss'h Bill amending the Mmmg 1 Companies Ac!.. The measure piovklos thu'u the ap])ointment of Hquidafcors of a company bludl be made by the Court in which the winding up of the })roeccilin^H aio bcini; conducted, instead of by the creditors.

LAND If OK SKTTLEMENT BILL. I 'radically the whole of last evening's fitting was occupied with the consideration ot Sir Uco. (iiey's Lands for Settlement Bill to nuthouse the utilisation and acquisition ot private lands for settlement purposes. The Wn-le Lands Committee had amended clause 3 by inserting a pio-\)->o pioviding ihat (io\ eminent should nol take or purchase any land until both llou os had .ippiovod the laud to bo .o taken. The Minister ot Lands moved to sti ike out that poition of the clause which enabled pi hate land to he taken. Sir (Jeo. (■'icy cApicsscd the opinion that the pro\iMo sought Lo he inserted would practically kill the Bill. A great deal of opposition wui oflered to the Hill by native and othei members, and stonewalling was eventually icsoiled to. Sii ( .'co. ( irey eventually agreed to withdraw theclaubc, giving the I'rown the light to compulsorily take land, retaining only the power to conduct with jiriv.-Lt e owncis for the sale oi their property. lie also said that native members' objection* had been met' by an understanding that land would not be talc on without the ownei'- consent. The piopo.sal of the MinMei of Lands to stukeout the clause enabling pin ate land to be sci/cd was carried, and two prosisos \\eie agreed to with \cibal alteiatioir-. After midnight the clause empoweiing local bodies to apply for lands to bo acquired undei the Act was struck out by 18 to 16. I'iogrc^ was repotted after the f'ft-h clause had been tia\ei>cd, and the huthct committal of the Hill \va* lived for t,he 12th oT -July, but it is genoially considered to ha\e been shelved.

RATUVAY EMIMXn IIRS" (IRIEV ANCES. Mi (Joltlic, whoha^been inteiesting hiin-.-oH in the railway employ co^' fpievanee:?, and who seconded Mi Moss's motion to 10fei Mr Elliotts position back to the Com niittec, ijmvo notice yesterday to ask the Mmi^tt'i foi Public Work*-, wiictliei on the lcinuval of the foienuin litter horn the Kow inaiUtt woikshoj^, who w.i^ niceising at the ia(e of 12> per day when employed, he htis been replaced b} anothci who is to refen c 11.- j)0." day, but who i- to be paid for se\ en day-> per week.

UN DESIR AHLK .I USTICES. In cnn&equcneo of statements iccentl made bofoic the Pul)lio Petitions (.'oirmiittce icspectmg; juvenile immorality in \Vc'linoton, Jlv i\lc< !rei;oi\ one of the Committee, yestexlay afternoon a^ked uliethei the (!o\ci'mncnl ■\verca\varc that person in this fit) , lioldi))^ Her Majesty's (.!ommi-sion ot the I'eace, knowingly lot; their houses ior immoral purpose*-. The Hon. M v Fergus ■^aul that he was not aware that Mich wab the cate, but would make inquiries intj the mattei. li: the allegations were true ho quite agieed with the lion, member for /* karca that Mich pc: % s-onh oii'j,ht to be re!)io\cd from the C'omniiV^ion of the I'cico.

ILLICIT DISTILLATION. Kcpic^nliitioiih ha\e been made to the (!o\ eminent from various^ hoiuces relative to the illicit distillation ot .sphits goincf on tiuou^hout the colony. Some idea 01 the extent- of the practice ma}> be gathered iiom the fact that In.spoctor JSliearman informed Mr ( ioldie and a J\lini.-(er tliatri^ni inea>mc^ for llie detection and punishment ot oßendciv. would mean an mciea^c ot no lc'-s a sum than C 150.000 j>ev annum to the icvenue tiom the .spiiit duties.

CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT Petitions from l\h\s .Mary Ste jlman Aldi.° siucl nthcift a^ain^t tdit. Act wercconsideied at ;i meeting of one of the branches of the Petitions Committee yesterday. Sir Ceorge <<ieyoa\c e\idenec at \ciy jiieat length, and was reported \erbntim. The Cominittoe decide 1 thiit. in \ icw ot the ieeommondatioi) made by the olhei branch ot the Committee in fa\our vi the Act, and the tact that the («overnment aic piepanncr a Bill on tlic bubject, they have no rccom moudatkm to make.

THE TAXATION I'KOI'OSALS. A-> a result of pie^utc h'om Dunedin |«nn UKuniiitcMuct'^, it ir> understood that llic < iovci nment sue lcconsidormn the question ot pulp duty, with ;\ \ic\\ of allowing pui]> to be admitted fioo or at a smaller duty. Ministers intend to stick to the lea duty, and the tear ib that, if it is not carried the cost of maintaining country roach will be thrown on the colony, as the subsidies to local bodies cannot be continued. With re&pecfc to salt some modification will be proposed., and probably common salt will be admitted without the pioposed increased taiilT. That additional taxation is inevitable is gencially admitted, and in considering the matter it should be borne mind that owing to depreciation in proncity the property Ui\, which last year yielded 360,000, is not likely at the triennial valuation which is to be made next year to contribute more than C 280,000. Ministers profess themselves sanguine that with the iuci eased revenue derivable from the tariff anil further economics they will he able next year to meet the House in tho satisfactory position of bein^ able to show a surplus, instead of an ever-increasing deficit.

THE DA lit V LECTURER. The appointment of Mr McCallum is, as I wired you some clays ago, of a temporary nature, and his salary is at the rate of C 6 per week with travelling allowances. He ih to report on the dilTerent dairy factories, and while doing so to adviso farmers and others interested in dairy business. The Government intended in the iirst instance to obtain the services of an export in dairying, but had been advised by the AgentGeneral that it was impossible to secure a person of the character desired.

NOMINATED IMMIGRATION. Immigrants still continue to arrive under this sjslom. Tho total number for the year oncling last April was 851, of whom 260 were English, 292 Irish, and 172 Scotch. Auckland is credited with 107 of tho new chums ; Taranaki with 13,

Hawke's Bay, 69 j Wellington, 240 ; Marlborough^ ; Nelson, 35 ; Wosfcland, 31 ; Canterbury. 170 ; Otago, 181. The total passage money wa« .€ll,l-13, of which £7,490 was paid in the colony.

RESERVES FOR SETTLEMENT. Important alterations have been made by Uie Waste Lands Committee in the Eill dealing with administration of endowment reserves in the interest of settlement. The whole of the operative clau.ses were struck out, and a new clause inserted giving the Governor power, if he considered justices we"c not administering the reserves properly, to submit for his approval a scheme for the disposal of land. It wa.s also resolved that any land put up for .sale under the provibions of the Public Reserves Act shall remain open for selection at the .same upset price or rental for a period not exceeding twelve months from the date on which they are offered for sale.

THE PREMIER. The rumour fa revived, but does not receive much credence, fchafc the .Premier is likely to be appointed Accent-General. Sir Hurry i,s a little better to-day, but is still confined fco bed. He has been consulting with Me&.srb (Ha.sgow and McJCellar of the Customs Department in connection with the Uiriil.

A SICK MEMBER. Mr .Brown, member for Tuapeka, is improving blow ly, and it is expected he will bo able lo Luke hi& beat next week.

LAW EXAMINATIONS. Tin-, hug^e.stion made by the Senate of the New Zealand Unhor.Mty that that body should bo allowed to conduct the whole of the law examinations in the colony is being huourably considered by the Judges of the ►Supreme Court, and it is probable that the proposed arrangement will be adopted.

ARTILLERY INSTRUCTORS. Two artillery instructors from the Impciiul School of Gunnery, at Shoeburyness, under en^acremeut for service in the Permanent Aitillery, arrived yesterday by the Aoran^i.

ILLNESS OF POLITICIANS. The I'ieiniei Ls .supposed to be suffering from pleurisy, and has been ordered to demist* from transacting public business. J. {). Biown's condition is causing his friends much anxiety.

MOKE RETRENCHMENT. A meeting pioidcd over by Mr D. Goldie muL yesterday morning to endeavour to an ho at a. common understanding to reduce btill fui thcr the Estimates. The Committee consisted of Messrs Anderson, BuAton, Fitchett, Fulton, (l oldie, Sir 0. CJrey, (trimmond, (Juinnesb, Hodgkinson, Lawiy, Lou^hiey, Marchant, McKenscie, J. Monk, O'Conor, Peacock, Smith, R. Thompson, Turnhull and Withy. The Uouimittoe bpent two hours on the Estimate, and made a number of alterations and adjourned until to day.

TJIE TARIFF DEBATE TO PROCEED j\lini.-tev}s are in Cabinet for the pur. pose ot considering the course of business. Ii ib undei stood that the Premier, who is better to-day, is not averse to his colleagues going on with the tarifl debate in his? absence

THE MANAIA UOLDFIELU. A deputation consisting of Messrs Cad , man, Taipari and Hone Nuhi, native chiefs of the Thames, waited upon the Native Minister yesterday in respect of recent mining opeiations at Manaia, Coromandel. It appears the natives of Manaia are ! so impressed with the impoitancc of ! lecent finds on their luncK that they hu\ c deckled to cut up a township and they ha\c authorised Taipaii on their behalf to olici gratis to the Government -some two 01 thiee acres, for the purpose oi the erection of public buildings if hereafter required. They are also prepared to grant the necessary land tor opening up roads. Acting on Mr Cadman's ad \ ice, the Hon. Mr Mitchelson has loquested Taipari to get the native owners interested in the various blocks ot lands to put their oiler in writing to be signed by all chiefs. This Taipari has written them to do. Mr Cadman has requested that nothing be done in the way of roadb without the consent and advice of the County Council, who will be called on to make and maintain the^e toads as the district pi ogretsbcs. This may appear a new dopaiturc tiom the usual method adopted b> nati\es in these matter^, but Mr Cadmiin infuuns me that the same people n few t \ ears a^o not only gave the land tor a road to open the new hnd of Blackmorc's, but | they also contributed onc-tourth of the cost ot making the same.

ILLNESS OF THE I'LIEMIEU. The Piemiurwa^H^hllybettei to-day but \\a-> i)oi< able to leave hK 1 evidence and his colleagues do not expect thai he v* ill bo abletorcippeai in lbellou.su befoie Thursday ne\b.

COULISK OF BUSINESS. A Cabinet meeting wa&held this morning to decide as to the course ot biihiness. Ll< \ui> auunged that the Customs Duties Bill should .stand over till Sir Harry Atkinson is again able to take charge of it. The cjuobbionh, of w hich there aie no less than 570 on the Order Paper, will be answered this afternoon. The amend ments made by the Legislative Council in the C'hine.ie Immigrant Act Amendment Bill will ne\fc be dealt with at tor which the adjourned debate on the Fair Lieut Bill and on the District Railway Purchasing Act Amendment Bill, and the motion for second reading' ot the Mining Act Amendment Bill -\\ ill be taken in the | order named. I

REDUCTIONS IN THE HOUSE. bir (.Jcorgc lircy announced this moiuing at a meeting of the Committee, which is rovlhii){» Llie estimates with a view to further leiluelion of salaries, Ihnt he In - tontlb to give notice thai the number ot members ot the Lower Kouse .should be reduced to 50 in oidor to tcbl the mattci ajrain.

UKtfKACTOKY ORES. • 'Che Cloldrtolds Comtnilleo arc continuing the inquiry which was commenced last scNsion a.s to the best meaiih of dealing with refrautojy ores. >Ses r era] expert witnesses avc bo bo examined.

THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR. It seems that tho Hon. Mr Oliver did not take his departure for Melbourne by the Te Anau because he had some important resolutions to move m the Legislative Council. He accordingly wont South by the Penguin two days later, and on arrival at Port Chalmers found that himself and his luggage could only reach the Melbourne boat at the Bluff by a special train being pub on. This was authorised by the Government, and Mr Oliver arrived in Melbourne on the 13th inst. and in Sydney on the 15th inst., but too late to take part in the deliberations of the Conference. The Government here had previously telegraphed to the Noav South Wales Government asking that the Conference be deiayed for fcwo days, till the .New Zealand delegate put. in an appearance, bub this was refused.

I WivrEK resort— -Tho fireplace. j Le(a)d astray — Misaimed bullets.