PARLIAMENTARY. (From " Star" Reporter.)

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 279, 7 July 1888, Page 5

PARL I AMENTARY. (From " Star " Reporter.)

WkIIixVGTOX, July 3. 'Tub adjourned debate on the motion that the Speaker leave the chair, in order Lo go into Committee of Supply fco consider the Estimates, and Mr Monk's amendment calling lor a repeal of Acts fixing salaries in Legislative Audit Department; was resumed by Mr Seddon, who said he would reserve any remarks he might wish to make on the question until a later date. Dr. Hodgkinson condemned raising of the tea tax for local subsidies and advocated the sale of the railways. Mr Marchanl justified the action of a section of the House in demanding further retrenchment to the extent of £100,000. The party had no means of bringing up the legislative salaries for revision, except by Act, and the object of the amendment was to enable Government to do this. Sir George Grey was satisfied that Mr Monk's amendment ought to be adopted, but feared it would take a great deal ot persuasion to induce the House to adopt it. The Legislative Department ought not to be favoured beyond other branches of the public service in being exempt from taxation. Persons had been appointed to the Government Life Insurance Department, who had not passed the Civil Service Examination, and he argued that at times, when omcers of other branches wore being turned away, they ought to be given the choice of removal to the Insurance Department in preference to the persons whom he alluded to. The House did not requiio a highly paid Chairman of Committees, lor members ought to undertake the duties in turn. He advocated the appointment of Parliamentaiy Under-Secretery, who, with an efficient chief clerk under him, would be able to conduct the service much better than under the piesent system. Gov rnment ought to permit his Law Practitioners' Bill so that the legal profession might be open to all discharged Civil servants. Much of the tuition now given in schools was of a kind which was usele?s to children in after lite, and he thought some kind of technical instruction ought to be given in primary schools. In conclusion, he hope:! he had said enough to assist the passage of Mr Monk's amendment. The amendment, '"That in the opinion of the House, it is desirable that Government should introduce, and, if possible, pass this session a Bill to repeal or amend the Legislative Officers' Salaries Act, 1867, and Public Revenues Act, 1878." was then put and lost by 52 to 21. Discussing the original motion, Mr Scobie Mackenzie said that the freetraders recognising that question at the time was simply one between the Government and their protectionist supporters in which they, the freetraders, were not concerned and would not regard it as incumbent upon them to vote on the question. Mr Hobbs hoped that Government would, during the recess, consider the kind of retrenchment indicated in Mr Monk's amendment. Sir George Grey said ho would again divide the House on the question, as he considered it to be unfair to civil servants and a bad example to the country. Mr Scobie Mackenzie said that there was no principle involved in the dispute between theGovernmentand Protectionists, the question being simply whether the House should go on with the Estimates or give preference to the Customs Duties Bill, which was already almost law as far as the House was .concerned. The Freetraders did not care a. bras 3 farthing which came on first, and would therefore exercise their right of not voting, but if an opportunity were given them of relieving the country of what they consided a disastrous measure of orotection, they would know which lobby fco walk into, even though it involved the defeat of the Government. Dr. Fitchett said that Friday's division was a surprise to the protectionists. They thought Government intended to use the Bill as a whip with which to force through the Estimates, but they were now satisfied such was not the case. They intended to now support the Government. Mr Allen said Mr Reeves had stated on Friday that protectionists had their price, and it appeared that as it had been paid the misunderstanding had been removed. It was evident that they had been in communication with Government, and that some ai'rangement had been made. Mr Seddon said, he found that the Premier had granted one thing that he (Mr Seddon) had been fighting for, because he had consented to amotion which was to be tabled, affiming the desirability of making further reduction during the recess to the extent of £100,000. Thus it appeared that the division of Friday night was a complete victory for those who ad--vocated farther economies. The Premier said that Captain Russell's spe-ech was extraordinary and illosrical, in view oi the action he contemplated. When there vr as some chance of doing what they professed to want, they, as free traders, proposed fco walk out of the House. Their position was weak and utterlyabsurd. They were going to do every thins they could, yet that "everything" meant simply walking out of the House. As to Mr Seddon no member wasted more time than he, and the Customs Duties Bill might now be law but for his action. He would be glad to accept any assistance to carry out retrenchment when in committee— that is, any reductions within reason. They were even more anxious than hon. members to economise, because they knew the need for it. They had never professed bo have finished retrenchment, but were still goincr on with it. If some progress were made with the Estimates they would probably bring up the Customs Duties Bill next day, and finally dispose of it. INobody could be more anxious than they to get rid of the measure. He asked the 'freetraders to give him credit for the belief 'lihat he was acting in what he considered to be the interest of the country. He denied that there was any bargain with the .protectionists, or that they had made any approach to the Government. - The Government as well as • themselves , would have been degraded - had any offer been made. They wanted to see a strong Government on the Benches, and they wished Uie matter to be brought to an issue as isoon as possible in order to decide whether the Government was not to be rejected. It was only the unfair re onduct of certain members which made the Government take up such a position on Friday. Even now fche Bill was not ready to be finally dealt with. - Mr- Monk's motion was objectionable because it was too vague and indefinite, ttnd did not specify fche reforms. Speaking to the question whether the Chairman' •of' Committees should not be dispensed with altogether, he thought fche chair could well be filled from a rota ; still the idea re- - quired more mature consideration, and it would be unwise to rush into an experiment for the.cake of saving two or three hundred ; pounds. * " The motion tog o into Committee of Sup,ply was carried by 59 to 4. The House lihen went into Committee.

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Glass 1. Legislation, £14,955. Mr Hutchison wished to review the item of £25,000 set down fovpensions, compensation and gratuities under, special Acts of i Legislature, contending that that item was not authorised by the Act which purported to do so. The Chairman, however, ruled him out of order. Sir Maurice O'Rorke called attention to an innovation which had been made this year which was unconstitutional and without warrant). The Executive, for the first time since he had known the House, had taken upon themselves Io regulate salaries of legislative officers without any reference to the Speaker If this concerned only the Speaker, he would probably be contented to pass it over in siience, but it was a matter which also concerned the House, which had always kept in its own hands the right of fixing its oificeis' salaries, which power was sought to be taken away. It was, he believed, only preparatory io a second step, namely, that of making the officers of fche House officers of the Executive. He was glad to be able to appeal to members at a (ime when party feeling was put aside, and ask them not to yield up their rights which were secured to them by great difficulty 11 years ago. Ib would be a very sorry day for the House when its officers had to look to one oi another Executive either for their promotion or their increase ol pay. As the oldest member of the House, the question concerned him less than anybody el°e whether officers were or were not to bo allowed to become political partisans. Hitherto they had not been so, and he was surprised that the movement should be piomoted by a gentleman of such long expeiience in the House, and one who had been so long connected with the history of New Zealand. Proceeding with his speech under influence of strong emotion, Sir Maurice said that he and the Premier entered the House together,nnd the latter must know ot the difficulties under which a tormer Speaker, Sir Da\ id Muni o, had contended with the Fox and Stafford Miuisti-ieg to secure for the House the independence of legislat've officers. Fault had been found with an appointment which he had made, but he pointed out that he had only chosen theSergeant-at-Armsof whose qualifications the House could judge, and when the late Parliamentary reader retired from the House notwithstanding his endeavours to the contrary, and after remaining for twelve months at his (the Speaker's) personal request, he, in ordei to introduce hib son to a knowledge of public business, had placed him in the position at a reduced salary of £150, though the House last year \oted a lager salary. These appointments, the only ones within ten years, did not warrant the aspersions which had been levelled against them. He did not ask for himself the right of fixing salaries, but he claimed that the House should do so. All would feel that the House was higher than Executives, who were mere creations of to-day, and could be made or unmade at the will ol the House ; but he asked the House to assert its own independence and that ot its officers. He had no proposition to make just now, but he would hear whether members sympathised with the view he took, and afterwards endeavour to biing back the House to the cosition won for it by his predecessors in office. Progress was reported on the motion of the Premier, and the committal of the ; estimates was made a second order of the day for Wednesday, the Customs duties being fiist.

Wellington, July 6. The resolution drafted by fcho Retrenchment Committee relative to further possible saving was moved yesterday afternoon by Mr Withy. The Premier moved that the j Speaker leave the chair, in order that the Hou&e might go into Committee of Supply. Air Withy then moved, as an amendment, " That, in the opinion of this House, the Government should, if possible, during the recess further reduce the expendituie by £100,000 per annum." The motion was not, he said, intended to be hostile to the Government. Last year the Premier had promised to reduce the expenditure by £300,000, and the retrenchment already carried fell short of that amount, the time at his disposal being a very sufficient reason. The Government had agreed to consider the matter favouiably. He thought it would be necessary to retrench further, because che new Customs duties could not be relied upon as stable revenue for some time, while the property tax was almost sure to fall off. The lavish expenditure npen public works had closed, and it was necessary that the colony should begin to set her house in order. The' Economy Committee, after going thiough the Estimates, had come to the conclusion that considerable reductions could be made, though not unmindful of the serious depression in business and agricultural circles. The words "if p. ssible " occurred in the motion because he recognised that Government must know more about the subject than he did, and he aid not wish to pin them down to a sum which might not be practicable. The reductions must come lower down than those proposed in the last Financial Statement, when the Premier said it was not intended to touch salaries of less than £150 a year. The wages must be reduced, especially those in the Railway Department, which were now above the average market value. The loan expenditure had hitherto sustained the rates of wage 3 at a higher scale than those which the colony could afford, and now that the loan era was almost past the position must be fairly faced. His proposal would not, he thought, weigh heavily on working men. The colony could not be expected to pay wages above the average market rate, while the employees had the advantage over outside workmen in being paid full wages for six days weekly whether the weather permitted them io \york or r,ot. The classification of the Civil Service would be another desirable step in the direction of economy, and he approved of carrying out a like system in the Education Department. There could also be economies throughout the system, but he preferred the present Education Boards to centralisation of control in Wellington. The school age would also have ultimately to be raised, but as the House declined to do so last year, he would not ,re - open the question. Some system ought to be proposed for replacing the school buildings as they fell into decay. He asked the House to pass the resolution, and thus strengthen the hands of the Government in making reductions.' ' Mr Hobbs, in seconding the motion, said members of the House must be prepared to take their share of the .responsibility" of the 'retrenchment scheme, and thepdiurn whiph io would' entail, , As Government were paying more than current rates ,of,wages, they, could make •• considerable^, retrenchment without inflicting much hardship on individuajs. Sfcill, they, should pay the highest current r#te», with which workmen would be quite satisfied, particularly as there were hundreds of capable men who wer.e prepared to step in to 1 <, their ppsitions. n Retrenchment.must be carried outjn order to place fche colony's affairs, on a pr.oper footing, and those were not true friends of working men who were continually raising

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the bogie of opposition, to ( reduction of] wages., Tbo Government could' nob be j bound, to ,a hard and.fasb smn of £100, 000, and that was why the terms of the resolution were, qualified. He asked the House to look into the question calmly and thoroughly hi the view of the necessities of the colony. Mv Goidie. in supporting the amendment-, said that he and others had been pledged to support a revision of the tariff without oxtra taxation, but in order to obtain a revision had had to submit bo a very much increased taxation, and had thus beon to pome extent compromised. ■ The press ot the colony, which was rather following than leading public opinion, had called loudly for reductions. He found that Government had already touched several salaries of less than £150 a-year — for instance, those ol the judged ass ciates, and there wore anomalies in the salaries ot the Rtgistiars of the Supreme Courts. A revision of the service system must not only lead to reductions, but would causo the oiiiccrc; to \\ r o k much more heartily, becauso they could look for promotion on their i.ieiits, instead of being dependent upon favouritism. He agreed that the Hou^e could not oxpeot to go into details of the Estimate-, because they had not the necessary information at their dispo&al. The vote for contingencies had been used much for supplementary salaries of persons who woie already well paid. Retrenchment in the Railway Department had been deferred pending the passing of the contiol into the hands of a Board, and consuleiable reductions could then be made There were too many police inspectors, and they, as well as the constables, were too highly paid. The officers drawing over £150 a year were 1,049 in number, their average salary being £257 per annum. He taunted the member for St. Albuns with saying he had a price, and demanded that he should inform the Hqusewhatthatpricewas. The speakersaid he too had his price, and id was that the Government should cairy on the work of retrenchment which they had honestly entered on. Mr Moss said that that he looked on the exertions of the Retienchineno Committee with very great regard, and if he was not one of them it was because, as an old mem ber of the House, he recognised that their exeitions must neoe&sarily be futile. He objected to the doctrine that savings, could be made without bearing in mind the claims of those who had been long in the service. Whatever amount was fixed, the words " if possible " should be struck 'out of tho resolution. Mr W. P. Reeves thought that the sug gestion of Mr Withy was a good one, but he did not think it was possible to retrench beyond£so,Goofurtherthanwhathad already been done. He strongly objected to those drawing less than £100 a year having their salaries retrenched. Mr Fish regarded the amendment a-5 a waste of time. The addition of the words " if possible " jendered it perfectly useless. Those moving the amendment wanted to pose before the country as letrenchers, knowing perfectly well that it would be accepted by the Government, who might come back after the recess and say that they found it impossible to carry out the instruction given them. The Premier had told the House that he would if possible retrench further. The Premier : Thero is a meaning in it. It covers more than that. It is a very different thing. Mr Fish went on to say that he had not heard Mr Withy's remarks, and he regievud to hear that the proposition meant a reduction of the wages ot the working men ; in that case he must distinctly vote against it, and he trusted that before tho debate closed the Premier would distinctly tell the House what this reduction of £100,000 really meant. The debate was then adjourned till Friday. GOVERNMENT INSURANCE DEPARTMENT. In accordance with the indication of the i House as expressed last session, some | savings have boon effected in the Govcrnj ment Insurance Department. Some difficulty has been felt in arranging the respec cive salaries of Mr Ltickie, Commissioner, and Mr Frankland, Actual y. At present Luckie gets £1,000 and Frankland £800. It is intended that both shall have £800 in future. UOLDFIELDS RACES. Water race channels on the West Coast this year (expenditure on which has been £9,600) show a credit protit of ;fc4,054, this being the largest surplus yet obtained from them in any one year. There was a deficit of £128 on Nel&on Creek water race, buttheWaimea Kumera water race and sludge channel shows a credit of £4, 125, and Argyle water race, Charleston, also gives a credit of £57 of receipts over expenditure. AMENDMENTS IN THE TARIFF. Mr Moss has represented to tho Premier that in some Australian colonies there is a duty of 15 to 2C per cent, on boats, while the pine of which they are built is brought in free ; also the necessity of a lebate on opium used in bond for the manufactuie of laudanum. The Premier agreed with both suggestions, but it was too late to alter the schedule oi the Bill now, as that would require recommittal and cause great delay. For the present, therefore, nothing could be done in the Act, but he would see if relief could not be granted by regulation on opium or other chemicals used in bond. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. I advised you a fortnight ago that tho Committee to which Mrs Mary Steadman Aldis's petition against the Contagious Diseases Act had been referred would report that they had no recommendation to make. The reportof the Committee to thL* effect was brought up at the sitting of the Hou&e yesterday, with several similar petitions similarly endorsed. Th<s customary formula of laying the report on the table ™as pur&ued. It transpired that the evidence was really that of Sir George Grey, which had been taken at great length, and which Dr. 'Hodgkinpon said contained valuable information on an important social question Sir John Hall, Mes&ts Peacock, Thompson, Hobbs, and Leve^tam, and Dv. Mtchecfc opposed the proposal, and Mr Tumbitll failed to see why they should print the evidence of Sir George Grey more than that of any other member, and Mr O'Callaghan insinuated that this was an attempt on Sir George Grey's part to secure the printing of his speech on the debate which the House excluded from Hansard. Sir George Grey repudiated this accusation, and paid it was unjust to crush out evidence obtained by many years' thought and research. Messrs ' Blake (Chairman of ' the Committee) and R. Reeves said thero was nothing in the evidence that might 'not be read by anyone, but' the House decided by 30', t0 41 not to publish it. A proposal by Mr Peacock; t6 refer- the question of printing 'the evidence"' to the Reporting Debate's Committed was negatived by42 to 26, and Sed'don's amendment, referring the whole question' back to the Committee, was lost on the voices. ' ' , , WORKING MEN' AND PROTECTION. Captain Russell 'asserted last ' night that a cureful "calculation J werib) to show thab the effect of the proteptiye

tariff on ' the " working classes was) j that a man earning £2 a weok would | have bo contiibule 2s 6d a week, moro ; than ! hitherto to the revenue. . Mr Taylor interjected that ho would, got a shilling por day' > move wages. Captain Russell doubted tliia, and said his o,wn, opinion was that he would get a shilling a day ; lest.' RETRENCHMENT. RETURN. The Government found themselves in a minority of two yesterday afternoon in opposing the printing of a return by Mr W. P. Reeves of persons retrenched in Civil Service ard the compensation paid them. The return isa very bulky one. It was i paid that it would cost a great deal to print it. Tho Government were n6t prepared for ! the vote given by the House. ' TREATMENT OF ORES. The correspondence between John Chamber, of Auckland, and the Minister oi Mines, relative to Parkes's process for tieatmenfc of ores was laid on the table of the House yesterday. In the first instance, Mr Chambers wioteto the Minister suggesting a bonus of £5,000 be of fereel to encourage the smelting ot ores; to be paid to any person who could treat 500 lonfc at fcuch a przee as should pay the producer. The whole process should save at least 90 por cent, of the assay contents of the oro. The cost of treatment not to exceed JJ3 per ton. The Minister could not see his way to adopt the proposal, but wroie that he would bo prepared formally to consider the question of offering a bonus for the treatment of lowgrade ores by a system which would cost not mere tlnn 15s per ton and which should &avo 90 per cent, of the af-'say value of the stuff. Mr Chambers thought this idea not unreasonable, and suggested that a bonus of £] ,000 should be offered for apiocess which would &a\e 75 per cent, of bullion at a cost ol 5s per ton, another .€l,OOO fora process which would save 80 per cent, at 7s Gd, and another £1,000 for one winch which would &aye 90 por cent, at the cost of 10& per ton. The Mini&tor piomised that this proposal would be favourably considered by the Government, but &aid at present ihey did not propose to consider the question of granting bonuses in respect of any other than lovv-giade ores. Here correspondence •ads. THE PREMIER AND FREE TRADERS. In the course of the debate on the Customs Duties Bill last evening, some sensation was unexpectedly occasioned by Mr Macarthur reading a report ot a meetingheld at Bulls during the late recess after Mr Biuce, the representative of tho distiict, had completed addressing his constituents. He was pointedly asked whether it was the Premier's in ten tion to bring in a protective tariff, and. Mr Bruce replied that betoie leaving Wellington he had seen Sir H. Atkinson, who had given him a definite assurance that he would not increase duties — that was to say, would not impose protective duties. The Premier at once rose to his feet and challenged Mr Bruce as to whether he had ever made such a statement as that imputed to him. The member for Rangitikei said that this was not the pioper time ■ for him to make an explanation. As far as he could recollect, the report was as neaiiy aceuiate as he could wish it to be. This assertion that the Premi i had promised not to impose protective duties was the signal for an outburst of applause on the paio of the free traders, and was met with an unqualified denial on Bir Harry's part. CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. This Bill finally passed the Committoe stage last evening. The Bill having been recommitted, a proviso was added to clause 14 to the effect that increased rates oi duty should only be collected from the oafcie on which the resolution imposing them was carried. Verbal amendments of an unimporcant nature were made in clauses of the Bill. A new clause was added on the motion of the Government providing that materlil inipoited foi die Midland Railway shall only be liable to duties fixed by the old tariff, on condition that the Company shall enter into a bond that such plant is to be used for railway purposes only, and not be sold or otherwise i employed. If the Company tail? to enter into the bond, or if it infringes the conditions, the duties provided under the now Act are to apply. A new line was added to the schedule, fixing the duty on liquors, bitters, and cordials imported in packages at 16s per liquid gallon ; the same articles m bulk being left at 15s per oailon. The duties on brass and copper manufactures not otherwise enumerated were raised from 15 to 20 per cent. Hessians (the fair market value of which does not exceed 4d per yard), 15 per cent. On the motion ot the Premier this item was struck out, as it was considered likely to interfere with local industries. Papier maehe ware was raised from 1 5 per per cent, to 20 per cent, ad valorem. Satins and plush were included with silks at a duty ot 25 per cent, ad valorem. Scrim cloth, 15 per cent. On tho motion of the Premier this item was struck out. Pearl ash, potash and caustic potash woro placed on iho Ireo list. The Bill was then reported as amended. The Premier moved that the amendments be agreed to. This was cairied without dissent. The motion for the third reading gave rise to a debate which extended be\ond midnight. JUVENILE IMMORALITY. j In consequence of the numerous petitions being received praying for a repeal of the Contagious Diseases Act, the Government are preparing a measure having for its object the suppression of juvenile prostiI tution, and giving the police extended powers with lespect to closing houses of ill-fame. It is unlikely, however, that the Bill will be pushed through this session. THE RABBIT CONFERENCE. j Information has been received from MiBell, the New Zealand representative at the Australian Rabbit Conference, that Auatialian scientists aro much pleased with the results, so far of the preliminary experiments with the Pasteur system. Mr Bell left for Now Zealand by the Mararoa yes terday. MR LARNACHS FAREWELL. Thk Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, C.M.G., on Saturday evening entertained thirty heads of departments in the Civil Service at a farewell dinner, at Bellamy's, prior to his approaching departure from this colony. As a Minister, Mr Larnach always showed great consideration for the sorvico, and was exceedingly popular with its members. Mr Larhach presided, and was, supported on the right by Dr. McGregor, (Inspector of Lunatic A&ylums), and on the left by Mr W. Blair (Public Works Department). The vice etfalrs were ' Occupied by; Captain Humd '(lnspector of. Prisons) and Mr G. S. Cooper' (Under , .Secretary). Among the guests present were :; Messrs Gordon (Mines 'Department), McKeirow, (Surveyor - General), Maxwell, (General Manager of Railways) < and Blackett (En-gineer-in -Chiet.) The > proceedings, were of I a most enjoyable character. J , i F'OREST !( PL'AN^^ * ' ' , The State, Forests Act .Amendment Bill) 1 • which has been introduced by the Minister

) f6r Bands, empowers 'the, Government, to r withdraw open lands, from-, under, the I 'operation of the original Abb,- and-, provides that 'any unexercis'ed orders tor ,fqresc tree planting may ■ still b,e exorcised up' to- ol&t of December^ 1890, when they will become null and .void, while any .order yet fco be issued shall expire on the same date. CARRIAGE OF FRUIT. The Minister of Public 'Work see.ns doubtful whether wishes of ' fruitgrowers with regard to r>ites on fruit carriage can be met. He says what they require is the, right to send a hundred - weight at the same rates proportionately as a ton, and this would really be carrying fruit at one-fifth of a penny per pound. The Totalisator Committee appointed by the Legislative Council are inviting suggestions from the Metropolitan Jockey Clubs. Tho Committee will probably recommend thai the Colonial Secretary is-sue a permit to all clubs to hold one meeting annually, but if two meetings are held, stakes of the value of £200 per day must be given, if three meetings stakes must aggregate £300 daily, if four 1 mettings £400, and live meetings £500. They will also probably recommend that the totalisator be not allowed to be used at more than five meetings in any one year. RETRENCHMENT MEETING. Another interview took place yesterday <%ftevnoon between the Premier aud Messrs Goldie, Withy and Hobbs, the representatives, of the Retrenchment Committee. The i result of the interview was that the Premie t promised to accept tho following resolution | if it were passed by the House: "That in tho opinion of thits House the Government should ?'/ possible, during the recess, make still further reductions in the annual public expenditure to the extent of £100,000." The words "if possible " were insisted on, and it was understood from Sir Harry that if the motion were carried into eflect salaries below £150, as well as those above that amount, would have to be dealt with. The resolution ha& been entrusted to Mr Withy, who will take the first opportunity of moving it. Members of ohe Committee are now looking for support for it. MR MONK'S AMENDMENT. I Credic has been persistently given to the Retrenchment Committee foi the amendment moved by Mr Monk on tho motion to go into supply ia&t Friday night. Mr Marj chant referred to the statement last night, i and denied, that the Committee had any connection with the resolution. He said Mr Monk moved entirely on his own responsibility as- a private member. Tho obj ject of Mr Monk's amendment, to reduce the Act fixing legislative salaries is, oi course, to enable the House to deal with ! the salaries in those departments. THE TEA DUTY. It hab already been stated that the Government only succeeded in carrying the increased tea duty in consequence of having made it a Ministerial question. Dr Hodgkinson last night said that he had recently on several occasions had occasion to vote against his convictions and gave the tea duty as a case in point. "Then why did you do it V" queried Mr Taylor, svhicli drew from the member for Wallace the rejoinder, "So, ay to keep such as you off the Treasury benches. " The House evidently enjoyed Mr Taylors discomfiture, which was the effect of the straightforward reply tendered by the Railway Department. Quite a strong point was made by Mr Hutchison last night, of the prolific field tor saving which the Railway Department furnished. Ho spoke strongly in denunciation of the railway system, and raised laughter by the application of the phrase " leather-headed officious fatuity," which distinguished the management and the " glorious bumb'edom" that ruled over the department. THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR. The Hon. R. Oliver returned fiom the Chinese Conference, which be was too late to attend, yesterday afternoon . He hud an interview with the Premier and ir is uodetstood that his report wi be considered by the Cabinet to-day \i ith a view to deciding on their fuither action on this question. T3ie consideration of the Council's reasons for insisting on their amendments in the Chinese Bill is now at the bottom of the order paper. RECIPROCITY WITH FRANCE. Mr Joyce intends to abk tho Commissioner of Customs whether tho AgentGeneral had sent to New Zealand a report ot his visit to Paris last year ; whether he had journeyed from London to discuss with the French Customs authorities certain reciprocal trade advantages, especially the question of New Zealand liozen meat. JOTTINGS. Mr >Seddon complained that ho was deserled front and lear on the uaity question. Mr Guinness wants a magisterial enquiry into the wreck of the Gerda atCreymouth. Major Steward is moving to have the Licensing Committees Re-election Bill considered again on the 19th. Mr Hutchinson is asking the Government if they have decided to" join the Sugar Bounty Convention. ■ Mr Taiwhanga has given notice of a commifcfcee of fifteen membcis, of whom nine aro Aucklanders, to enquire into and report on late S. J. Edmonds's petition. Mr Pratt wants the Government to reduce railway charges on milk sent Lo chee&e factories. Four petitions against the Contagious Diseases Act, and a similar number against the totalisator, were presented yestorday. Mr Seddon twitted the Government last night on the facr, that they were in a hopeless minority.