PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 280, 11 July 1888, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

DAIRY FACTORIES. Ifc was arranged at a meeting of the Dairy Factory Committee held on Saturday, Mr Buchanan in the chair, that Mr McCallum, the instructor recently appointed, should commence his tour of the North Island in^Wairarapa district, and travel thence to Woodville, bhen through the Gorge into Manawabu district, afterwards going North to Taranaki and Auckland, where he will visit Waikato, Tail* ranga and Whangarei districts, and take Gisborne and Hawke's Bay on his return southwards. Each agricultural member of the House will communicate with the leading men connected with the farming industry in his consituency in reference to the forthcoming course of instruction, and Mr McCallum has been lurnished with the names of representative settlers and managers of existing factories in each district, with whom he will communicate as he journeys, and ascertain whether his services are debired in their neighbourhood, His object will be to give hint& to conductors of factories and to farmers as to how their methods of operation could be improved. In all instances he will make his [appointments for meetings, etc., by letter or telegram several days in advance. NORTH ISLAND RAILWAY ROUTE. Wellington people are exercised in mind because of the survey which lis being made to discover a bettef and cheaper route for the North Islan^ Trunk Railway. One outcome of this feeling is that Dr. Newman intends to ask the Minister for Public Works whether the new survey for the North Island railway, now being made from Stratford, Inglewood and Mimi to Taumaranui, which the Minister for Public Works, in his speech to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce on the 7bh April, said would cost £10,000, can be completed for that sum ; out of what fund will this money be paid ; under what authority the expenditure has been incurred, Parliament having decided upon fche adoption of the central route.

SHEEP DEPARTMENT. Complaints against the working of the Sheep Department still continue, and,yielding to the pressure brought to bear on him by various members, the Hon. G. 1 ( \ Richardson intends to move next week, that a select committee be appointed to inquire into the working of this department, with power to call for persons and papers, and to sit with any similar committee that may be appointed by the Legislative Council, the committee to consist of Messrs Buchanan, Kerr, Lance, J. McKenzie, Capt. Russell, O'Callaghan, Valentine, Walker, Wilson and the mover.

LIQUOR PROHIBITION. Mr Fulton, acting in conjunction with the temperance party in the House, has put the following motion on the Order Paper for Wednesday week ; (iovernmenfc, however, having taken private members' days ior their business, the motion is very unlikely to be discussed. Et is as follows :—: — " Whei-eas the enormous direct expenditure on intoxicating liquors in this colony, amounting annually to morethan two millions sterling;, contributes largely to the existing depression, adds materially to crime and poverty, and reduces capital available for leproducliveindustiie?, and whereas peopje under the existing law aie powerless to remove the principal cause of these evils, it is, in the opinion of the House, imperative that Government should, without delay, introduce a Bill giving power to people by direct vote at ballot-box, periodically taken, to prohibit the sale of such liquois within the district in which they reside."'

JAM - MAKING. Auckland jam-makers have written to nibmbeis here pointing out that the preservation of truit by sulphuric acid is a monopoly, being a patent of Peacock and Co. 's, hence the unfairness of the redaction of duty on that article and mci ease of duty on fruit pulp The letters only arrived by yesterday's mail (Sunday), but Mr Moss tells me hehas seen Mr Mitchel-on, who will speak to the Premier about it on the first opportunity and see if any tiling can ba done. However, it is probably too late, as the Legislative Council cannot alter money bills

NATIVE LEGISLATION. Animportant deputation of seventynacive chiefs, introduced by Messrs Oarroll and Taiwhang'i interviewed the Premier and Native Minis tei to-day. Paul Tuhaere submitted a resolution piotesting against the seven Maori Policy Bills in their present form, and atking the liovcrnment ho allow the natives to make their own laws. The Premier promised to have a committee of I,oth Houses appointed to investigate the Bills and amend them in a manner satisfactory alike to natives and European?.

THE VOLUNTEER HEGULATIONS. The Minister for Defence is insisting that the volunteer regulations as regards minimum attendance, etc., shall be properly carried out. Last week the Thames Rifle "Rangers. Caversham .Rifles, and Southland Hussars were disbanded for nob fulfiling the regulations.

THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS. No appointments of railway commissioners will be made during the session but the probabilities are that immediately the House rises the ap pointments will be gazetted Though no definite decision lias been come to, I incline to the opinion that a selection will be made from Messrs Hanej 7 , E. Q. Wright, Maxwell, O'Connor and Ferguson, secretary to the Wellington Harbour Board.

PENDING RETIREM ENT. I hear that Mr Blackebt, Engineer-in-Cliief, is likely to retire on a pension at a very early date. The "Post" reiterates that the Chinese edict story is reliable, but the Government have no information on the subject. It is considered doubtful by the whips whether Mr Withy's resolution for further reduction by £100,000 will be carried. No reply has yeb been received relative to Agenb - Generalship, but the Premier is satisfied that Sir Dillon Bell will accept. The Civil Service Bill, grading and fixing all salaries in the service, is now ready for introduction to the House, and will be pi'inted in a few days. The Cabinet have not yet come to any decision relative to the new San Francisco mail contract, but it is almost certain that the pei iod will be for at least another five years. The Premier will move a resolution affirming the desirability of the Government taking contiol of the estimates. He says he believes the legislative salaries should be fixed by Act, and does not intend to vote them year by year, but at the same time thinks the Government &hovild be responsible. Mr Carroll is urging bhe Government to establish a distinct tribunal to hear and determine appeals against the decision of the Native Land Court. There is no intention ot taking up the question of the social evil, or the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Bill this session*