PARLIAMENTARY. (From " Star " Reporter.) Wellington, July 9.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 281, 14 July 1888, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY. (From " Star " Reporter.) Wellington, July 9.

CONFERENCE ON NATIVE AFFAIRS. A meeting of members who have heretofore been opposed to the native policy Bills was held yesterday morning — Mr Kelly in the chair. It was resolved to endeavour to get a clause inserted in the Native Lands Court Bill, providing that any land upon which the Court may adjudicate shall at the time of adjudication be so subdivided by the Court that the number of owners included in any one certificate of title shall not exceed twenty, who shall be tenants in common — the area of each owner being equal. "With regard to the Native Land Bill it was decided to propose a new clause to the effect that no person or company shall hold by purchase from natives or by transfer from any person more than 5,000 acres of native 'land. The same will apply to leaseholds, but the quantity in that case is not to exceed 15,000 acres. Another amendment decided on by the meeting was that all leases shall contain the principle of tenant-right, and all improvements shall belong to the tenant at the end of the terra. Several other amendments in matters of detail weie agreed upon. A gcneial meeting of both supporters and opponents of the Bills will be convened in the course of a day or fr\\o.

THE CONVICT CRABTREE. It is on theprinciplethat we goliom homo to hear news that I leru-n that the notorious criminal Crabtree, who was senb to Auckland some time ago, has become insane and been transferred to the Whau Lunatic Asylum. Crabtree was originally senteived to thirteen years for horse-stealing at Dimedin, and escaped. He was recaptured and sent to Mount Cook Gaol, at W elling-ton, from which place he escaped by cutting hinges out of the cell door. Again he was recaptured andtransfercdto Auckland. The most recent chapter of his life is a very melancholy one.

AUCKLAND HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT BILL. The local Bills can only be taken on Thursday afternoons, and as next Thursday is the last to begnon to private members-, the fate of the Auckland Harbour Impio\ cment Bill would appear to bo \eiy ur.ee--tain. I believe, however, that if it does nob pass its thild leading it will then have another chance on Monday e\ening-, which is almost certain to be set audit ior local Bills. It ib expected that Dr. Pollen or the Hon. W. Swanson will take charge of the Bill in the Legislative Council, and most likely the ioimer.

CHARGING SCHOOL FEES. j Auckland members are amused at the unblushing enrontery of youi morning contemporary in attributing to them feelings of regret at the fate of the resolutions attacking the Education Act. As a matter of fact the decision of the meeting was received here with gratification and almost unmixed satisfaction, and some telegrams were sent to Mi Cooper congratulating him upon having defeated an insidious attempt to ?ap the ■s cry foundation of our educational system. Tou would have seen by the opinions ot Auckland members I forwauled you a fortnight ago that, with two exceptions, they were opposed to any imposition of school fee=;, and the exceptions were two city membeio who would go no turther than to tay the proposal deserved consideration. I make this explanation at the request of some members who do not wish to be placed in false positions.

THE RETRENCHMENT RESOLUTION. There is still a great deal of talk in the lobbies relative to Air Withy's lesolution affirming the desirability ot further retrenchment to the extent of £100,000. There is some doubt whether the re^o lutiou will be carried, bun if it is negathed the reason will be obvious. The objection of many members is noc to the resolution itself, for they not only concur in the desirability of an outlook for tuture retrenchment, but in the view the Premier has taken of it. Some uncertainty appear^ to exist regarding the actual intention of the Committee ana the mover of the resolution. They disclaim any desne to eflect the saving of the whole amount of £100,000 from salaries under £100. They assure me that their own object, and what they believe to be the intenuon of the Premier, is this — To ie\ise and classify the whole &er\ice and pay each person in public employ a lair amount for the se< vices he renders. They do not propose to be pai tie? to the singling out of any one class, but by a further general reduction of expenditure in all departments and services to secure that retrenchment which the country demands.

MR WITHY'S VIEWS. I had a chat with Mr Wifchy on the subject ye&terday. His views are to the same effect as the foregoing, but he went even further. He said he had practically dealt with the salaries of £150, amounting in the aggregate to £366,000. He looked to the wages and salaries below £150, the aggregate of which A\a& £639,000. This is where many opponents ot the lesolution consider Mr Withy and the Premier are of the same mind, and thib in the point on which they claim to difter. They say that to make the main savings from salaries and wages under £150 is practically throwing the burden of retrenchment on the poorer classes and those least able to bear it, and that the retrenchment of salaries over £150 has been incomplete and a farce. I apprehend quite a warm debate on ijhe subject.

A MECHANIC'S OPINION. "A Mechanic " wrote to the "Post" last night on the subject, and says in the course of his letter : — " Air Withy is about to make a motion for the purpose of taking a percentaage off the bread-eater in every working-man's family ; tor reducing the number of boots worn by the little ones, and generally speaking, with the object of bringing the working man's nose to the grindstone. I know nothing of Mr Withy or his antecedents. Perhaps it is as well, for I could say nothing offenfeivv, but he appears to me to be ono of those men who would see New Zealand populated by Chinese rather than Englishmen. Hie .statistics with regard to wages I entirely dispute. The railway working men's wages have ah early been retrenched to the extent of one shilling and one and sixpence a day, thus reducing their pay below fchafc of outsiders doing the the same kind of work." GOVERNMENT INTENTIONS.

It is now understood that the Premier will take the opportunity, before the vote is given, to indicate what the Government understand the motion to mean, and how they intend to give effect to it. This explanation Avill largely affect the voting one way or the other. The " Post "' bays: "It is understood that it Mr Withy s morion is carried, Ministers will act on it by reducing the wages of labourersintheiremploy to a maximum of 6s per day — those now re-

coiving less than 7s per day suffering a corresponding reduction. The pay of the police -will also bo reduced." The Cabinet tiro divided as to the manner in which Mr Withy's resolution should be treated, and are now considering- the master. If effect is to be given to the motion, those who will be affected include railway employees, surface men, police constables, sergeants and postal and telegraphic officials. It is as seited ihal if every officer in the Govern ment employ who receives over £200 a year had his salary struck off altogether, a saving of £100,000 would not bo made. It will thus be seen that the great bulk of the appiopiiations for wages and salaries goes to men in receipt of comparatively small pay.

NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION. Thcie is already some talk of accepting 1 the challenge thrown down by the Premier the other evening, and testing the question whether the House- has or has not coniidence in the Government as at p^e»enb constituted. The advisability of bringing on such a motion even at this* late stage of the session is likely to be considered by cho Opposition tins week, but it is problematical •whether they \\ xll determine to do &o. If such a motion is pioposed, I doubt if it will fcccuie more than forty votes, and there is little or no chance of it being canied.

'FLIISCO MAIL SERVICE. Mr Peacock intends to put a question on the Ortiei Paper with t'->e object of bunging out the iact already wheel to you that if the eoirespondenco now sent by fcho .direct service were forwarded by the San Francisco sev\ice, the result would be a piolit on tiie latter Kne of over 114.000. Feelino- is \ cry much di\ id.cd. betw ecu the vhal mail services. *

WJKE-GROW EKS' DISTILLATION. .Sir George Chey'n Bill to piovido for the Granting o; licences to \vine-i»voweis to distil t-piut^ is circulated. It gives the Commission vow tr to giant the piopiictoi o: any \incyard who shal l have in cultivalion and actually planted with vines a quantity of land not le&s than two acre?, a licence to keep and use a still of not less Chan fcwunfcy-livo jiailons, ni r more fclian tiftv oallons capacity, toi the pui pose ot distilling spirits from wine or the lees of wine, being the product of liib o\mi vineyaid, such spirits to be us-eil only iov foititying the winess produced on the wnejaids ot the person obtaining such license. The licensee must furnish letuuis, and .spirit' are to be kept in a special s-toio-ioom.

NATIVE POLICY KILLS. At the deputation of native? to the Piemiei relatn c to the Qo\ eminent native poiicy Bills, the Northern repiesentati\i> were stiongly opposed 10 the Bills, and claimed the observance ot the treaty of YVaitangi, but the East Coast natn es limited their objections to the taxation clauses The Pi emier said it vs as absurd to ask that theie shouid be a ?epatate system of Urn eminent in the colony for Emopean-» and Maoris. He promised that the Bills should, after their second reading be iefi ■ 'cd to a Committee of boili Houses in \\.,.c. nati\e membeis should be included, and that the Government would accept thu Committee's lepoit.

RETRENCHMENT. The saN ings in salaries by the lO'renehnient scheme ot the Government is not so mythical as « ould seem from a fust glance at tne letiun laid on the table of the Hou^e on Thuro- | day, to the ordei of Mr W. P. Reeves. Though a saving of only X 30,000 out of a total retrenchment of €233,000 is there shown, the xetuin was meicly made up till the e\o of Parliament; meeting, and is. therefore, practically useless. The actual amount saved from ua^es and baUuic» as borne out by the estimates is t'65,200, while latterly Mr Mitchelson has managed to save an additional £19,500 on laihvay^. Out of horn four to the thousand poring employed in the railway service, only foi'ty-be\ en get over C2OO per annum. Jul\ 7 11. Ivln ilcKcx/it's Califoinian Thistle Eiadication Jiill was considered m committee last m^ht, but so much obstruction wasolleied by Mr Hutcln&on and Mr Ken that only the lir-fc clause, ii\in^ the thoit title. was received, progress being then reported.

KAI IWI BLOCK. R. Thompson inten & to ask the jMim^tei of Lands n it is ti uu ih.'it tw-ntj-pe\en persons have applied to the down Land-* Commissioner afc Auckland for l;"id to settle upon in the X.ii Iv i Block, Xwthcin "VYairoa ; thab a and paicy weie tent up to lay ofl ioi the applicants, but a day or two after thoii ai rival on the ground ihov weie le called and .sent to anothei disbticb. At -u hose lequcht w ere the survey pai ty icmovcd? Aielheieany reasons uhy Kai Iwi Block mould not be opened for settlement '/

THE CHINESE QUESTION. The Conference between the two bianches of the Legislature le^arding the deadlock over the Chinese Bill has been nxlanged tor noon bo-day, in the Joint Committee Room. The managers on behalf of the Council are Dr. Pollen, the Hon. Messrs liiohmoncl, Waterhouse, Shiim&ki, and Holmes The Elective Chamber will be i-«p: evented by the Premier, the Colonial Secretary, Mes-rs Ballance, (iuinne->-, and Pyko, the latter being appointed in the absence of Mr Seddon. A lively hour is anticipated. THE NATIVE BILLS. The following is the Committee which Mr Mitchelson intends to prouose tv consider, in conjunction with the Committee of the Legislative Council, the various native policy Bills : — Sir H. Atkin&on, Me^rs Ballance, Carroll, Graham, Sir J. Hall, Messrs Hislop, Ormond, Pratt, Samuel, V\ T . D. Stewart, Taipua, Taiwhan^a and the movei.

THE LAND BILL. In moving the second reading of his Land Act Amendment Bill, the Minister for Lands said it was not considered advisable to alter the land laws too frequently, and the present measure would not have been introduced, but that.no provision was made tor the Canterbury pastoral leases, which fall in in 1890. The opportunity was also taken to make such slight alterations as would prevent Motion in the existing system, especially with 1 egard to the payments of thirds to local bodies. The leases which would expire in 1890 comprised about 500,000 acrerf, and were capable of being cut up into small runs. These iL was proposed to divide into two clashes — pastoral lands with an absolute tenure and semi-pastoral, which would be subject to the right of re-enlry after twelve months' notice. Thero would probably be some difference of opinion as to the provisions for the appointment of a Commissioner to carry on the administration of land affairs after the dissolution of the Land Boards, but after much consideration of the queation he could see no occasion for the continuance ot the Board syst m. The remits ol the Act of last, so,? , feion were very sat sfactory from the settlement point of view, but did not pijo duce a large revenue. The measure was discussed by the Hon. Mr Ballan.ce,'

Messrs Beotham, John McKen/.io, Cowan, Hobbs and others. Opposition was shown to fcho proposal to abolish Land Boards,' and Mr Beetham intimated that he would again make an etVorfc to liavo the Boards tnado elective, tho Houso having last session affirmed tho principles ot elective Land Boards. Very strong opposition to^ the measuro was shovvn by Mr Pyko, who ridiculed the classification of lands by surveyors, whose only knowledge of the country was what they had learnt in their ordinary office work. The second reading of tho Bill was agreed to, and the measure referred to the \Vasto Lands Committco.

THE SHEEL' "DEPARTMENT. It is admitted on all hands that a radical change is absolutely necch&ary with respect to the administration of Lho Sheep Depart mont. Instead of making a clean sweep of the Dcpaiomcnt, the I\hnist3r of Lands has had a committee appointed for the pmpose of inquiriug into the working ot fcho Department. Probably an outcome of their deliberations will be the removal of the conduct of the Department irom the hamis of Superintendent-Inspec-tor Bayley.

THE LEGISLATIVE VOTE. It is expected that the oucstion of whether the (Government or Speaker bhall have contiol ot the Legislative vote will bo debated duiinij the present week. Those who considor Iho (iovcrnment should have control ha\o discovered the folly ot the decision given to the House of Commons by Sir Erskine May in 1880 on the point in dispute. The evpondifcuie ior tho Houso of Paihament is authorised and conti oiled in precisely the same manner as that of other public departments. The estimates are picpaied for the several dopal tments. and soi \if o» in each House and. sent into the Treasury. The Treasury may accept them as they arc received or arrange with the depai tment f' r any reduct'on, but in either ca^c the> aic pie&ented to Parliament by Her AJnjeaty's command, and upon the les-ponsibilitv of tho Minister of olic Cioun They are \otcd by the Uou^e ot Commons, and ineliulod in the Appiopriation Act, and arc subject to the Audit OHico like the yores tor othei dcpai tment i =. In neiohei House lias the SpeaKer, or any other oilicer, any authority to \ary the appiopiiation 01 any of the votes.

MAIL SERVICES. Quite a number ot question'? now appear on the oidci* paper lclativc to the Fiisco and other mail .sen iee 1 ?. ibelie\c -F. B. YVhyte intends to take the opportunity at an early date to adc the Colonial Tie t-iuet upon what ternib could oui roieiixn maiK beeomoyed bj the oidmary steamei^ tiadm^ 1 toundfiom New Zealand, wilhoafc subsidies, and approximately what annual saving Mould bo elieeted by haAing them com eyed by this means a& coinparid v,uh the pie^ent syttem ol subbidisin^ the mail vices.

REPUDIATION AT THE THAMES. The Government hu\o nob yefc received official inst ruction of the Thames policy ot repudiation, but they arc almost cettain to put in a leceher of revenue. Their attention has al<o been directed to the fact that the cost of admini^tiition at the Thames it> 27 \ per cent of income, and the highest peiccnt.i^e in any other pave oi the colony is 5j percent. This fact -iill be inquired into with the object ot elleetinp; such ccomony as will enable the interest to be paid for the future.

THE AUCKLAND HOSPITAL. Di. MacGregor makes the following allusion lo Lho Auckland Hospital in his annual repot b: — "This Hospital, alter a Ions; pcnod of strife, has enteierl on what I rrusfc will long continue CO be a peaceful com te of [>üblic usefulness. The new Boaul, by appointing Dis, Lindsay and Bell, have fcecured most tru.stw 01 thy and capable oih^eis, and ihe condition of Lhe Hospital in all it-, parts is mo^l satisfactory. The indooi pati^nU for the year nvmbered : Male-, 659 ; females,, 242 ; tota 1 , 901. The ont-door patient? are ptovided fo- by meantoi a di.snon.sary, which la<-b year cosfc 1295.

NORTH ISLAND RAILWAY' ROUTE. Tho Mim-ter of Public WoiUs .is-jiued ])r. Kc\nnan yesteulay that the co->t of huivey ot the new loutc ot tho North Wand Trunk R.ailwa\ is only 18,000, and 01 this C 6.000 %\a» voted for &ui\ey of new lines Tlie bahincc ot ( -2,500 would bo proxided for fioin unauthou-bcd cxpendiUuc. Di. Xounwn was about to warmly deb tte the question, but accepted the .suggestion ot the Premier to cleiei the mattei till tlie vote c..iiit! bufoie the lloiibe.

LAND POLICY OF THE LIOYERXMENT. A fumniarj of the iL.-t.nlK o! the land policy ot the piosent («o\emment w.it. gi\cn by ii'G Ministei foi Land.-- uhen moving the second le.iclinii ot the Land Act Amendment Bill. The hon. gentleman .soid that 720,000 acres had been biouglit under the opeiation of the Act, and results oi fcho sales for settlement purposes had so tar been veiy snti&facloiy dm ing the lust thiej months. The number of .'•ales had been 593, and total area dealt with 593,000 acies. Theie had been 171 settleib lor cash, who had taken up nearly 21,000 acres, a\crage price being 13s per acre, the lesult in cash being £13,700 ; 123 seleobois under defeired payment s.vstem, who took up 14,300 ar:i.e-->, paying ainivid instalments amounting to -C 1,385; under perpetual lea»e tenuie, 299 selector liad taken up over 60,000 acres at an annual lental of lid per acre. The Minister said that so far, the perpetual lease syttom wa* shown to be mo^t acceptable to the public, but it did not produce a large revenue. Tin: first business for to-day will be the consideration of the Native Bills, which Ministers aie anxious to have refeired to a select commit! cc of the House for consideration. It i& not likely that Mr Withy's rctolution will come on to-day, but when it is reached Ministers will piobably accopt it. It was ru mowed late last nighb that the Cabinet had decided to vote against the resolution, butthereport proves to beincorrect, no definite decision having been yet arrived at. It is said that some Ministers have announced that they will vote for, and others against it. A Minister informs me uhat the only way in which a tuihher caving of -£100,000 can be made ie- by abolishing- both the San Francisco and the direct mail services, and paying ior letters by weight, raising the school age bo seven, and reducing the pay of all railway employees and police officers. They recognise that neither the House nor the country is pi epared to go to anything like this length, however great the desire for further retrenchment may be, but- they are quite willing to accept the responsibility oi some Im-ther reductions, and during the recess will continue the work they took in hand when entrusted with office. At the time of writing, I have ascertained that a pricking of the card shows the voto to be hostile to bhe resolution, as near as can be learned.

OUR DRINK BILL. Speaking on the question, Mr Goldie drew attention to the yearly decrease of New Zealand liquor bill, mentioning that 39 years ago the annual consumption of drink averaged for every man, woman, and child, ten guineas, whereas now it only reached the sum of £3 5s per head.

THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS. Members avo being qanvassod to day for support to a resolution directed against tho appointment of Railway Commiss>ionerB in tho mean Lime, and the movement is meeting with a good deal of support.

THE SPEAKER ILL. Sir G. M. O'Rorke is .still suffering irom a severe cold, and will be unable to preside for a day or two. Mr Ilamlin will there - foie act as Speaker.

THE MINING ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The Mining Act Amendment Bill was botoro the Goldfields Committee- today. CoJotiol Fitibor succeeded in attaching a new olau&o, making 1 it lawiul for the County or Borough Councils to contribute towards tho maintenance ot schools of mines

COMPARISON OF SERVICES. Ifc is estimated that it the San Francisco Service were abolished and a touv-wcekly service carried on by the direct/ line theie would be a netb profit to the colony ot C 2,585. If, on fcho other hand, the direct mail service were abolished and the tour weekly line via San Francisco retained, the proht would be as much as £14,754, while ii a foibnighfcly direct service Muie adopted and the San Francisco line abandoned, there would bo a net loss to the colony ot €5,350. These calculations aie bat-ed on existing ratob ot payment, *md on the amount of last year's correspondence.

POINT RESOLUTION COMMISSION. The Point. Resolution Commission sat for tho first, time to-day, Mr \V. P. Reeves being in tho chair. Hii George Grey's petition and com>pondenr-o were submitted and discussed at length Sir George contended that Parliament did wiong in conveying the land ; th;it a clau»c ia the Special Powers and Contracts P>ill should be repealed, and the land restored for tho ordinal pur-po-iCh, and Mr Ki&slinnr compciibatcd m ino!iC3'. Tho feeling ot the meeting wa»< that tho (Jovcnmient had not paid 100 much, but that it had no right to take more than was absolutely required for the Battery. The meeting eventually odjourned without coming to any decision.

THE CHINESE DILL. There i< an absolute deadlock over the Chinese question. At a free contoronce held ab noon to-day, the manager representing tlic House of Rcpie&entatis'e& gave v>:\y on tihr* \otin<j clauses on the ground that b.ixation mean- representation, but insisted that Clause 2, inserted in the Kill in the Council, should be struck out. This clause inteipiots the term Chinese- ttb not including n&tuial born or naturalised subjects ot Her Majesty, and the contention of tho elected ropi'es' nlativeb was that jf it weic retained theio is nothing to pre^ ont the country from being flooded with Chinese cheap laboui. Dr. Pollen, Mr Shrim-.ld and other managers api)ointed by the Council took up the attitude ot " no Minender,'" and insisted on the ieteiition of the clause. Aftu <i fcharp exchange of peisonahties between the Premier and Mr Bhnniski, the conference ended abruptly- it being c\idont that there was no picspcet of any compromise being anived at.