PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 285, 28 July 1888, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Wellington, July 26. VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS. In conversation with the Hon. Mr Ballance last night, he declared that the village settlement scheme would eventually be th® making of Auckland. He considers that the North, with its advantages of climate, offers special inducements for settlements of this kind, and says that though theie may be a lull tor the present, he is convinced that in a year or two thousands of people will be settled on this sysi-itn, and the city of Auckland will reap great advantage from it. Mr T. B. Hill, of Auckland, has written to Mr Ballance suggesting that man and wife should each be entitled to select fifty acres, but Mr Ballance does not appiove of this proposal. Two points were made very clear by the Minister of Lands yesterday in speaking of the village settlements. One was that it not intended to continue the Village Settlement Homestead system, although it was admitted that the experiments by Mr Ballance had been a success. The other point was that there was such a brisk demand for small sections for cash oni'esidence and settlement conditions that the difficulty was to keep pace with it. The village settlement scheme was debated for nearly three hours, and nearly every speaker, almost without exception, expressed warm approval of it. Encouraged by the feelingshown in the debate yesterday afternoon, Mr T. Thompson gave notice of an amendment to the Land Bill providing for the continuation of the village Settlements. It came on at 2.30 this morning, when a majority of the members, however, were asleep, and was lost by 17 to 15. Messrs Goldie, Withy, Cadman, Fraser, and T. Thompson were the only Auckland members who stuck to their post) co the last, and voted for the amendment, and Mr Lawry paired for it. The Auckland members who voted against it were Messrs Mitchelson, Moat, Major Jackson and Whyte. If the warm supporters of the afternoon had sacrificed personal comfort, and remained till the finish, it would have been carried easily, as there was an assured majority.

LICENSING ELECTIONS. Major Steward yesterday asked leave to move without notice to fix his Licensing Committee Election Bill for next sitting. Mr Goldie, however, was promptly on his feet, and defeated the move by raising an objection, which was sufficient to prevent the question coming on without notice.

HOME FOR THAMES MINERS. Tho Minister for Mines lias informed Colonol Fraser that the Government will nob reserve a block of land as a grant for a home for aged minors of Coromandel and the Thames. Such a grant was made to the West Coast last year, but the circumstances of the minors on the Northorn goldfields were, he said, quite different, inasmuch as they were near the centres of population wheie Charitable Aid Boards exist.

AUCKLAND PETITIONS. Isaac Ruding petitioned ior a grant of land for militaiy services, and Jonathan Biowzi and oblieis for concession in regard to stamps paid by the Tauranga RailwayCompany. The Petitions Committee report than Robert. Atkinson, formorly in the Customs Department, has no claim against the colony. The Native Affairs Committee allowed Mr Taiwhanga to withdraw hib petition making a claim to certain moneys.

MOUNT EDEN STONEBREAKEKSMr G oldie has received a petition fiom about eighty married men employed on stone-breaking relict works ab JVlount Eden relative to a statement published in the "Herald" that they are to be discharged at tho end of the piosent month. They pray him use his influence to have loliet woik continued, as dismissal would moan starvation to themselves and families. Mr G oldie interviewed the Go vetnment, and finds, as I stated a fow days ago, that it is not pioposed to discharge t'e&c men, although they will be put to road-making work instead of stone-break-ing in the approaching summer.

NATIVE LAND BILL. Tho u hole of laso evening's sitting was occupied with the debate on Ihe motion to go into committee on the Native Land Bill, Sii George Grey said the Bill had been completely altered, and the natives knew little about its provisions. He moved that the Bill be read that day three months. The Premier, speaking to the question, said the objections of the natives were confined to the taxation clauses., and these might be put in another Bill if the House desired it. All the native members spoke against the provisions for taking native lands. Mr Carroll said he objected to them unless the Ciown and Native Land Rating Act were repealed. The Premier said it the House reiused to repeal the Act, he would suspend the taxation clauses. Shoitly before midnight the Bouse divided on the question, and Sir George Grey's amendment shelving the Bill was rejected by 54 to 12, and it was agreed that the j House should go into Committee on the measure. The debate on the motion to go into committee on the Native Land Court Bill was then proceeded with.

IMPREST SUPPLY. The Government weie yesterday voted impiest supply to the amount of £350,000, of which £250,000 is for the Consolidated Fund, and £100,000 for the Public Works Fund. This is considered sufficient tor services till 30th of September.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT. I mentioned the other day that this question is agitating the minds of many membeis, and I now learn that Dr. liodgkinaon will take an early opportunity to ujk the Premier if the (lovemment will make the question of decentralisation and reform of local government an integral part of their policy, and next session bring in a Bill for a reform of local government on lineb similar to those of the Local Government Bill recently introduced into the English House oi Commons.

BIBLE - READING IN SCHOOLS. The Hon. Dr. Menzies has given notice of his intention of mowng in the Council to moirow, " That the time has arrived when it id no longer necessaiy to prohibit the leading of the Bible in State schools. '*

THE SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE. There is likely to be an acrimonious cle" bate shortly ovei the question of ocean mail sei vices, and it is still doubtful whether a majority of the House will agxee to a continuance ot the subsidy for the San Francisco contract. I learn through the Premier that the British Government ha\e been asked to pay a sum of eighteen thousand pounds 1..3r annum to defray the cost of conveyance of the mails across America and the Atlantic, but bo far no leply has been received. Sir Hairy stated that if the Home Government decline to contribute this subsidy, he will not ask the House to sanction a continuance of the San Fiancisco service, and in any ca&e he will probably table some resolutions on the matter within a few days. A canvass of membei'S has besn made by Mr Ward, who assures me that a considerable majority of members aie against the continuance of the San Francisco seivice. Many of the Southerners will, I am told, oppo&e it as a piotest against the action of leading members of the Retrenchment Committee who hail from Auckland.

GISBORNE HARBOUR INQUIRY. Several witnesses have been examined by the Committee appointed at Mi- Ormond's instance to inquire into the conduct of affairs by the Gisborne Harbour Board. The investigations show that while the Harbours Act limits harbour dues to two shillings per ton, the Oisborne Board have, under the guise of wharfage dueb, been charging 2s 6d per ton, and threaten to further increase the&c wharfage dues. This is clearly an evasion of the spirit if not of the letter of the Act, and the Legislature is soon to be asked to amend it in order to prevent a recurrence of thia state of things. The Committee have not yet con&idei - ed the report.

THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENTThere has been more delay in connection with the Public Works Statement. Owing 1 to the backward state ot public business it Avill not be delivered to-morrow evening, and it is now doubtful whether it will come down next week. It is, however, ready for delivery.

THE POROTI MAORI TROUBLE. The Native Minister received a reassuring message to-day relative to the native outbreak in the North. He does not consider that it will be necessary for him to go North as a peacemaker.

END OF THE SESSION. 1 was assured by the Minister to-day that the amount of work coming 1 forward to be got through is so great that the session cannot be over before the end of August.

MIDLAND RAILWAY. Amended proposals from bbeMidlandßailway Co., which are likely to prove acceptable, have been received. These have been submitted to the Law Officers, and if they find no latent flaw of a legal character the Government will consent, and then tho contract will be immediately signed.

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY. Most) £>f_to-day's sitting will be occupied with the Otago Central Railway Bill, wnich the Auckland members threaten to stonewall.

LECTURER ON DAIRYING. The Agent-General writes recommending the appointment of Profebsor Long, of the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, as a lecturer on dairy farming to the colony,

Mr Long being a scientist. The Government wishing to secure the services of a thoroughly practical man, have recommended Sir Dillon Bell to try America, and see if a suitable lecturer cannot be obtained.

THE LAND BILL. The House did not rise till twenty to three. In the Land Amendment Bill, a clause providing for the continuance of Land Boards was agreed to. A new clause, moved by Mr Thompson, to provide for fche continuation of village settlements by setting aside not less than 10,000 acres a year for them, was lost by 17 to 15, the Minister stating that the Bill did nothing in the direction of stopping theso settlements. Mr Whyte hoped the Government would delay the passage of the Bill through Council, because he believed the Fair Kent Bill would be rejected, in which c!"*e it. Avould be advisable to give the Land Boards extended powers for dealing with Crown tenantb. The Minister said" there was no desire to hurry tho Bill, which was reported with amendments, read a third time and passed.

JOTTINGS. The Government refuse to loaerve a block of land as a grant for the Thames for aged miners in Coromandel and the Thames. The engagement of Inspectorof Hospitals and Asylums is for throe years, ending on March 31st next, at a salary of X" 1,200 a year. The Government refuse to provide for the extension of the Wellington-Mastorton railway to To Aro, which is now tho most populous part of this city. The Council has passed a Counties Act Amendment Bill and Volunteer Drill Sheds and Land Bill. Mr Taiwhanga is asking the Government to lepeal the Act* in force affecting lands in the King Country. Mr Moss is urging the Government to bring down propobals for better constitution of the Public Accounts Committee. Notice hab been given of a New Plymouth High School Bill. Mr Turnbull is moving for the production of all papers connected with the Pukekuia and Puhoi blocks, Waikato, and Messrs Grice and Benns's dealings with the owners theraof. Mi R. Reeves is urging the Government to appoint a technical commission to the Melbourne Exhibition to collect evidence as to the best method of extracting gold from quartz. Mr Taylor intends to ask the Premier if he will bring down a proposal next session for an income tax.