PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2067, 3 July 1890, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Californian Thistle McKenzie M.H.R., has made himself notorious during his time in Parliament, He has been the butt of many a joke, but he does not seem to mind it in the least. He has, however, made one capital suggestion. He has suggested that all school masters should be enabled to enrol voters. This is a capital idea. Schools are very widely distributed all over the country at present, the school masters are men of intelligence, who have a good deal of local knowledge, and it they were empowered to register electors it would be a great convenience. At present there is only one registrar in some far off corner of a district, and manv neglect to register owing to the difficulties in the way. For instance, the registrar of the Eangitata district lives in Ashburton, one has to write to him and get people to certify as to one’s eligibility. It would be far more convenient if the local school master could do it.

Sir John Hall is to the fore again with his motion extending the franchise to women, There can be no doubt that women as a general rule are as intelligent as. men, and as capable of exercising the franchise. If they bad the power to vote it is very probable they would go in for many reforms of a domestic nature, but it is doubtful whether the time has yet arrived for enfranchising them. The greatest objection to it is that wealthy women would vote, while poor women would not bother with it. It would only double the voting power of wealth and that is what Sir John Hall is working for.

The collections of customs duties cost Is 4d per cent, more last year than the year before. Where does the retrenchment come in, Mr Shannon’s salary and some law expenses have no doubt increased the cost. One shilling and four pence per cent, makes up a nice penny in the collection of over millions, Where is the retrenchment.

In 1885 the Stout-Yogel Goyprnment proposed to exempt from taxation £BOOO worth of improvements put on land by farmers. Ihe object of this was to place land on equal footing, so that those who improved their land should not pay more than those who did not. The proposal was flung back in their faces by the Atkinsonians, who wanted to make farmers pay taxation on all jraprovemts, so as to lighten the burden for the .companies and large land owners. ■ : Ms' Balance still adheres to tbs proposal of 1886. He wants to exempt from taxation the improvements and agricultural im. pTemeuts of faripeps, yet farmers are told Mr BaUance is PRPW7*

A few English papers, on the authority of Mr George Buckley have asserted that two members ot the present Government owe the an . 1 0 New Zealand £60,000. Mr Buckley is given as apthoritity for this, an under the circumstance,? the Govern ment ought to clear themselves of R. Mr Hislop has said that it is not true that they owe £60,000. but that may be a mere quibble. They may owe £61,000, OF.ony large sum, while Mr Hislop would be true W ea y iD S th * fc they did not owe the exact sum o wed. Taken together with the fact that }t was alleged that the Government borrowed the £2,400,000 t-c>years ago to help the bank, and that the charge has been made by Mr Buckley, it is a very serious matter, and ment ought to clear themselves of it at once.

According to the Financial Statetnent the cost ot working the railways will be increased this year by £IB,OOO. This is altogether independent or any

increase caused by the action of the Railway Servants Society. Cannot people now realise where all the retrenchment comes in. What was the use of retrenching last year and putting it on again this year. It simply was a miserable subterfuge to gull people with. If there has been retrenchment why is it that the total amount of the estimates of the present yeai is as large as the amount of Sir Julius Vogel's estimates. When will people open their eyes to this trickery, cbicanerry, and fraud, which is being practised on them in the name of Government.