POLITICAL NOTES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2236, 4 August 1891, Page 4

POLITICAL NOTES.

(By Special Reporter of the Taieri Advocate) THE GOOD OLD TIMES. It is quite amusing th hear the old members of the House wail over the degeneracy of the present Parliament compared to the Parliaments of a few years ago. ‘ Where,’ they ask, ‘is the champagne that used to flow so freely in those good old times ? ’ And they will spin yarns of how in days gone by 50 bottles of champagne in one evening was not an uncommon amount of business for Bellamy. These old stagers, filled with memories of the past, have a quiet contempt for many of the new members, who are far too sober and temperate a set of men to revive the old days of Bellamy’s. Stories are told of days gone by when mock courts were held and members fined for imaginary offences ; the penalty being half-a-dozen or a dozen bottles of champagne. The new men are too serious, too sober, and, some say, too ‘ beastly mean.’ I think, on the whole though, , the change is for the better. THE SHOP HOURS BILL. The common opinion is that the Upper House will throw out the Shop Hours Bill, though the opinion is held by some members that they will not throw oiit any of the Labor Bills. The Hon. Mr Rolleston was very severe on the Shop Hours Bill while speaking on the Truck Bill. He thought the first-mentioned Bill would be denounced as ‘ a sham, a delusion, and a snare.’ It has been decided that agricultural implements may be sold and repaired at any time, and therefore the Sliop Hours Bill will not prohibit such as was originally proposed. A COMPLAINT. Mr Thomas Brown, of Owake, wired to one of the Otago members as under:—“ Please mention that on Gatlin’s River railway there is only a stationmistress employed without pay, she receiving a free house. In honor the Railway Commissioners might return to the Clutha County Council her drawings from the Charitable Aid, to ■make the services respectable.” HEALTH OP 'MEMBERS, Many of the members are already beginning to look queer. Mr McArthur is stili very ill, Mr Jackson Palmer is laid up, and several other members are complaining. There has been, and still is, a considerable amount of sickness in the Hon. G-. Ward’s family, and Miss Larnach died the other , day of typhoid fever. As the members have the real hard work of the session still before them (Bills in committee) they are anxiously wishing to get on. I fancy that there will be very little talk on the Government side on any of the measures that are brought down, for they do not wish to remain any longer than they can in a place that is so unhealthy as Parliament buildings. joyice’s licensing bill. The second reading of Joyce’s Licensing Bill was carried by the small majority of three votes, but this division in no way represents the true feeling of the House on the question. Many voted for it because they recognise the principle of local option. They argue, very fairly, that if the law enacts that the people shall be consulted and allowed to give their decision as to whether the number of licenses shall be increased, they have an equal right to decide whether* tjie licenses shall be decreased; beyond this many who voted for the Bill have not a particle of sympathy with it. If it gets into the House again, that is to say in committee, it will get so torn and tattered and mutilated that its father will not know it. The House will not stand any private legislation on the Licensing question. If there is to be any legislation on this subject it will have to be done by Government and a complete, consolidating measure brought in.