NOTES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2388, 28 July 1892, Page 2

NOTES.

The Sydenham Licensing Committee is still in evidence. On lasi Monday, a deputation of licensed victuallers waited on the Premier and asked him to remove the committee, as Judge Dcnniston held they were not fit to administer the law in a judicial manner. Mr Ballancc said he could not see his way to do that, as it was possible the decision might be appealed against. The deputation said the committee had decided not to appeal. This has brought the Rev. L. M. Isitt out of his shell. He has telegraphed to the Premier that it is the committee’s intention to appeal, and expressed surprise at Mr Cowlishaw making a statement to the contrary. Mr Isitt ought to have known Mr Cowlishaw better than feel surprised at anything he said. A petition, signed by 1000 of the adult population of Sydenham. lias gone to the Premier, and another is to follow, praying fcliat the committee may not bo removed. There is still talk of a dissolution, but it is highly improbable that it will take place. It is alleged that Sir George Grey will not go to Australia, hut wjll soon be in his place in Parliament. This is the great hope—the loadstar of the Opposition. They are clinging to the straw that wCe;; Sir George arrives lie will make tilings bi.cjy for the Government. Not long ago they woiA wont to abuse him, but now he is their darling. Sir George is the wrong man t<? turn oi.f ji Liberal Government and put a Tory one in Us place.

Mr Blair, C.K., estimated that the cost of making 112 miles of the Otago Central would be £OOO,OOO. There are 12 miles of it made, and £dßll,ooo spent, thus leaving £OI,OOO to make the other 100 miles. This is engineering accuracy, this is science, yet we know of people who pin their faith on engineers.

The Opposition are never tired of sneering at the Government supporters that they are being led by the nose. We wonder would they think they were led by I lie nose if (hey had been v oting on the Opposition side. Loyalty

has always been considered a virtue, but tiie Oppostion regard it as a vice when in this matter. We wonder, indeed, .that the Government supporters are not in a hurry to go back to dummy ism, extravagant expenditure, extensive borrowing, and the many outrageous actions of the previous Government.

The Government have introduced a Bill to license lodging-houses. The license fee will not be large ; the object being to register the houses and see that they are properly and cleanly kept, and also to prevent persons of bad character from keeping such houses.

The Hon. Mr Ballance has cabled his congratulations to Mr Gladstone on the result of the English elections. 111-natured people say that the Government hope that the new Liberal British Cabinet will order Lord Glasgow to put as many members in the Legislative Council as Mr Ballance wishes.

Mr Bryce is once more before Parliament. He has petitioned to get the vote of censure removed, but a large number of members want him to apologise first of all. This is the most childish business we have ever heard of, Last year Mr Bryce said Mr Ballance ought to be ashamed of himself. Mr Ballance said : I must call on the honorable gentleman to withdraw these words. Mr Bryce replied : IJwill not withdraw, and I will stand the consequences. Now here is where the nice point comes in. Had Mr Bryce said that to the Speaker it is generally admitted that he would have been guilty of disorderly conduct, but his friends assert that he was only replying to Mr Ballance, and consequently was not disorderly. This is splitting straws. The Speaker afterwards called on him to apologise, and he refused, and surely he was then disorderly.

Ever since the Midland Railway Company (West Coast Railway) started they have been everlastingly insisting on concession after concession, They got everything they asked for from the late Government, but the present Government is not so pliable. They want the present Government to guarantee interest on the cost of construction at the rate of dy per cent., but they will not do it, and now the subject is before Parliament. The Company will want to get the whole of New Zealand yet.

The Colonial Bank has petitioned for a share of the Government business. It lent the Government £700,000 in 1887, and it alleges that it then got a promise of a share of its business. We do not see why it should not get it. It is now the only New Zealand managed bank we have.

The expenses the Government have been put to in the cases in connection with “ Judge” Edwards amounted to £IO7O 0s Gd. This was the legacy the previous Government left behind them.

A return was presented to Parliament on Monday showing the public Ufooey paid to members of both Houses iu addition to the honorarium during the past hve years. The principal amounts are as follows ;—M.L.C.’s — Captain Bailey £lsl, Dr. Grace £ITI, Mr Peter £B7, Mr Oliver £BS, Mr Shepherd £7B, Mr "Whyte £7O. M.11.8.’s Mr J. C. Brown £IBO, Mr J. Carroll £O7, Mr C. Cowan £127, Mr J. Fulton £OO, Mr D. Macarthur i,'77. Mr J. McKenzie £4.05, M r dV". P. Moabi Mr A- D. O’Callaghan £lOl, Mr W. L. Pens £ll2, Captain W. B. Bussell £O7, Mr -I. "W. Thomson £lB2. We should like to know what these gentlemen have done for the money. It will he seen that only two Liberal members got anything.

A return has been laid before Parliament showingtbat dating last year £2.877,770 worth of mortgages were paid off, and £2,810.008 re-invested, leaving a balance of £28,105 to represent the capital which left the country. >So there has been a great deal of cry and very little wool. A\ r e were told capital was leaving the coloqy lu millions, hut this proves that there \yas not a word of truth in it.