PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3908, 8 July 1881, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

[By Telegeaph.]

(fbom oue special coeeesponbent.) Wellington. This day. Since the delivery of the Financial Statement the impression is growing that the session will be a long one. It is probable that a fierce debate will take place re the proposal to establish a Board of Works with paid members. The proposal to give local bodies rating power up to two shillings in the pound is also regarded somewhat suspiciously. The debate re Pollen's pension last night was occasionally acrimonious. It is generally considered that it will lead to the thorough ventilation and possibly to remodelling of the whole question of pensions. During the debate the galleries were largely attended by civil servants whose term of service is approaching the period, when they might claim a pension. It is understood that considerable uneasiness exists amongst them.

The Governor goes to Auckland to meet the Princes, and an effort will be made to adjourn the House for a week ; the majority, however are scarcely agree to such a waste of time.

The Government have stated that, though legal, the payment of £50,000 in bonuses to policy holders could not be made until the receipt of the Lon don actuaries report and recommendation ; still it was possible to have everything; in readiness so that the distribution might be made at -the earliest possible date.

In the debate on the report of the Public Accounts Committee on Dr Pollen's pension, Mr H. Wood expressed an opinion that Ministers had no right to trouble the House with the recommendation or opinion of committees involving the legality of ministerial action. Sir W.Fox contended that Ministers who paid any money in the public account without a specific vote of the House, should be made to personally refund the amount of every unsanctioned payment, and maintained that beyond the mere question of Dr Pollen's pension, a system of maladministration of expenditure prevailed, and that the entire question of Ministerial responsibility or non-responsibility needed investigation.

A return has been prepared showing the present uutnber of Police Officers as 445, averaging a monthly pay of about £5500, and ihe number of Armed Constabulary 672, averaging a monthly uay of about £6,700. Since May 1880, a saving of about £6,000 per month has been made in the whole service.

The ' report for the Under-Secretary for Mines shews a further increase in the north of coal mines. In the colony there were at the close of the year, 61 in the North Island, and lul in Middle Island. The total output for the year, 299,923 tons, of which 7021 tons were exported. The quantity imported, 123,298 tons, and the consumption in the colony 416,200 tons, being au increase over the previous'year of 3i,101 tons. Only two persons have been killed during tbe year.

The fourth report of the Kegistrar of Friendly Societies shows there were at the end of 1880, of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows,ll districts with 62 lodges; the Independent Order of Oddfellows, 1 grand lodge, and 15 sub-ordinate lodges ; the .National Independent Order of Oddfellows, t district, and 2 lodges; the Ancient Order of Foresters, 6 districts, and 45 courts; the Ancient Order of Shepherds, 1 sanctuary; the Ancient Order of Druids, 8 lodges,; the Loyal Friends Benefit Society, 1 lodge; the Eechabites, 1 district, and 31 tents; the Sons and Daughters of Temperance, 5 sub-ordinate divisions; the Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society, 7 braeches; the Good Templars, 1 grand lodge, and Si lodges. ■

Student (to the professor): " Can anything go, and not go anywhere ?'■' Professor : " I should think not." Stuuant: "Then I should be obliged if you would tell me where the light goes' when it goes out."